Farmers markets offer local food, friendly folks

Every Saturday, June Boeckh awakes at 3 a.m., readies herself for the day, and makes her way from South Elgin to North River Street in East Dundee.

Once there, the 82-year-old volunteer coordinator unlocks the bathroom doors at the Dundee Township Visitors Center as the sun rises, greets and assists about 50 incoming vendors, and, at the same time, prepares her own booth of antiques and collectibles for sale.

This ritual begins the first weekend of May and will continue for the next 24 Saturdays through October as Boeckh oversees the ever-popular Dundee Old Farmers Market.

What would prompt someone who could be enjoying retirement to put forth so much time and energy into the community's farmers market?

"It's both the financial increase and the increase in social life that is the culmination of the day," said Boeckh, market coordinator for the past 10 years. "This is a small-town thing where people like to go. The best part is the fact that customers keep returning year after year."

Farmers markets exude a charming ambiance that attracts hundreds of visitors every week to local town squares, civic parking lots, or popular corner spots. Buyers come as much for the atmosphere as they do for the fresh and healthy pickings just brought in from the fields. The markets seem to be popping up in more communities every year.

And, as interest grows, many of the markets offer more than just the ordinary home-grown tomato. Besides the popular venues of locally grown veggies, perennials, cheeses and meats, many markets now provide live entertainment, cooking demonstrations, baking contests, produce contests -- such as East Dundee's largest tomato and best pumpkins contests -- and activities for kids.

Barbara Read, management assistant for the village of Huntley, said both the farmers and citizens were pleased with Huntley's new Farmers Market that opened last year. Some Saturday mornings saw as many as 500 visitors, once the produce came in, she said. That's quite a turnout for a market that started with only three vendors in June and had nine stands as the season progressed.

"We had a very good turnout because we had entertainment and other activities," Read said. "We had lots of seniors from Del Webb, but we had as many families, too. We had people walking dogs, and there were lots of strollers. There wasn't just one group of people visiting."

Because of last year's success, Huntley's market, held by the town gazebo on Coral Street, will kick off June 7 with six vendors selling a variety of perennials, potted plants, fresh-cut flowers, gourmet dog treats, and seasonal produce. Special events for the season include an apple-pie baking competition, craft fairs the first Saturday of each month, cooking demos, entertainment, historical society presentations and a weekly book sale in the town's old village hall.

The entertainment benefits add to the markets' overall appeal. What once was a quick vegetable stop has turned into a morning -- or afternoon -- outing.

The Batavia Main Street Farmers Market opens June 28 on South Water Street and hosts a gourmet market the first Saturday of each month. Chef Jason Stoffels, owner of Enticing Cuisine restaurant, prepares dishes from his booth using ingredients brought in by the farmers. As he demonstrates his cooking techniques, he fields questions from onlookers.

"We did this last year, and it was a big success," said Britta McKenna, Main Street executive director. "We've had a very solid market. This is our 12th year."

Some farmers markets have thematic appeals, such as the Geneva French Market -- presenting a European flair with French linens and home décor items among its 44 booths -- and the Geneva Green Market, encompassing environmental and social goals for its customers and vendors.

"Our motivation is to be a community event every week and to promote sustainability, making sure the dollar spent in the area stays in the area," said Karen Stark, who founded the Geneva Green Market last year.

"It means the farmer who is providing us with good, nutritional food will be able to plant next year because we are sharing our resources with the farmer."

Many markets organizers strive to work with local farmers only, ensuring the freshest vegetables and fruits. Most try to avoid vendors who purchased their produce elsewhere, and have not grown the food themselves. Being able to talk directly to the farmer and ask questions about the food, its nutrition, and how it was grown is all part of the market appeal.

"Customers come in contact with the farmers, who are very passionate about their work," said Robert Murphy, market manager for St. Charles' Farmers Market and owner of Curds & Whey Cheese Co.

"Many of our farmers practice healthy growing procedures. A farmers market is just the best source for produce that's been ripened on the farm, and there's a heavy social aspect as well. At the market, you'll find a mix of young and old, families and retirees. It's just a very pleasurable way to go shopping."

Farmer Bob Wagner, of Union, has participated in the Marengo Farmers Market for 15 years and will bring part of his harvest to Huntley's market.

Wagner, who also has a full-time job and serves as Union's mayor, sometimes awakes at 4 a.m. on market days to hand pick corn and vegetables for that day's stand. He begins planting in mid-April and continues planting until the Fourth of July.

He and his wife, Dawn, "grew" into the business, one could say.

"I've been farming all my life," Wagner said. "We've always raised more produce than we could use. We started selling some to neighbors, and eventually went to the market. But I don't sell anything that's not raised on my farm. Everything goes from our farm to the stand."

Beth Propst, who owns Erehwon Farms in Elburn with her husband, Tim, delivers their crops to markets in St. Charles, Batavia, Geneva and Campton Hills. The couple, who worked in the business world until switching to farming seven years ago, grows any type of produce that will flourish in this part of the country. And, while work as a farmer is completely opposite of her previous life as a management consultant, Beth said the best part of farming culminates at the markets.

"Dealing directly with the customers and hearing how much they appreciate the vegetables is the best part of farming," Beth said.

Farmers markets in the Fox Valley

Algonquin

When: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays, June 5 through Oct. 9

Where: village parking lot on South Harrison Street, behind Algonquin State Bank

Batavia

When: 7 a.m. to noon Saturdays, June 28 through mid-October

Where: South Water Street, between First and Wilson streets

Campton Hills

When: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, June 14 through Sept. 27

Where: shopping center at La Fox Road and Route 64

East Dundee

When: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays through October

Where: 319 North River St.

Elgin

Downtown Harvest Market

When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays, June 12 through Sept. 25

Where: civic parking lot near city hall, corner of Highland and Douglas avenues.

Geneva

French Market

When: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 26

Where: Train depot parking lot, Fourth and South streets

Geneva Green Market

When: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays, June 26- Oct. 30

Where: 75 N. River Lane., one block north of Route 38.

Huntley

When: 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays, June 7 through Sept. 27

Where: Town Square, 11704 Coral St.

St. Charles

When: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fridays, June 6 through October

Where: Fourth Avenue and Main St. (Route 64)

Sugar Grove

When: 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays, June 7 through Sept. 27

Where: Sugar Grove Municipal Center, 10 Municipal Dr.