Farmers markets are now open across Lake County

Grab a reusable shopping bag, or three. From Lake Zurich to Zion, it’s farmers market season in Lake County.

Grayslake Farmers Market

Every Wednesday in downtown Grayslake, a block of Center Street closes to traffic so residents can leisurely peruse Lake County’s longest running and largest evening farmers market.

Now in its ninth season, the Grayslake Farmers Market offers a bit of everything, including locally-grown produce and plants, meats and cheeses, wine, baked goods, arts and crafts, food vendors, children’s entertainment, live music and more.

Geneva Lakes Produce out of Burlington, Wis., is a market staple that offers customers a variety of fruits and vegetables throughout the season.

What’s in season now, said Corban Koster, who works for the family business, are strawberries, sugar snap peas, asparagus and greens including kale and lettuce.

“We’ll have sweet corn in early July from our own farm, cantaloupe in mid-July and watermelon in mid-August,” Koster said.

Sisters Lori Keltner and Lisa Herman operate Bold Blooms by Flori, a business started at their farm in Genoa City, Wis., 10 years ago. They sell fresh cut flowers and herbs at the Grayslake market each year.

“I love the market at night, and meeting and educating people,” said Keltner, who used to work in horticulture therapy.

Eleven-year-old Felix Castillo, of Mundelein, is making his farmers market debut in Grayslake selling his late grandmother’s recipe for flaky cinnamon sugar cookies called pan de polvo. He founded Felix’s Famous Cookies at age 6.

“I’m an entrepreneur,” he said. “When I grow up, I want to sell this business and open a high end steakhouse with my friend who's a chef.”

All summer, Felix will donate a portion of his profits to charity. He’s also encouraging kids across the country to set up a cookie or lemonade stand and do the same.

“He has such a great heart. I’m very proud of him and my mother would be too,” said Laura Castillo, Felix’s mom.

A new feature at this year’s market is an author table outside This Old Book. It gives local authors like David John Ford, of Round Lake, an opportunity to sell their signed books and reach a new audience.

“This Old Book is very supportive of local authors. I’m very grateful,” said Ford, who wrote the fictional “Confessions of a Small Town Minister” based on his own experiences.

Given the store is located on downtown Center Street in the heart of the farmers market, “It just made sense to give authors a space,” owner Jeannette Elliott said. “We have a different author signed up for every week of the market.”

The Grayslake Farmers Market is held 3 to 7 p.m. each Wednesday through Sept. 1.

Lake Zurich Farmers Market

For the past four years, Paulus Park, which boasts a beach, large lakeside playground and lots of green space, has been the site of the Lake Zurich Farmers Market.

“It keeps getting bigger and better. We have over 25 vendors weekly this year,” said Bonnie Caputo, recreation manager for the Village of Lake Zurich, which hosts the market. “We have great people selling great product to our wonderful community.”

All of the market’s farm vendors are located within 200 miles of Lake Zurich, and many sell organic produce. The market also features fresh baked goods, meats, eggs, salsas, sauces, oils, cheese, organic soaps and cleaners, fresh lemonade, local honey and ready-to-eat food. There also is a rotating schedule of live bands and family programming including gardening, pet rescue and fire truck visits.

New this year is a monthly artisan and craft exhibit held the first Friday of the month and a Kids’ Yard Sale on July 22.

The Lake Zurich Farmers Market runs 3 to 7 p.m. every Thursday through Sept. 9.

Wauconda Farmers Market

The Wauconda Farmers Market, scheduled to open June 23 on downtown Main Street, “is all about sustainability and being local,” said Maria Weisbruch, a member of the board of directors of the Wauconda Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors the event.

In fact, a new event at this year’s market will be weekly sustainability classes ranging in topics from beekeeping to making your own compost. The classes will be short, about 15 to 20 minutes, held at 4 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.

“We just wanted to do something different. That’s kind of the whole draw for our market,” Weisbruch said. “We’ll also have farm-to-table cooking demonstrations from our local Main Street restaurants buying from the market and cooking on the spot.”

The Wauconda Farmers Market will be held on Main Street, from June 23 through Sept.8. The remaining four weeks of the market, Sept. 15 through Oct, 6, will be located just off Main Street and will be producer/grower only.

For more farmers markets, including maps and websites, visit Lake County's Farmers Market Finder.