Northbrook Farmers Market opening day will have familiar look

Notice that things will be a little different at the Northbrook Farmers Market will come near the start of the June 22 opening-day bash.

But it's also a little more familiar.

Northbrook Village President Kathryn Ciesla will conduct the ceremonial watermelon cutting at 10 a.m. This year, people can actually have a piece for as long as they're available.

"We're going back to pre-COVID. We're planning to hand out watermelon slices, which we've held off for two years," said Dale Duda, a certified market manager and the only president the Northbrook Farmers Market Association board has had in its 14 years.

"We're planning to have a party, like we had before the pandemic," she said.

A face-painter will be back, and the vendors in the parking lot of Meadow Plaza at Cherry Lane and Meadow Road will be situated a little tighter than last summer, providing some more parking in the adjacent lot.

"Again, like pre-COVID," Duda said. "Not that the pandemic is over, I'm going to be wearing a mask. But we'll be outdoors, and that's the safest place to shop, is outside."

Duda said state Sen. Julie Morrison, Rep. Jonathan Carroll and Northfield Township Supervisor Shiva Mohsenzadeh also will make appearances June 22.

Duda said Mohsenzadeh will talk about the benefits of "gleaning," which is the collection of food Northbrook Farmers Market vendors donate at the end of the day to the Northfield Township Food Pantry.

"We are told people are lined up waiting for it," Duda said of the vendors' donations, "because they know it's going to be really good."

The opening day bash is sponsored by NorthShore University HealthSystem and hosted by Friends of the Farmers Market, those volunteers are known as Onion Heads.

Duda said there's always a need for volunteers; interested people can start by visiting the market website, northbrookfarmersmarket.org, or its Facebook page.

Music, balloon sculpting, a native plant giveaway and visits with Northbrook Police and Fire personnel also are part of opening day on June 22.

This year the market runs from 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesdays through Oct. 12, unless there's severe weather. The market presents a different "community table" each week featuring representatives from organizations such as the Northbrook Park District (June 29), the Northbrook Civic Foundation (July 27) and Go Green Northbrook (Sept. 14). Every community table throughout the market season has been reserved.

Additionally, on June 10, the Northbrook Farmers Market Association received a grant through Experimental Station for Link Up Illinois. For people using the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), it will provide vouchers for a double-value program - matching funds up to $25 for food items - that may also be used at other participating markets, such as in Skokie.

Previously, Duda explained, the double-value program could be used by a family once a week for up to $25. This summer, the times the program can be used are unlimited. Vouchers may only be used to purchase fresh produce.

"We have spent a lot of time and effort getting this grant," Duda said.

"For people who are on food stamps, that's kind of big news, that they can get more of the double value than in the past. Because of inflation and the way the economy is, we're anticipating - we can't be sure - that we'll have more clients visiting our market to access this additional funding."

That's a lot. Duda didn't do a head count last year, but in 2020 the market saw more than 21,000 visits by people from some 40 different ZIP codes.

"Who knows going forward," she said, "but we're hoping that people come and enjoy it."