Elgin Harvest Market opens for 16th season

The 16th season of Harvest Market in downtown Elgin opened Thursday with a sizable crowd of customers who perused more than 20 booths selling produce, cheese, honey, cupcakes, hot dogs and much more.

The market, organized by the Downtown Neighborhood Association of Elgin, runs 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays through Oct. 1 at 200 N. Grove Ave. Starting next week, it will feature a program from noon to 2 p.m. for preschoolers through sixth-graders that will feature active fitness fun, cooking demos and interactive activities.

Jack Petersen of Elgin bought some ground beef on Thursday from Jones Packing, which sells meat products from small local farms. "I love it," he said. "It's all fresh products and friendly people." His wife Linda agreed. "The music is good and the coffee is good!"

Beverly E. Schoonmaker Alfeld of Crystal Lake, who sells preserves, spreads, mustards and other items at her "Jamlady" booth, said this year she decided to forego setting up shop at farmers markets in Chicago. "I figured I didn't need to drive all the way into the city and this is as good as any market in the city," she said.

Being able to use her Link card - a feature offered by the market since 2013 - has been great help, said customer Michelle Eberhardt of Carpentersville. ""I can get fresh fruits and vegetables, and I am a diabetic - that's very, very important for me," she said.

The Elgin market has doubled in size from a few years ago, said Kristin Srail of Geneva-based Windy Acres Farm, which is among the market's veterans. "This is the first day and there are a lot of people already," she said.