This month, we’re celebrating our beloved fruit vendors—and no one does it quite like Mick Klug Farm, a third-generation family farm rooted in legacy and local love. Founded in the 1930s by Edward and Clara Klug, this family-run operation located in St. Joseph, Michigan has been serving Chicago’s farmers markets for over 45 years.

This is a natural outcome of our global food supply. When every vegetable is seemingly available at the grocery year round, does seasonality even matter? Barbara Kingslover offers a way to remember what’s in season in her 2007 book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle:

As we spotlight coffee in our community this week, we’re thrilled to highlight Kikwetu Kenya Coffee Company, a beloved vendor at the 61st Street Farmers Market.

We’ve got two amazing coffee vendors for you at the 61st Street Farmers Market—and we’d love to share their stories with you.

🍓 Fresh strawberries have officially arrived at the 61st Street Farmers Market—and that means summer is on! These vibrant, juicy gems are locally grown, picked fresh, and packed with vitamin C and antioxidants.

Find everbearing and day-neutral varieties now through fall at Ellis Family Farm and Mick Klug Farm.

✨ Want to try something new? Don’t miss Chef Romana Baptiste’s Strawberry Vinaigrette recipe—it’s summer in a bite.

FUN FACT: Strawberries aren’t actually berries—and those little seeds on the outside? They’re the real fruit!

Whether you know them for their fresh produce, mushrooms, or iconic yellow compost bins, @theurbancanopy is doing so much more than showing up at farmers markets. Founded in 2011, their mission is to make healthy food accessible, reduce food miles, divert waste from landfills, and create meaningful local jobs.

As farmers market season kicks off, Link Up Illinois celebrates the impact of Link Match, which doubles SNAP dollars for fruits and vegetables. In 2024, over $800,000 was spent at markets and stands, helping families access fresh food while supporting local farmers and communities. This year, 125+ farmers markets are participating—ready to double the spending power of SNAP shoppers across Illinois.

Trish Bellmore, Executive Director of the Greater Wabash Food Council, is a standout regional partner of Link Up Illinois. After joining as a Link Match partner in 2024 through Pete’s Produce Farmers Market, Trish’s leadership led to the establishment of Greater Wabash as a regional hub. Since then, she has secured SNAP authorization for Grayville Farmers Market and launched four additional markets—in Carmi, Fairfield, Olney, and West Salem—all of which now accept SNAP and Link Match. Her work highlights the vital role that local leaders with deep community roots play in expanding food access across Illinois.