The Downtown Evanston Farmers’ Market opened for the season Saturday morning, drawing crowds to University Place and Oak Avenue.
Now in its 51st season, the market hosts more than 50 vendors every Saturday between May and November.
One recurring vendor is farmer Corban Koster, who runs Geneva Lakes Produce with his father and brother. Koster said that for at least 15 years, he has made the around 70-mile drive from Burlington, Wisconsin, to Evanston every Saturday during the farmers’ market’s season.
“Our crops are always producing, and people always need to eat,” Koster said. “Rain or shine, we show up.”
Koster said it took him years to build relationships with Evanston customers, but many of them are now among his most “die-hard” patrons. He has started growing new crops — sorrel, brown crowder peas and different types of tomatoes and potatoes — in response to requests from some Evanston customers.
Koster said the mutual investment in the relationship is what keeps him coming back.
“We got a really, really strong group of friends and customers,” he said.
Blaque Millennium Kitchens is among the market’s newer vendors. Founder John Michaels said it was his third year at the farmers’ market.
Michaels’ stand sells 11 varieties of gourmet spice blends, along with seasoned popcorn, he said. He said he has built a loyal following throughout seven years in business. His blends contain no preservatives and few synthetic ingredients, he said, and his customers leave with cooking knowledge as well as the product.
“Farmers’ markets are important because they give something to the community that’s sorely lacking,” Michaels said. “A lot of people can’t get quality fresh fruits and vegetables from the store because they come from different places.”
In addition to Evanston residents, many Northwestern students attended the market on Saturday.
McCormick senior George Warfel and Communication senior Millie Rose Taub said making frequent visits to the market was an annual tradition. Since they live off-campus together just across the street, they said they make an effort to visit as much as possible.
“I feel very in touch with the community, which is really nice,” Taub said. “On campus, we tend to feel pretty isolated. On our street in particular is a lot of student housing, so it’s nice to see all the families and all the people that actually live in Evanston.”
Warfel said he has noticed the produce he finds at the farmers’ market is fresher than at grocery stores. Overall, he finds it important to support local farmers and producers.
Koster echoed this sentiment.
“Every year, around 20,000 small farms go out of business, and we see it all around us,” he said. “I understand why. We work incredibly hard. We have a very difficult job. It’s hard to find people to help us.”
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