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."