Omaha farmer retires after 30 years at market

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 11 Oct, 23:48 · Archive

Ed Welchert has officially retired from farming after selling at Aksarben Village Farmers' Market in Omaha since 1994.

Ed Welchert officially retired from farming at 1 p.m. on Sunday, the final day of the 2026 farmers' market season at Aksarben Village in Omaha. His wife Donna confirmed the retirement, marking the end of a farming career that had started with his parents and grandparents.

The Welcherts have sold at the market since it opened in 1994, spending more than thirty years behind a folding table most Saturdays and Sundays. When they first began, their operation was minimal: a single person would arrive with just one or two small baskets and a few boxes of vegetables in a truck. Over three decades, their market booth grew dramatically, with bigger tables, more products and additional staff.

Donna said the market itself expanded as much as their business did. 'The community is just... they love their market,' she said. Their final farming season proved particularly challenging, with Omaha experiencing extreme heat followed by approximately 18 inches of rain during the same growing season. 'You just realize that it's too much work,' Donna said of the difficult conditions.

How it is being reported

• Omaha Farmer’s Market vendor official retires after more than 30 yearsAt exactly 1 p.m. Sunday, Donna Welchert looked at her husband, Ed, and confirmed what they’d been building toward all season.1011Now · 11 Oct, 23:19
• Omaha Farmer’s Market vendor official retires after more than 30 yearsAt exactly 1 p.m. Sunday, Donna Welchert looked at her husband, Ed, and confirmed what they’d been building toward all season.WOWT · 11 Oct, 23:19

In this story: Ed Welchert · Donna Welchert · Aksarben Village Farmers' Market · Omaha

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