Farmer's market customers sad to see season near end
By DANA HERRA dherra@daily-chronicle.com
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| Priti Nemani of Sycamore buys some pumpkins Sunday from Bryan Crump of Carlock at the Discover Sycamore farmer’s market. Dana Herra – dherra@daily-chronicle.com |
SYCAMORE – It seems like summer just got started and already it's time for fall.
That was the sentiment of many shoppers at the Discover Sycamore farmer's market on Sunday. Both Sycamore and DeKalb have only one market day to go before the end of the season.
"I'm very sad next week is the last one," said shopper Zabrina Atkins, who was laden with bags of fresh tomatoes and sweet corn.
The Atkins family typically hits the Sycamore market every week right after church, she said, noting that the family likes to support local farmers and also enjoys the farm-fresh produce.
"It's fun and they have all sorts of neat stuff here that looks really yummy," Ella Rose Atkins said. Her mother laughed and said the 11-year-old "gets excited" about the market.
In contrast to the regular shoppers, Priti Nemani had just discovered the market.
"This is my first time," she said. "I have to take advantage of it while it's here."
Nemani was ready for autumn, with bags of pumpkins, apple cider and baked goods from the market.
"I enjoy going out on a Sunday morning, and I always enjoy the atmosphere of farmer's markets," she said.
For vendors at the market, 2009 has been a little slower than past years, which several attributed to the cool summer weather and the slow growing season for much of the produce.
"It's been all right," shrugged Bryan Crump of Crump Farm Gardens in Carlock. "Every market we've gone to has been slower than last year."
The Crumps sell produce at a different farmer's market every day of the week during the season, he said, including Sycamore, DeKalb and several markets in the Bloomington area.
While Mark Schramer of Farm Direct Black Angus in Maple Park noticed a slow start to the season, he's still done pretty good business at the market this summer, he said. As one of several vendors marketing hormone- and antibiotic-free meats, he also sees the market as a way to spread the word about his business.
"A lot of time people start making orders for winter for sides of beef, and we can let people know when our store on the farm is open," he said. "The farmer's market is real good."
Final Farmers Markets
DeKalb and Sycamore will both host their final farmers markets of the season this week.
DeKalb's market is Thursday from noon-6 p.m. at the intersection of Locust and Second streets. Sycamore's market is Sunday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the intersection of Somonauk and Elm streets.
