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Finally, It's Time For the Oak Park Farmers' Market

Annual bounty returns to Oak Park. Who else is pumped?

 

It's back.

The buzz. The donuts. The farm fresh, feel-good-about-yourself-and-eat-local produce. Running into dozens of friends and neighbors. Quality meat. Tasty cheese. And new this year, freshly milled grains and oats.

Beginning at 7 a.m. Saturday, the 36th Annual Oak Park Farmers' Market will be open for business in the parking lot of Pilgrim Congregational Church, 460 Lake St. The seasonal market will run every Saturday through October in the same location.

Meredith Conn, director of the market, said guests — which can number in the thousands on sunny days — can expect the same high standards and quality they've come to expect for the past few decades.

"We try really really hard to not have more of the same," she said. "We try not to saturate any one of area of the market."

And how.

From berries to bread and rhubarb to raw milk cheddar, here's a look at the vendors slated to peddle their goods this summer.

Vendor List

Farm Name City State Contact Phone Website
Barry's Berries Coloma MI Brad Baser

(269) 208-6168
Brunkow Cheese Darlington WI Joe Burns (608) 776-3716 pcmli.com/cw_bk.htm
Ellis Farms Benton Harbor MI Rene' Ellis Gelder (269) 944-5420 ellisfamilyfarm.com/
Genesis Growers St. Anne IL Vicki Westerhoff (815) 953-1512
Geneva Lakes Produce Burlington WI Scott Koster (262) 206-0177 genevalakesproduce.com/
Hardin Farms Eau Claire MI Jim & Becky Hardin
(269) 461-3170
Heartland Meats Inc. Mendota IL John and Patricia Sondgeroth (815) 539-7117 heartlandmeats.com
Herbally Yours Willow Springs IL Jim and Kathy Vitalo (708) 839-8969 herballyyoursvinegar.com/
Ill. Specialty Cut Flowers Huntley IL Heidi Ong (847) 659-9451 illinoisspecialtycutflowers.net/
Iron Creek Farm St. Joseph MI Tamera Mark (269) 313-2019
ironcreekfarm.com
Johanson's Apple World Baroda MI Rose Johanson
(269) 422-2426
K.V. Stover & Sons Berrien Springs MI Ken Stover (269) 473-3000 stoversupic.com
Nichols Farm and Orchard Marengo IL Lloyd & Doreen Nichol (815) 568-6782 nicholsfarm.com
Owens Enterprises St. Anne IL Steve Owens
(815) 937-1423
Prairie Fruits Champaign  IL Leslie Cooperband (217) 643-2314 prairiefruits.com/
Red Hen Bread Chicago IL Rose Picchietti (312) 433-0436 redhenbread.com
River Valley Ranch Burlington WI Eric Rose (262) 539-3555 rivervalleykitchens.com
Sandhill Organics Grayslake IL Matthew & Peg Sheaffer (847) 548-4030 sandhillorganics.com
Smits & Sons (The Farm) Burr Ridge IL John Smits
(630) 253-0921
Tastefullife, Inc. Chicago IL Olivia Chase (312) 829-3100 mytastefullife.com
Ted's Greenhouse Tinley Park IL Ted & Daniel Biernacki (708) 532-3575 tedsgreenhouse.com
Tiny Greens Urbana IL Bill Bagby (217) 328-9367 tinygreens.org
Tomato Mountain Farm Brooklyn WI Robin Schirmer (708) 370-8017 tomatomountain.com
Walt Skibbe Farms Eau Claire MI Karen and Walt Skibbe
(269) 208-3313
Wettstein Organic Farm Carlock IL Dennis and Emily Wettstein
(309) 376-7291

Please note, because of harvesting schedules not all of the vendors will be out in full force at the first few market sessions. Saturday's market and the May 28 market will feature special "Go Green Exhibits."

Related Topics: Meredith Conn and Oak Park Farmers Market
What's your favorite part of the Farmers Market? Tell us in the comments.

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