Weather permitting, the Dundee Township Visitor's Center (a.k.a. The Depot) will open weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays starting April 18th.
The Farmer's Market starts May 9th -- hope to see you there!
Farmer's Market
Farmer's Market
Our Farmer's Market went very well last year with lots of new vendors and shoppers alike.
We had lots of entries for our annual tomato contest!
Scroll waaaay down to see the the results.
(Read about last year's contest here)
Our closing day for the market includes the annual Great Pumpkin contest.
Scroll waaaay down to check out the Great Pumpkins!
(Read about last year's contest here)
More About the Farmer's Market
The Dundee Farmer's Market is held 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday May through October. We typically get around 40 vendors each week selling locally grown veggies (in season), flowers, and bedding plants, plus antiques and collectibles. New vendors are always welcome ! Call
(847) 742-3432 for booth information.
Behold Here and Now Herb singing the infamous banana song! You know it's going to be a good day when there are bananas to be had at the depot.
Read all about our annual contests below...
11th-Annual Tomato Contest Winners Announced
[August 18, 2008, East Dundee, IL] Forget the fertilizer, the secret to giant tomatoes is music. At least that’s the case for Ronald Johnson of Elgin, who took first prize in this year’s largest tomato contest held Saturday at the Dundee Township Visitor’s Center.
There were 19 entries of all shapes, sizes, colors and ripeness ranging from a string of tiny green grape tomatoes to giant love apples that resembled misshapen 16-inch softballs. Fortunately, neither beauty nor ripeness was a factor in judging, said event organizer and visitor’s center board member Bill Zelsdorf of Carpentersville.
First place winner Johnson, who raised his entry from seeds, did use some Miracle Grow on his two-pound six-and-one-eighth-ounce Beefsteak tomato, but he also sang or whistled to his entry regularly.
“Nothing in particular,” he said of his musical choices, “just whatever comes in my head. Usually something religious, so maybe that had something to do with it.”
Johnson took home $500 in gift certificates and prizes from area businesses, including garden-themed merchandise from Dundee Landscape Nursery, Old Country Buffet meal passes, Classic Cinemas movie passes, and gift certificates from Olive Garden Restaurant and Piece-A-Cake Bakery.
“I lost about an ounce right there,” Johnson said pointing to a gouge in his tomato. “An animal took a bite out of it last night.”
Larry Fettes of East Dundee came in second with a two-pound three-and-one-fourth-ounce heirloom tomato, also grown from seeds. He won $300 worth of prizes, including merchandise from Dundee Landscape Nursery and Spring Hill Mall, and gift certificates from Red Lobster, Dundee Dairy Queen, and Piece-A-Cake Bakery.
Steve Page of Gilberts grew his tomatoes from seeds imported from Italy and took third place and $200 in prizes for his two-pound three-ounce entry, while Ramona Johnson (wife of first-place winner Ronald) of Elgin won $100 in prizes with her two-pound three-ounce tomato (ties went to the earlier entry).
“He got up early and snatched the biggest one,” Ramona quipped.
“It was another great turnout,” Zelsdorf said. “And I’m grateful once again to all the businesses that donated all the prizes – we had over $1,000 in prizes this year.”
Other donations for the 11th-annual contest came from One Cut Above the Rest salon, Denny’s, Manor Restaurant, Liberty Lanes, and Phil Aleo, who donated a copy of his history book, Dundee Township Moments Frozen in Time.
Here are all of our winners with their entries:
Shown here from left are winners Ramona Johnson of Elgin, Steve Page of Gilberts, Larry Fettes of East Dundee, and Ronald Johnson of Elgin.
Congratulations to our winners, and thanks to all who entered!
The Visitor’s Center will host its Great Pumpkin contest in October, with prizes for heaviest pumpkin and best decorated pumpkin. Watch this space for details!
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10th-Annual Pumpkin Contest -- photos and results coming soon!
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