Even though few products from farmers’ fields were available Tuesday as it’s still early in the growing season, a steady stream of people stopped by the Naper Settlement Farmers Market on its opening day.
The downtown Naperville attraction, with free admission on market days, is open from 3 to 7 p.m. every Tuesday through Sept. 23.
Opening day was picture postcard perfect, with plenty of sunshine, warm temperatures and soft breezes.
While only two vendors were offering produce, there was no shortage of other items being sold. Among them, popcorn, baked goods, peanut butter, grains, condiments, honey, flowers, jewelry, spices, soaps, houseplants and even a few home improvement vendors.
Naperville residents Julie O’Keefe and Lisa Scardina, both 53, were happy to stroll around checking out various wares.
“We like that it’s not crowded yet. It’s a beautiful day. We like that it’s close (in) downtown Naperville,” O’Keefe said.
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“We didn’t come last year. We meant to. We were too busy. This year, we’re not busy apparently,” she said with a laugh.
Her reusable cloth bag was empty, something she hoped to rectify. “We just got here,” O’Keefe said.
Scardina, who grew up in Morris, bought some radishes. She said she is looking forward to finding more produce on future market days.
Sipping an iced coffee, Mark Mayle, 68, of Naperville, said he loves the market, calling it “a good location.”
“This is on a Tuesday. That’s nice because on Saturdays you are busy. I think that’s a big advantage,” Mayle said.
The market also provided him with a good reason to spend quality time with daughter Katie Mayle, 40, and her three children, Elllie, 11, Josie, 9, and Ben, 6.
Early into their summer vacation, the children got some good-natured ribbing from grandpa.
“Wait, are you guys out of school? Shouldn’t you be back in school?” he kidded them.
They had visited a balloon artist before stopping for a break. Ellie carried an elephant, Ben a teddy bear and Josie a poodle. Ellie said her mango-flavored boba tea was tasty.
Nearby, Oswald’s Pharmacy was selling various items.
The second oldest business in town is a “Naperville staple,” said pharmacy tech Nancy Gajda, 36, of Naperville, who handles Oswald’s marketing. It’s more than just about filling prescriptions, she said.
“We also sell puzzles, toys and gifts. We have a post office in our store, and we sell medical equipment,” she said, noting that one of the things on their shelves is a 150th anniversary jigsaw puzzle.
Many people seen wandering the Settlement’s 13-acre museum campus carried large bags from Lincoln Land Kettle Corn, based in Addison.
“My name is Nathan. Actually, I go by Popcorn Nate, if that works. We have a following from people online,” he said of the 6-year-old business.
Honey lovers found plenty to choose from at City Bee Savers, which sold various sized containers from little bear-shaped bottles to a whopping 4-pound jar that sells for $48.
Carolyn Finzer, a fourth-generation Naperville resident, chatted about honey with City Bee Savers employee David Hanke.
“It’s all local. I think (owner) Bill (Whitney) has about 200 hives,” Hanke said.
Finzer recalled when a neighbor was cutting down burr oak trees to make room for a pool.
One tree was home to a hive of feral bees — “honey was dripping down,” she said — and it was relocated to a company similar to City Bee Savers.
“I asked if the feral bees would intermix with his bees. They tried it and they were successful,” she said.
“For me, it was a tragedy they were taking down the trees and these native pollinators were not given one iota of a thought,” Finzer said. “It’s a good thing they’re having this to promote sustainability. Even if there’s a tiny space, it’s an opportunity to plant edibles.”
Healthy alternatives for cooking and baking were found in the cloth bags of heirloom and organic grains sold by Dwight-based Brian Severson Farms.
“People cared about the taste, more than how much yield you got from the field. We’re trying to go back and find all those great varieties (of grains),” Sarah Severson said.
“Sometimes, people have gluten issues. If you have celiac disease, you can’t have wheat. Some things bother you, some things don’t. A lot of people can tolerate heirloom varieties,” she said.
Bags of popcorn kernels were a big seller Tuesday, she said.
“Everything is organic. We don’t do pesticides. We don’t spray it. We try to plow under the weeds,” Severson said.
Quite a few people were seen holding cups from Wheaton-based Cooperage Coffee.
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“A barrel maker used to be called a cooper. A whiskey maker or a beer brewer referred to their barrels as their cooperage,” owner Eric Kobus said. “I’ve been in the beer business all my life, so Cooperage Coffee is basically saying it’s kegged coffee. We take all of our coffee and put it into kegs.”
In the background, music was provided by Wheels North, a four-person band that bills itself as “progressive new grass.”
Live music is a staple at every market, with a rotation of performers taking the front porch state at the historic Paw Paw Post Office building from 4 to 7 p.m. weekly. The Wood Street Bloodhounds are scheduled to perform July 8.
The market also offers free classes and demonstrations from 5 to 6 p.m. Flower arrangement, soap making and the health benefits of mushrooms are among future topics.
A couple food trucks were on hand too.
Denise Wilt, who handles marketing and public relations for Naper Settlement, said there are some vendors who come every week and others that rotate in and out.
“We very much try to make sure our vendors are local,” she said. “They are selling produce with the seasons of Illinois. Right now, you may not see so much produce, but it’s not in season.
“There’s not going to be tomatoes here right now. (Produce vendors) will expand their offerings as more stuff is grown. … We’ll add vendors as the season goes on,” Wilt said.
For more information, go to www.NaperSettlement.org/FarmersMarket.
Steve Metsch is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.