For the past several years, the Farmers Market in downtown La Grange has been providing fresh fruits, vegetables, delicious baked treats and beautiful flowers to our homes and businesses. Held from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. each Thursday in back of Village Hall on Harris Avenue, the choices are magnificent.

About three years ago, a friend and I decided to make the Farmers Market a weekly event. We have faithfully walked up to the market each Thursday morning in all kinds of weather. It is a grand sight to watch each year as the produce unfolds as Mother Nature dictates: very early in the year (the market officially opens the Thursday after Mother’s Day), there are strawberries and lettuce, perhaps some asparagus. The cut flowers and herb plants are plentiful at the beginning of the season. As the year progresses, the bounty increases, and the colors change with the offerings. By year’s end (typically the Thursday before Halloween), the lot is filled with all shades of pumpkins, peppers, squash and mums ranging from white to the deepest orange.

Curt and Kathy Tidey have a 60-acre farm in Michigan. When the couple met in Michigan, they decided to live off the land and farm fruits and vegetables. Presently, they are in three markets: La Grange, Winfield and Park Ridge, where Kathy grew up.

“We are true farmers,” Curt said. “We produce the fruits and vegetables. With us, you can bring back a tomato that perhaps was mushy, and we will make good on our product.”

Curt indicates that they “go with the times,” with Mother Nature dictating what is going well each year.

“This year, as last year, it looks like the heirloom tomatoes will do well. We have also so many offerings of the colored potatoes, yellow squash — zucchini should be coming soon, and shelled peas will be here shortly.”

Working along with Curt are Mike Wilson, who lives in La Grange, and Paul Griffin, who has been working in the farmstand since he retired 11 or 12 years ago. Additionally, La Grange resident Anna Whiteway volunteers each week in the Tidey stand.

“My grandfather was a fruit-and-vegetable farmer in Massachusetts, and I feel this is a way I can give back a little.”

Along with Tidey, there is also the Skibbe farm from Eau Claire, Mich. All of the farmers leave their homes for the Farmer’s Market at 3 a.m. (Michigan time — that’s 2 a.m. Chicago time) to arrive in time to set up. Mona, a.k.a. “Boss lady,” said that the Skibbe Farm is in nine markets in the Chicago area, four in Indiana and one in New Buffalo, Mich.

“I’ve gotten to know so many people who come to our stand each week — it is nice to catch up from year to year,” she said.

Mona is always cheerful, ready to help and ready with a laugh or two.

Additionally, there is the J.W. Morlock & Girls farm. The daughters are all home this summer, and all help out on the farm. The Morlock farm offers more than 40 different commodities. This week alone, there were three varieties of strawberries, and a taste test demonstrated that each type tasted totally different. Soon there will be blueberries and many unusual offerings in the berry family: red, yellow, purple raspberries and the not-often-seen but very delicious blackberries. Melissa has been at the stand in La Grange since she was 5 years old.

“I used to take a nap under the table,” she said.

Helping out for the summer is Melissa’s best friend, Kelli Brady, a developmental kindergarten teacher during the school year who enjoys her summers out in the farmstand.

The “flower man” Steve Owens hails from St. Anne, Ill. If there is anything you need to know about flowers, plants native to the area or how to grow certain things, Owens is a fount of information. There are gorgeous floral arrangements and healthy plants ready to be planted in your own garden. And as the summer goes on, the colors and varieties deepen and are truly a joy to behold.

Last but not least, there is a stand where you can feed your sweet tooth. John and Bonnie Newcomer have the Lil’ Mad Café in Westmont and are in nine markets, six days a week.

“During the summer months, we close the café because we are a family-run business, and everyone is helping out for the markets,” Bonnie said.

This stand has shortcake in flavors like chocolate chip, dark chocolate and lemon. Scones also are a big hit in the summer. There are homemade cookies and muffins that go perfectly with morning coffee.

Bonnie has an interesting observation: “When the weather gets warmer and we are into summer, people tend to go with the oat-based products rather than the buttery sweets — guess everyone wants to go healthy in the summer!”

At the Lil’ Mad Café, the Newcomers have a see-through kitchen so anyone coming in can see how important it is to Bonnie to have a clean shop. Nothing like fresh fruit and a muffin for breakfast!

Going to the Farmers Market in La Grange on Thursday mornings is a great way to start a warm summer’s day. See you there!