‘Carry on the tradition’: DeKalb farmers market supports local business 3 decades in

DeKALB – With mostly sunny skies, the DeKalb farmers market opened for its 30th season this week, drawing in large crowds.

Organizers behind the weekly event boasted about the more than 25 local vendors offering produce, flowers, baked goods, honey, olive oil, coffee, handmade crafts and more.

The farmers market runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Thursday through Sept. 18 in Frank Van Buer Plaza at Locust and Second streets downtown.

Virginia Filicetti, the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce’s marketing and events manager, said it means a lot to the chamber knowing the market has been serving the community for 30 years.

“It’s really exciting for us because the farmers market is a core of what the chamber does, which is supporting local businesses,” Filicetti said. “Being able to carry on a tradition for 30 years and seeing veteran vendors come back every year, and new vendors who are starting out and setting their foot in the community – it’s really important for us to showcase all our vendors and what they offer. So, it’s great to continue that and have people meet all of our local businesses.”

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John Taylor (left), farm hand for Theis Farm Market and Greenhouse based in Maple Park, speaks with customer Jackie Maran, of Hampshire, at the opening day of the DeKalb farmers market on Thursday, June 5, 2025, in Van Buer Plaza in downtown DeKalb. The market opened its 30th year Thursday. (Kelsey Rettke)

The farmers market hasn’t always been run and organized by the DeKalb chamber.

Filicetti said that in the 2010s, when Renew DeKalb was running the farmers market, it was held in Palmer Court.

She said the event eventually moved to the Frank Van Buer Plaza in the late 2010s.

“Around the same time it moved to the plaza is when [the chamber] started running it,” Filicetti said. “And this is my sixth or seventh year. So, we’re really excited to see it grow over the past two years. It’s really taken off.”

Rob Pondelick, a fifth-generation farmer at Theis Farm Market and Greenhouse in Maple Park, said he and his family have been part of the market for all 30 years.

“It definitely helps the business,” Pondelick said. “Being at a more rural location with the farm, we don’t get a lot of foot traffic. We’re busy enough to sustain, but the farmers markets help to sustain the business so that we can sustain sales and profits throughout the winter.”

Pondelick was at the farmers market Thursday selling arugula, spinach, spring mix, lettuce, radishes, onions, kale and asparagus.

“We try to offer a full variety of vegetables all summer long,” Pondelick said.

Elsewhere at the market, Dale Luker of One More Salsa – MKD Specialty Inc. showcased his original mild and spicy salsas. He said it takes him about four hours to make 70 containers.

Last year was Luker’s first time as a vendor at the DeKalb market.

Luker said people generally have positive things to say about his salsa.

“They love it,” Luker said. “It kind of sells itself because everybody that tries it, they’ll actually end up buying it.”

Davis Ehrler of The Boosted Bee ran her booth, offering a variety of protein, coffee, tea and drink samples.

“It’s designed to help people get enough protein in a day, especially for women, because it’s hard for women to get enough protein without overconsuming food and calories,” Ehrler said.

Ehler said the biggest takeaway she wants to leave people with is to remember how important collagens are. She said it’s not just about skin care.

“It is incredibly important for healing our bones, our joints and everything,” she said. “And as we get older, our body starts making collagen. That’s why we get achy. Of course, the wrinkles and everything. So, any chance we can get to put some collagen in our system, into our bodies, our small intestines, our microbiome, it’s going to be the best for healing.”

The chamber, business owners and those gathered Thursday also held a special grand ribbon-cutting to celebrate 30 years at the market.

Chamber staff also unveiled a new logo designed by OC Creative, which they said they believe captures the spirit of DeKalb’s market: “fresh and quirky.”