IL -- The number of Illinois farmers markets has nearly tripled in the last ten years.
Data also show farmers in Illinois sell about $114 million dollars in specialty crops a year.
And now growing these fruits and vegetables is bringing local farmers cash from both the state and federal government.
While the demand has grown for produce at farmers markets, this popularity has the state of Illinois helping out.
You might be seeing more farmer market signs sprouting up across the state of Illinois.
In fact according to the Illinois Department of Agriculture there are about 280 farmers markets in Illinois this year compared to only 97 in 1999.
That's because public interest is growing across the state.
"People are getting more curious. Use to be they would just come by and look, oh that looks good give me this and they would leave. Now they're interested in how you grow it what you've done to it how you prepared it or whatever. People are just generally showing a greater interest in what's going on with the produce," said Larry Ferguson local farmer at Quincy Farmers Market.
Locally both Quincy and Pittsfield farmers markets are seeing large numbers of people.
Travis Brown, Executive Director of the Historic Quincy Business District says the Quincy market sees about 1,000 people per market.
And it's grown so much in Pittsfield the town has added an extra day.
"With everyone's finances right now they want more bang for their money, they want fresh produce and they want to pay for a good product for what they are spending," said Teresa Lanhum-Ralph, Executive Director Pittsfield Main Street.
It's true the economy has seen better days, however, most people say it wasn't about how much green they're pulling out of their wallets, but more about the green they're putting in their mouths.
"The fresh fruit, the fresh vegetables," said Michael Mange of Palmyra, first time at Quincy Farmers market.
"I think people are looking for organic food," said Dave Awbry, Pittsfield Farmers Market Committee.
"Everything's much more fresh, the tomatoes are better, the corn's better, all the vegetables are much better than going to the grocery store," said Abbie Noble, shopped at Quincy Farmers Market the last couple of years.
"Both health wise and price wise, availability, the friendliness of the people it's just a fun morning," said Mange
You've seen it on the news obesity is on the rise across the country so that may one reason why Illinois wants to keep this positive trend going.
Just recently, the state said it had access to $435,000 in federal grants to help expand access to the specialty crops you find at local farmers markets.
"The farmers market grant really does help us out. The IL. Dept. of Ag. gave us $5,000 this year to do nothing but advertise the Quincy Farmers Market,"said Brown.
Brown says the Quincy Farmers Market has always been pretty popular, but hopes the advertising will attract more people to the farmers market.
That's because the popularity growth isn't just helping the local farmers...it's helping the consumer health in the long run.
You can catch the farmer's market in Quincy's Washington Park now until Mid-October on Tuesdays from 3pm until 6 pm and Saturdays from 7am until 1pm.
And the farmers market in Pittsfield will be in the Town Square on Saturday's and it's new day, Wednesday, will be on the Community Center Lawn in Pittsfield from 9 a-m until 1-30p-m.
By the way some of the money from the Pittsfield Farmer's Market goes to the Community Center and Pittsfield Main Street Program.
