The Lake County indoor farmers market has opened for the season, running at Paulus Park in Lake Zurich on the first and third Sundays of each month through May.
On Jan. 16, vendors set up tables near or in the chalet in Lake Zurich at Henry J. Paulus Park.
The four-hour market is run by Nick Janovski, of Spring Grove, who is also a vendor and owner of Farmer Nick’s LLC in Spring Grove and Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Janovski, who also operates winter farmers markets on certain days in Buffalo Grove, Deerfield and Mount Prospect, said the COVID-19 spike has increased customer traffic.
“If anything, it’s been a little bit busier,” Janovski said. “More people are interested in purchasing in an environment like this than they are in a packed store.”
Items offered at the market Sunday included peppered beef jerky and specialty bread.
“Everything’s locally produced, so you’re supporting local businesses,” Janovski said. “A lot of our customers purchase products from us during the summer and still want to purchase their products from us all year round. So this gives a lot of our vendors the opportunity to continue to get income on a 12-month basis, rather than just four months during the summer.”
The Farmer Nick’s meat truck was parked outside the front door to the chalet Sunday.
“We’ve been buying from farmer’s markets for years,” said Mark Somers.
He said he chooses not to routinely shop at chain grocery stores, a consumer preference shared by his wife, Jan.
“This is our grocery shopping,” Jan Somers said.
Josh and Jessica Biggins, of Cary, shopped the market Sunday with their children Jillian, 3, and Jackson, 1.
“We like to go to our local farmers market in Cary during the summer, so we thought we’d give this a try,” said Jessica Biggins. “Sometimes the homemade stuff is really nice.”
Jodi and Rick Clute, of Hawthorn Woods, owners of IKL Microgreens, had a table set up featuring green produce grown hydroponically indoors. The Clutes harvest weekly.
“You can consider us an urban, vertical farm,” Rick Clute said. “We usually have eight varieties (of microgreens) every week.
Clute explained that microgreens don’t last very long, usually requiring a local purchase because the ones in the stores can be up to four days old before they make it to shelves for sale.
About the concept of a winter farmers market, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, Jodi Clute said, “A lot of people want to get out, they can’t stand being in anymore so they want to get out.”.
She called the winter market a safer environment, adding that people also wear masks.
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Maryam Wood, of Wadsworth, founder of Middleton’s Preserves, sold a variety of produce. Supporting local businesses accomplishes much, due to ingredient quality and more, Wood said.
“It’s better for your health,” Wood said. Further, “you’re stimulating local economy and you’re supporting small business.”
Karie Angell Luc is a freelancer.