Despite the rain, Julie Skifter of Austin made it out to the Farmer's Market Thursday.

She picked up cabbage from Sheryl Ehlke's table, chatted a bit and headed home.

This is the first week of the Farmer's Market season in Austin. The market is held 4 to 6 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays at the Oak Park Mall parking lot.

"It's the best, no chemicals like you get in the store and they're nice people," Skifter said.

Ehlke has set up at the Farmer's Market for 20 years and is treasurer of the market. Only four vendors set up shop in the damp weather Thursday, but about 12 vendors have signed up to participate in the market this season.

Ehlke was selling potted flowers, vegetables and homemade jams, but sells more vegetables and fruits later in the summer. The busiest time of the season is July and August.

Kyle Marie Milliron of Albert Lea has been selling baked goods for three seasons. She teaches in the Albert Lea school district, but spends her summers at Farmer's Markets in Albert Lea and Austin.

She sells breads, cookies and brownies, none of which are made with hydrogenated oil. She and her husband bake

Tuesday through Saturday for the markets. Saturday afternoon through Monday is their "weekend."

"It's busy at our house, but it smells good, too," she said.

Their four sons help out as well from packaging to taste-testing.

"My son always jokes, 'I don't even know what a cake mix looks like,'" she said.

Milliron said people's schedules often prevent them from having time to make homemade treats.

"Everybody's busy now, but it's nice to have something homemade," she said.

Cari Quam can be reached at 434-2235 or by e-mail at cari.quam@austindailyherald.com