The Windmill Farm & Craft Market
A Saturday Tradition That Signals the Arrival of Spring in the Finger Lakes
Every spring around Keuka Lake, there’s a moment when locals quietly know the seasons have turned.
It isn’t the calendar.
It isn’t even the robins.
It’s the first Saturday when the gates open at The Windmill Farm & Craft Market just outside Penn Yan—where the windmill itself still stands as a quiet sentinel over the fields, just as it did from the very beginning.
Coffee in hand, people begin pulling into the gravel lot along Route 14A. Merchants busy opening their little shops. The smell of fresh donuts drifts through the air. And suddenly the long Finger Lakes winter feels officially over.
On April 18th, the Windmill opens once again for another season — continuing a tradition that has been bringing farmers, craftsmen, locals and travelers together for decades.
But the Windmill didn’t start as the bustling Saturday market visitors see today.
Like many great things around Keuka Lake… it began with a simple idea and a lot of determination.
A Dream Carried Home to Keuka Country
Long before the first vendors set up their tables along Route 14A…
before the scent of fresh baked goods drifted through open-air aisles…
before Saturday mornings became a ritual for so many around Keuka Lake…
There was simply an idea.
And a road trip.
In 1978, Bill and Ruth Gunderman, along with Pat and her husband Ron Nissen, traveled to Ephrata, Pennsylvania. What they found there was something that felt both simple and powerful—a farm market where local growers, bakers, and craftsmen gathered together, creating not just a place to shop, but a place to belong.
They returned home to Yates County with that idea quietly planted.
For years, it remained just that—a vision waiting for the right moment.
When an Idea Finds Its People
By 1986, that vision began to take shape.
Ron and Pat, along with Bill and Ruth, started talking with friends—many from the local English and Mennonite communities—about creating something similar here in the Finger Lakes.
Encouraged by Susie Stoltzfus, a respected quilt maker, they decided to take a chance and call a meeting.
What happened next still feels like one of those “only in a small town” moments.
Eighty people showed up.
Eighty!
From that gathering, a plan was formed. A steering committee was created. And before long, a 26-acre site between Penn Yan and Dundee—right along Route 14A—was chosen as the future home of what would become The Windmill.
There was already a windmill standing on the property from the very beginning—quietly turning above the fields—and it’s widely believed that this simple landmark inspired the name that would one day become so well known across the Finger Lakes.
Built on Faith, Not Funding
There was just one problem.
No one wanted to fund it.
Banks and institutions didn’t quite understand the vision. A farm and craft market of this scale… built by community… for community… wasn’t something easily explained on paper.
But this was never just a business idea.
It was something deeper.
So they moved forward anyway.
Opening Day — June 27, 1987
On that first day, 64 vendors filled two enclosed buildings.
Another 25 set up outside.
There were no guarantees.
Just determination… and a whole lot of hope.
And then came the following Saturday—July 4th.
Cars lined the roads.
Traffic backed up for miles in both directions.
People came in numbers no one had expected.
In that moment, the dream wasn’t just real…
It was thriving.
Growing Into a Landmark
What began as a bold experiment quickly became something much bigger.
In 1988, a third building and a produce shed were added. A New York State grant helped install sidewalks, concrete floors, and restrooms—small things that made a big difference.
By 1995, more land was purchased to accommodate the growing crowds.
From 1997 to 1999, additional vendor buildings were constructed.
And in 2004, another state grant allowed the produce area and former hay auction barn to be enclosed—creating even more permanent spaces for vendors to call home.
The People Behind the Market
If The Windmill has a heartbeat, it’s the people who built it.
Bill Gunderman—often called the “Father of the Market”—was more than a founder. He was the electrician, the architect, the treasurer, and a steady guiding force. Many of the buildings still standing today were designed by him.
Pat Gunderman served as the first President, later Treasurer, and Market Manager for six years. Even after her retirement in 2001, she remained closely connected as a consultant.
And Ron Nissen?
When asked what he planned to do at the new market, he simply said:
“I’m going to sell hot dogs… people are always hungry.”
And he did just that—while also helping guide the market for years as manager and mentor, even assisting in the creation of other markets beyond Yates County.
A Legacy That Still Lives
In November 2001, Bill Gunderman passed away.
But his words—and his vision—remain woven into The Windmill to this day:
“The dedication and patriotism to the market has been outstanding… Hundreds have given their talents unselfishly, and the credit for the success belongs to all of them.”
Because that’s the truth of The Windmill.
It wasn’t invented.
It wasn’t manufactured.
It was built—piece by piece—by a community that believed in something simple:
That local matters.
That handmade matters.
That gathering together matters.
And perhaps nothing reflects that more clearly than the people who have stayed.
Today, nine merchants have been part of the Windmill for more than 25 years, and twelve merchants have been there for over 30 years—quietly showing up season after season, becoming part of the rhythm and memory of the place itself.
More Than a Market
Today, The Windmill Farm & Craft Market is more than a place to shop.
It’s a Saturday morning tradition.
A meeting place.
A memory-maker.
A place where the story of Keuka continues to unfold—one merchant, one guest, one conversation, one season at a time.
And if you sit on a bench there long enough…
watching the crowds move through…
listening to the hum of voices and laughter…
You can still feel it.
That original dream from 1978.
Still alive.
Still growing.
Right here between Penn Yan and Dundee—beneath the same windmill that first gave it its name.
Growing into a Finger Lakes Destination
Today the Windmill spreads across roughly 40 acres and hosts over 175 vendors, making it one of the largest seasonal markets in the region.
Visitors wander through a maze of stalls and buildings selling:
• Fresh fruits and vegetables from Finger Lakes farms
• Homemade breads, pies, and baked goods
• Amish and Mennonite foods and preserves
• Handmade furniture, quilts, and woodworking
• Antiques and collectibles
• Jewelry, art, and local crafts
• Garden plants and flowers
• Finger Lakes wines and specialty foods
For many travelers exploring the Finger Lakes wine country, a Saturday morning stop at the Windmill has become a must-do tradition.
On busy summer weekends, thousands of visitors pass through the market.
And while the Windmill is grounded in decades of tradition, it continues to grow with each passing season.
Alongside the beloved merchants who have called The Windmill home for years—some for decades—another chapter quietly begins, as ten new merchants arrive, ready to plant their roots and become part of the story:
• Time Space Crystals
• Rising Dough Bakery
• March Mouse Designs
• Keuka Spice Cellar
• Toasted Shenanigans
• Moon Shadow Kitchen
• Naughty on the Weekend
• Finders Seekers
• Last Shot Distillery
• Oaks, Inc
Each one bringing something new… while stepping into something timeless.
A Saturday Ritual for Locals
For many people who live around Keuka Lake, the Windmill isn’t simply a market.
It’s a Saturday morning ritual.
Parents bring children for fresh cider donuts.
Gardeners search for early tomato plants.
Fudge lovers hustle quickly to Oh Fudge after a winter fast from their favorite fudge.
Collectors browse the antique stalls.
And neighbors who may not have seen each other all winter suddenly meet again in the market lanes.
Visitors arriving for the first time often leave surprised by how large it is.
Locals simply smile and say,
“Welcome to the Windmill.”
When the Windmill Opens, Spring Has Arrived
The Windmill Farm & Craft Market operates every Saturday from mid-April through late November, making it one of the longest-running seasonal markets in the Finger Lakes.
Opening day has become something of a local celebration.
After months of snow and quiet roads around the lake, the return of the Windmill signals that warmer days are finally ahead.
And as the season unfolds, it becomes a gathering place once again — for farmers, craftsmen, visitors, and families from across the region and beyond.
🌾
Ready to Visit
Tucked just outside the village, where Saturdays seem to slow down in the best possible way, you’ll find one of Keuka’s most beloved traditions. The Windmill isn’t just a market—it’s a gathering place. A place where handmade meets homegrown, where stories are shared between aisles, and where generations return, week after week, season after season.
From the first opening day in April to the final Saturday in November, the rhythm is familiar—early mornings, fresh finds, and the quiet joy of discovering something unexpected.
Address:
3900 NY-14A, Penn Yan, NY 14527
Phone:
315-536-3032
Website:
thewindmill.com
Hours:
Saturdays | 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Season:
Open every Saturday from the
third Saturday in April through the last Saturday in November
Closed Sunday through Friday
Special Open Days:
Memorial Day
Independence Day (observed)
Labor Day
Black Friday
Because some places aren’t just destinations…
they’re traditions that keep calling you back.
🌿 Keuka Roots Reflection
Places like the Windmill remind us that the Finger Lakes has always been a region built by farmers, craftsmen, and small businesses working together.
What started with a bulldozer, a few volunteers, and a dream in 1987 has grown into a Saturday tradition that now welcomes thousands of visitors each season.
And if you find yourself wandering those market lanes this spring…
with a warm donut in one hand and a bag of fresh produce in the other…
you’ll understand why so many people say the same thing when they leave.
“See you next Saturday.”
Stay Rooted.
Stay Keuka. 🌿
