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Cultivating community at Evanston’s farmers’ market

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Addison Hinesman observes sunflowers being sold at the Downtown Evanston Farmers’ Market. Photo by Lauren Halak

Tucked into a parking lot behind a garage on Maple Avenue, the Downtown Evanston Farmers’ Market is a maze of tents and folding tables displaying products set up by vendors.

The market, which features more than fifty vendors, allows Medill cherubs to enjoy local Evanston life. Many cherubs, who typically have free time on Saturdays, walk the almost half-mile from campus to experience the market.

“It was beautiful,” Jacqueline Caglar of Barrington, Illinois, said. “There was everything you could think of and more: vegetables, gardens, crepes, tamales, chocolate, tea and coffee.”

Caglar also said some prices were a little bit more expensive than she expected, especially in comparison to her hometown farmers’ market. She recommended budgeting money for it.

“If you’re going to go, just be aware of how much money you’re spending. Give yourself a budget and only spend that,” Caglar said.

Karina Aronson of Los Altos, CA also said to remember that the money is directly supporting local vendors, many of which are small, family-run businesses.

“I saw a lot of multigenerational vendors where the entire family was there,” she said. “I think it’s very important to support small vendors and independent farms, so I was OK paying some of the higher prices.”

In addition to buying coffee, avocado toast, granola bars and more, many who went appreciated the market’s environment.

“I really liked the community aspect,” Aronson said. “There were a lot of vendors who were talking to everyone and it was a very wholesome vibe.”

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