CRIVITZ – In 2024, the foundation for what is now known as The Hay Wagon began with business owner Ashley Siegel’s small but extremely busy venture called The Big Bread Stand.
Originally selling sourdough, eggs and a few items made by friends, Siegel quickly realized the stand’s incredible potential to help other small businesses and individuals showcase their products. However, the space constraints meant that it was difficult to expand their product offerings.
“I thought it would be an incredible opportunity to help other small businesses and individuals get their product seen, but the current stand wasn’t big enough to bring on more products,” she said.
Siegel explained that she and her husband brainstormed possibilities for the expansion — ranging from a trailer or grain bin to a bus — before deciding on “an old, busted-up, 16-foot hay wagon [that had been] sitting in a field for God knows how long.”
From there, the pair set to work on designing and building the businesses before launching the fully-stocked Hay Wagon business in April 2025.
The business quickly gained popularity with local shoppers and garnered a platform with online followers. Unfortunately, an unforeseen bump in the road nearly destabilized the growing vendor.
Siegel said that in July 2025 she received a complaint regarding the outside food being sold.
She explained that due to the Wisconsin Cottage Food law, farmstands are restricted to selling only bakery products made by the owner on their own property, while the state’s Pickle Bill prohibits the sale of canned goods outside of vendor fairs or community events.
“Ultimately, I was made to remove any other food vendor from the stand which left The Hay Wagon pretty bare. It was devastating,” Siegel shared.
Despite this setback, The Hay Wagon has bounced back with an impressive array of offerings, including farm fresh vegetables as well as chicken and duck eggs.
“The most popular product I sell is sourdough. I also sell muffins, scones and recently was given the incredible honor of using some very popular giant cookie recipes from The Hill Farmstand in Coleman,” she explained.
While The Hay Wagon does not sell food items made by others, they do have a wide variety of vendors selling other products.
The current lineup includes: Moonlight Whimsy Wicks — hand poured soaps, candles and body products; Northwoods Tallow — skin and lip care; Emma Beads — bracelets, key chains, necklaces and magnets; Ella’s Creations — custom beaded pens; Bee You — earrings; Serene Sunshine Creations — suncatchers; Cunningham Creations — tumblers and keychains; Designs By Becky — hand-embroidered products; Last Light Lures — custom-painted fishing lures; Uncle Js 3d — 3D prints; Treasured & True — handsewn gifts; 4 Monkeys Woodworking — wood crafts; and Pioneer Metalworking and Repair — welded art.
Outside of the businesses, Siegel also said that the plot of land also has a pasture full of animals many customers love to enjoy looking at. In addition to Rusty the highland cow, there are also Idaho pasture pigs, ducks, chickens and Nigerian dwarf goats, which Siegel said may be getting their own goat playset this summer.
The Hay Wagon is also constantly changing, with vendors bringing new products for shoppers to take home.
“I am always looking to add more vendors to the hay wagon. All the people I have met because of the stand have been a true blessing.”
The Hay Wagon is located at W7609 Saint Paul Rd., Crivitz. For more information, visit www.thwfarmstand.com or find The Hay Wagon on Facebook.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here