Buffalo Grove Farmers Market opens with six new vendors and return of some familiar vendors and products – Chicago Tribune

The Buffalo Grove Farmers’ Market opened on Father’s Day at Mike Rylko Park, with several new vendors rounding out this year’s 36 attendees.

Additionally, about a dozen volunteers help operate the market, including market director Paulette Greenberg.

“It’s huge, yeah, they’re not all here every week,” Greenberg said of the market size for the 2024 season. “We have a big group this year.”

The Buffalo Grove Farmers Market has a wide opening at Midway and will be open Sundays from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. through mid-October – except Labor Day weekend.

“You can have breakfast and lunch here,” Greenberg said, as there are offerings such as pancakes, egg rolls, freeze-dried candy, fried rice, baked goods and sandwiches. “Come and have breakfast. Come hungry, try the new food.

Greenberg said cherries are in season and many farmers are bringing in their produce “two to three weeks earlier than normal because the weather was good.”

She explained that most of the produce is not in warehouses but was picked shortly before being sold at the market.

“In reality, the process goes from farm to customer in a matter of days,” Greenberg said.

Greenberg said that historically, market attendance fluctuates. But, she explains, in good weather, especially at the start of the season, around 1,000 people come on Sunday. Pantry items are also collected.

“It’s a community,” Greenberg said of the farmers market. “Some of these people who own the stands live nearby, and we meet people. It is a great social event every year.

Loren Lukaszewski, of Eau Claire, Michigan, manned the Holle Orchards Hardin’s Family Farm vendor booth and said, “It’s been a good year for strawberries. »

Newcomer to the market Joe Sabatello of Lake Zurich and Lake Zurich-based Sabatello Quality Meats sold custom bratwurst for a Father’s Day grill.

Supporting local businesses is important because “it depends on the quality provided by local businesses, especially at farmers markets,” Sabatello said.

He said there was no corn syrup in the brats he sold, which is a departure from the sausages available in grocery stores.

“This is my second farmers’ market this year. Last week I sold out in the first two hours,” Sabatello said in reference to his participation at the Lake Zurich Farmers’ Market.

Caden Docekal, 4, of Buffalo Grove and Caden’s brother Riker, 2, and the toddlers’ father

Gary Docekal, of Buffalo Grove, and his two young children were there early on the market’s opening day, hoping to avoid the arrival of warmer temperatures predicted for the day. arrived early on opening day.

Spending Father’s Day with family, including at the farmers’ market, Docekal said, is about “taking the time, trying to prioritize what’s important” to create quality memories.

Knife sharpener Amanda Nells, of Lindenhurst and Sharpening by Dave, is back in action at area farmers’ markets this season.

She called on customers to continue to “support local produce because you are allowing small businesses like ours to continue to operate.”

Nells said this year marks his company’s 20th season participating in farmers’ markets.

“Business is good,” she said.

Karie Angell Luc is independent.