By Jacob Yothment | for The Bugle
The Morton Grove Farmers’ Market, a staple of community pride and inclusion, will be returning next month.
The Morton Grove Farmers’ Market opens June 9 and will continue every Saturday until Oct. 20. The farmers’ market lasts from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday and takes place in front of the Morton Grove Civic Center at 6140 Dempster St. in Morton Grove. A committee serving with the Morton Grove Chamber of Commerce organizes the event.
“Our main focus is to provide farmers’ market services and goods to our patrons,” Eric Brodsky, one of the managers for the farmers’ market, said. “We want people to know what makes up our village.”
Brodsky is one of four managers in the committee. He has been a part of the committee for six months, but has been volunteering for the past eight years. The farmers’ market is run entirely by volunteers.
Along with produce, vendors also typically sell baked goods, meat as well as other treats. Local artists and artisans also sell crafts made by hand. For opening day for the farmers’ market, there will be live music including a performance by the Golf Jr. High Show Choir as well as a performance from members of Croozin the Loop, a Chicagoland Motown band.
At opening day, the Morton Grove Library and Golf School District 67 will both be celebrated to encourage support for both within the community.
Food and beverages sold at the event include but are not limited to coffee, gourmet donuts, cheeses, fresh fruits and vegetables, pies, organic baked goods and fish. Brodsky said that the committee also encourages vendors to sell goods that are gluten free, vegan or that fit other dietary restrictions.
“We want to make sure everyone gets a real farmers’ market,” Brodsky said.
The committee works alongside an assistance program run by the state called SNAP that strives to provide nutritional food to people in need that also fits their dietary needs. Users of SNAP receive a card that they use to buy food and food products that help fit their dietary needs. SNAP users who attend the farmers’ market will receive double the amount purchased on their cards, according to Brodsky.
Although the kickoff for the 2018 season starts in June, the chamber of commerce has hosted similar events throughout the year such as the Mother’s Day Farmers’ Market earlier this month, the Taste of Morton Grove at the beginning of March and the Indoor Winter Farmers’ Market which took place both in December and February.
Those looking for more information and those looking to be a sponsor or vendor at the farmers’ market can find more information at MGFarmersMarket.org.