Farmers' market is reaching out for more vendors
BY OLIVIA COBISKEY
SVS REPORTER
ocobiskey@svnmail.com
STERLING - The Twin City Farmers' Market is looking for a few green thumbs, and it doesn't matter if you have a quarter of an acre or 20, said Harry Wilkinson, a vendor and volunteer.
"We want to encourage the people with a small garden as well as larger operations to participate," Wilkinson said. "We want to let people know we are in need of growers of produce of any type."
The market was created in July 2005 by Sterling Main Street, a nonprofit organization developed to enhance the downtown area. It's vendors like Wilkinson and volunteers who keep it going.
To provide more space for vendors, the market added a wooden patio to the front of its home in the historic 1914 Twin City Produce Co. building, downtown at 2nd Street and Avenue A.
The year-round market offers locally grown beef, pork, bison, free-range chicken and eggs. Locally grown organic herbs, fresh in the summer, dried in the winter, and Illinois made jams, jellies and sauces are available year-round.
Rural entrepreneurs also offer toffee and baked goods, such as pies, breads and cookies and cakes. Others bring soaps, spun wool, forged metalwork, soy candles, rag rugs, black walnuts, homemade noodles, baskets, home decor items, crafts and sunflower seeds and corn for feeding wildlife,
With 26 vendors listed on their Web site, www.tcmarket.org, the market's "buy local" crusade is ripening into a full-blown movement.
The group has special events planned for each month during the summer, including a cooking demonstration the last Saturday of June, July and August, featuring produce and meat sold at the market.
"It will highlight seasonal produce," said Penney Fillmer, a member of the market's board. "It's a great opportunity for people to learn how to use some of the products sold at the market."
Anyone can be a vendor, including organizations that want to do a Saturday fundraiser or hand out information about their group, Fillmer said.
"We exist to promote eating locally grown food and support people who grow food and make products in the area," Fillmer said.
Reach Olivia Cobiskey at (815) 625-3600, (815) 284-2222 or (800) 798-4085, ext. 570.
