Bloomington-Normal Area Convention & Visitors BureauBN Life
Happy National Farmers’ Market Week | VisitBN
Celebrate National Farmers’ Market Week, August 2-8, 2020, by shopping from our local farmers and vendors all week long!
It’s #NationalFarmersMarketWeek, and we encourage you to support our Bloomington-Normal area markets and local vendors! Fill your bags this week with a variety of free-range meats and eggs, fresh-from-the-farm dairy products, locally grown flowers, fruits, vegetables, and home-baked goods.
Farmers’ Markets in McLean County:
Downtown Bloomington Farmers’ Market
Every Saturday
7:30am-Noon
Downtown Bloomington Museum Square
Follow the DB Farmers’ Market Facebook page this week as they will be doing daily giveaways in honor of #NationalFarmersMarketWeek.
Hudson Farmers’ Market
Every Thursday
5:30pm-7:00pm
Hudson Methodist Church Parking Lot
The Hudson market provides residents of Hudson, IL and surrounding areas a convenient way to shop for produce and goods while supporting local businesses and connecting with their community.
Epiphany Farms CheFarmer Market
Every Thursday
4pm-7pm
Epiphany Farms Restaurant
Get the most out of your Farmers’ Market experience. Here are a few helpful tips:
Get there early
The best stuff goes quick! A vendor may only have a few pounds of that fresh vegetable, or a bundle of flowers for that week. It’s important to get there as soon as the market opens so you have the opportunity to get those items you had your heart set on getting! You would be surprised at just how fast certain products go!
Plan meals ahead of time
Do a bit of meal planning prior to visiting the market so you can shop accordingly and efficiently. While wandering the market is a relaxing and enjoyable activity, it’s important to grab what you know you will need for a meal first before it’s gone. Make a list with the amount you’ll need of each item. Don’t forget that the majority of items at the market are based on the season, so vendors may not have them that week or be sold out at the time. Be flexible! Try out something new for a meal.
Ask those questions
Farmers and vendors love answering questions about their products. If you aren’t sure what a certain item is or how to cook with it, ask them! They will be able to give you insight as to how to creatively use all of their products in your own kitchen.
Store your fresh produce correctly
Don’t let your fresh produce go to waste! PrairiErth Farm, a local farm, put together a list of how you can correctly preserve a variety of farmers market products. Click here to see the best ways to store your farm fresh fruits and veggies.
