It's easy to get busy and forget to make it to the Wednesday market. We understand, it's hump day, you've got work, kids, and other responsibilities and sometimes need an extra reminder. If you find yourself in this camp, we've got you covered with our FarmFan text message reminders. Every Wednesday at 2pm you'll get a text message with a update about the market, reminding you to head downtown to enjoy the market.

​Click here to sign up for FarmFan.

We also email out newsletters every week with information about our vendors, upcoming events, and recipes and fun facts about in season produce. It's a great way to know what's going to be available before you head to market, get inspired to try something new, or as a reminder to get downtown on market day. Subscribe to our newsletter mailing list by filling out the contact form on this page! ------> 
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We at the Carbondale Community Farmers Market require that our farmers tell us about their growing practices in the application to sell at the market. We also ask that farmers display a provided sign stating whether their products are are certified organic, sustainably produced, or conventional produced. These labels, however, are not comprehensive and it's still important to talk with your farmer!
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Certified Organic: This farm is has been certified organic by the USDA. This involved rigorous farm inspections that ensures fruit & vegetable crops were grown with NO Chemical Fertilizers, Pesticides, or Herbicides. Animals were raised under humane conditions and are free of antibiotics and growth hormones. No GMO seeds or animal feed were used.  Foods were prepared using certified organic ingredients.
 
Sustainably Produced: Fruit & vegetable crops were grown with NO Chemical Fertilizers, Pesticides, or Herbicides. Animals were raised under humane conditions and are free of antibiotics and growth hormones. No GMO seeds or animal feed were used. Foods were prepared using certified organic and sustainable produced ingredients.
 
Conventionally Produced: Fruit & Vegetable crops may have been grown with the use of Chemical Fertilizers, Pesticides, or Herbicides. GMO seeds or animal feed may have been used. Prepared foods feature conventionally produced ingredients.
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Downtown Farmers Market starts this week! Come support farmers, makers, bakers, and musicians. This season's market will feature 10-15 vendors each week with locally grown vegetables, fruits, sustainably raised meats and eggs, hand crafted soaps, herbal wellness, and baked goods.
 
This year, the market has a new location in the 200 block of N. Washington Street near town square between Jackson and Oak streets. There will be music, children’s activities, artisans, and educational opportunities scheduled throughout the season. The new site is adjacent to the Flyover Community Garden and close to many downtown Carbondale restaurants. Community supported radio station WDBX has worked with the market to arrange a weekly line up of local music. Local restaurants will provide hot food and cold beverages for sale at the market. What a fun way to spend a Wednesday afternoon!

We'll have greens, greens and more greens at the market this week. Spring is all about the greens. If you are looking for an out of the box way to incorporate more delicious spring salad mix into your weekly food routine, check out the recipe below for easy weeknight spring rolls!

This week’s vendors:

• SIU Sustainable Farm: Salad Mixes and Kale
• Plant a Seed/La Colina Linda: Leeks, large scallions, mustard greens, carrots and gluten free vegan baked goods
• Mustard Seed Sowers: Kale, chard, red romaine, fresh herbs, dried herbs, handmade reed baskets, and hot and iced herbal teas
• Flora Bay Farm: - flower bouquets, fresh cut herbs,dried herbs, green garlic, French sorrel and Plant starts (herbs, veggies, fruit, Cascade hops)
• All Seasons Farm: lettuce, kale, eggs, pac choi, certified organic plant starts
• Silver Moon Skincare: Handmade soaps, lotions, and sprays
• Dayempur Herbals: Herbal tinctures, oils, salves, sprays and syrups made from organic and locally grown ingredients. Featuring allergy relief tinctures for spring. 
• Union Springs Farm:  spinach, salad mix, arugula, microgreens, heirloom tomato and pepper plants and other garden plants
• Homer Grown: Scallions, baby bok choy, popcorn, and vegetable, herb, and heirloom tomato starts
• ​Scratch: Rhubarb soda and hickory cream soda, flat bread, and freshly milled local bread, sourdough creations, and biscuits. Ask them about their new CSB (Community Supported Brewery) shares!  
  
• Town Square Market/ Longbranch: Town Square Market/ Longbranch: handmade breads & pies, fair-trade organic coffee & Ambrosia tea, and a dinner special: Sloppy Joe’s (bar-b-que spiced local, organic ground meat served on a homemade organic bun with all the fixins, chips and beverages. Available to eat or to go!

Special Guests:

• Carbondale Parks District  with Kids Activities
• Illinois Nutrition Education Programs: SNAP-Education with an interactive activity table featuring a range of nutrition and healthy living topics

Music at the Market 
April 20th -  Matthew Decker 
April 27th -  John Michael Veach
May 4th -    Kathleen Shaffner
May 11th -  Hey Honey ​
May 25th-  Kevin Henshold-Spier

Local produce, coming your way! The Community Farmers Market is starting a weekday farmers market in downtown Carbondale on Wednesday evenings, in addition to our Saturday morning market at the Carbondale Community High School. The market will be held at 220 S. Washington, in the lot at the corner of Washington and Walnut from 4-7pm on Wednesdays beginning June 17th.

This isn’t the first time a farmers market has been held in this downtown area.  Bruce Chrisman of Countrysprout Organics remembers bringing their 18th month old daughter to sell at the Carbondale Farmers Market in 1978. “We sold alfalfa and lentil sprouts, yellow baby watermelons, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Maryanne sold lemonade and baked goods.” The Chrisman’s currently sell their certified organic produce and skin care products at the Community Farmers Market and the Neighborhood Coop. Carbondale Mainstream operated a Wednesday farmers market downtown in the early 2000's.

We see this market as an opportunity to provide high quality local foods to Carbondale residents that cannot make it to Saturday morning farmers markets. We also hope that a weekday market may attract area chefs looking to source local produce for their restaurants. 

The market will feature a small core of produce growers, a number of whom farm without the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. We think it is important that customers get to know their farmers and have an opportunity to learn about what goes into their food. Our growers love to talk with their customers about their produce, how they grew it, how to prepare it, what it goes well with. The smaller market means that customers get a bit more face time with their farmer.

In addition to produce, the Community Market will also feature local honey, dried pasta, baked goods, soap and skin care. The market accepts credit, debit and EBT in exchange for market tokens. We hope to see you there!