The Glenview Farmers Market opened Saturday at Historic Wagner Farm in Glenview.
Last year, approximately 20,000 people came through the market, said Jon Kuester, Historic Wagner Farm director.
“So that’s the goal, maybe a little bit more,” Kuester said of this year’s attendance projections.
There are 15 vendors this year, confirmed Paula Hamvas, co-market manager with Kuester.
“We believe in local food source here, that’s what we do, we produce food, but we want to provide an opportunity for people that live here, in Glenview and the surrounding community, to have access to the farmers so that they know where their food comes from,” Kuester said. “They can talk to them, they can learn about how they grow things, and then that can allow them to make choices.”
Hamvas said they love seeing children and families learning about how food is actually grown.
“That to me is the most satisfying part of this,” Hamvas said. “And seeing them tasting things and just seeing this is how food really works, not just something you get in the grocery store.”
Vendors Saturday included regular 1st Orchards & Greenhouses of Dowagiac, Michigan, staffed by Leo Moya Moreno of 1st Orchards, Jessie Wessel, 12, Madison Wessel, 15, and Susanna Pitzer of Glenview.
Pitzer said it’s important to support local farmers.
“I think a lot of times it’s healthier for you because it’s the local community, but it’s also good to support the local community because you’re supporting local jobs, the local economy,” Pitzer said. “The food is more delicious, I find, it’s grown out in the sun, in the soil that you’re familiar with.”
Roger Miller of R & B Miller Farms of Coloma, Michigan, sold strawberries to customer Marian Jaeschke of Skokie.
“It’s fantastic, I come every year,” said Jaeschke, who likes to make strawberry jam.
Miller said he got up at 3 a.m. to be in place for the Glenview market. It’s a nearly three-hour drive.
“If they want their fresh local stuff from Michigan, like with peaches, we can pick peaches one day and have a nice ripe peach the next day,” Miller said. “I can pick it tree ripe instead of picking it two weeks early when it was rock hard so it could ship around the country.”
Miller said southwest Michigan is close to the Chicago area and that, “There’s so much produce along the coast, a 15 to 20 mile strip. I’m from Berrien County, but the whole coastline is a fruit producing area because of Lake Michigan, and just on the other side of the lake is Chicago.”
Patrons could park in the lots across from Historic Wagner Farm and many were seen pulling carts.
The Glenview Farmers Market runs on Saturdays through Oct. 23 from 8 a.m. to noon.
The 2021 market is held in the circular drive on the north side of the Heritage Center of the farm at 1510 Wagner Road in Glenview.
Karie Angell Luc is a freelance reporter.
