Sisters Phyl Shumski and Penni Ziegler look through the service window of their new lunch wagon.

Located right in front of the Blue Earth Locker on North Main Street, across from the Fairgrounds sits a small food truck with a big crowd. And with good reason. Phyl Shumski and Penni Ziegler, who are sisters, have been cooking up a storm.

In only their fourth week of business, their opening day was on April 18, Shumski and Ziegler are turning heads with their new food truck called “P-Pod” which features an entire menu of fresh, locally made hamburgers, sandwiches and other tasty lunch ideas.

The lunch truck is open from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and there is always a crowd, rain or shine.

Why? Shumski and her sister have a secret ingredient that is not so secret.

It is in the beef. Literally.

“We get our ground hamburger straight from Blue Earth Locker,” says Ziegler. “We also get fresh hamburger buns every morning from them as well as steak and pork that we use in our menu as well.”

Shumski comes to the P-Pod around 9 a.m. to start making the hamburger patties and begin grilling the other fresh meats before the noon rush.

Oh, and there are also fresh baked cookies. That’s right, fresh baked cookies right in the food truck.

Shumski also makes sure there is a daily special for her foodie friends that visit the P-Pod, as well as wraps, steak sandwiches, burgers, and their special deluxe grilled cheese. And fries? They are freshly fried right in the P-Pod, too.

Where did this P-Pod come from and how did it get such a following? Shumski actually purchased it from a friend she worked with last year at the fair.

“They said they didn’t want to do it again the next year, so I said I’d take over, and I did,” said Shumski. “So, this is our normal spot, right in front of the place we get our meat from.”

On occasions, the P-Pod is open on the occasional Saturday and for a good reason.

“We have used Saturdays as an opportunity to do some fundraising in support of our Relay for Life team, Bud’s Angels,” says Ziegler. The ladies also plan to travel with the P-Pod during festival days of local towns, including Blue Earth’s Giant Days.

As for the followers, Ziegler said it was as easy as word of mouth and a little friendly Facebook action.

For Shumski, the P-Pod is a labor of love that she has had for a long time.

“I always wanted to have my own food truck. I have been in food service almost my entire life, and when the truck became available, I took it,” she says.

So, where does the name come from? It is quite clever, actually.

“I originally thought it should be called FlavorPhyl’s,” laughed Ziegler. But really, the sister’s compromised name is the one that stuck.

“We both have ‘P’ names, Phyl and Penni, and we have seven siblings in our family, so we are always kind of in a pod.” Not to mention that some food trucks go by the term “pod.”

With a positive buzz and a full, flavorful menu, P-Pod is the new location for good, local food.