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Just got back from the Farmer's Market; I know it's early in the season, but it was pretty sparsely attended (as well as lacking in vendors, IMHO, although the ones there were very nice and had good produce, meat & baked goods). ProudHubby got to talking with one of the vendors, who said she's been coming to Glen Ellyn for years but that the last 2-3 years attendance has been dwindling. She says they've all talked to "the marketing committee," whatever that is, but feel frustrated by the lack of publicity/attendance.
Just wanted to throw that out there, and remind people that the GE Farmer's Market is there every Friday morning; today our haul was some grass-fed beef, homemade summer sausage, cheese, blueberries, corn, tomatoes, and donuts fresh from the fryer.
(Although, yeah, I have no idea where the corn & tomatoes came from, since they're not in season yet.)
Many of the vendors who are in the GE market then do the Wheaton one on Saturday morning. ProudHubby and I are going to go there tomorrow to see if it's significantly larger than GE's - I haven't been there in years. Hadn't been to the GE one in years, either, until today - my bad. It really doesn't register in my brain, and frankly, I don't remember hearing anything about it this year until ProudHubby decided to go last week (which was the first week).
The schedule is probably one issue, but with every village having their own market - I saw signs at Yorktown Mall saying they were going to start having one this summer - it's probably impossible for them all to be on a Saturday or Sunday. They also need space to hold them, and would the village give up the parking lot any other day than Friday morning?
(I don't know the answers to any of these questions, btw. Just throwing it out there, as I said.)
See - and this is truly a failing of mine - I forget that other people have actual work hours, since I don't, and neither does ProudHubby. Both of us working primarily from home, we can do stuff that I forget most of the world can't. That also means, though, that we don't know what a weekend is; it all blurs together into a 7-day work week, with longish breaks at odd hours.
I honestly believe most of our neighbors think we're either on welfare, selling crack, or one of those eccentric, independently wealthy couples who choose to live vastly below their means.
During the work week, I can go to markets downtown (including the nice new one right at Olgivie Center that's open year round). Or Wheaton, on Saturdays; or some of the markets that are open on Sundays.
Don't feel too badly - most of the CBD merchants also forget people work away from home Monday through Friday.
Posts: 441 | Location: Glen Ellyn, IL USA | Registered: October 06, 2003
Wheaton actually has two markets: one is their Farmers Market which is held during the week and the other is their French Market, held on Saturdays.
I attended their Farmer's Market last year when I could not attend ours. It consisted of 2 vendors- each had 1 table out. One was the corn person and the other tried to sell produce, but didn't have more than a few things. None looked appetizing. I left without buying a thing.
Glen Ellyn's Farmers Market is held on Fridays from 8am to 1pm every week starting Memorial Weekend to usually the last Friday in October. They have tons of offerings and everything is good. Fresh popcorn, fruit, veggies, breads, treats, flowers and of course, the occasional jewelry stand. This week they also had a musician playing his guitar. It is a great atmosphere.
Next week Glen Ellyn Junior Woman's Club will be out with their Bake Sale- all proceeds benefit the Philip J. Rock Center.
Usually each week they allow a non-profit organization to sell something to raise money for our town or an event. It's a great way to check out what is going on.
If you are going to compare Wheaton's FM to GE's, Glen Ellyn wins hands down.
I hate to say it, but some of the area "farmer's markets" I have attended in the last few years are not all that great...
I have not been overly impressed with the quality of the produce nor the pricing. In fact, I found some of the pricing to be way too expensive. Maybe this plays the dwindling number of folks heading out to the markets... People may not want to pay the premium price in tough economic times.
You can find a directory of local farmer's markets here.
