More than 30 vendors gathered Saturday morning at Lincoln Square Mall, turning a cold winter weekend into a community event for residents and local businesses.

Lincoln Square Mall hosts the Winter Farmers Market from November to April each year. Held every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon, the market features local businesses selling items ranging from freshly baked bread to handmade crafts.

The market allows vendors to continue selling local goods even during the outdoor market’s off-season. The indoor venue ensures that residents can continue shopping at local businesses, even in cold conditions.

The market floor was filled with tables showcasing people’s small businesses. Live music filled the air with guitars and violins, along with the hum of conversation. Shoppers chatted with vendors, sampled products and explored the many items offered. 

Farmers market coordinator Stephanie Birch is passionate about her work with The Land Connection, a nonprofit focused on supporting healthy and local food systems. According to The Land Connection, its mission is to train farmers, educate the public about local food and protect farmlands.

“We want to support the farmers, the food producers and the eaters,” Birch said. “We also want to keep people fed year-round, and so having an indoor winter market option is really important for all those folks that are part of that food economy to keep it going.” 

Birch also talked about the recent launch of a new program called Buy One, Give One. Every week at the market, shoppers have the choice to purchase extra products from participating vendors that will go to people in need. At the end of every market, the health department comes to collect the food and distribute it on Sundays. 

“That goes directly to food-insecure households,” Birch said. “With the increased demand on food banks and other food pantries, this is our way of helping folks have an easy entry point into, ‘What can I do?’” 

Jennifer Baldassari is the owner and farmer at The Little Farm Co., where she grows organic, chemical-free microgreens year-round. Microgreens are young vegetable greens packed with rich vitamins and antioxidants. They are a nutritional boost for almost any meal.

“When you’re local, and you’re buying local, you can talk to your farmer and find out exactly what they put in their crops,” Baldassari said. “We don’t use any chemicals or toxins in our crops.”

Baldassari added that they use an off-gassing system to get rid of any chemicals in the city water, making it as clean as possible. Baldassari feels that farmers put in a lot of effort because they are disappointed by the current food supply. Baldassari explains how she used to live out west, where she saw the chemicals being sprayed on crops first-hand.

Cailyn Ratliff, a shopper at the event, said she often buys locally, especially when purchasing meat. 

“I think supporting local businesses is awesome,” Ratliff said. “Supporting small farmers is awesome too, it’s really important.” 

The market is located near many Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District bus stops, making it easy for both University students and residents to attend without a car. 

“We have an amazing bus system,” Birch said. “It is something that is accessible to all students.”

Birch aims to connect more University students to the market in hopes of sharing its resources and affordability.

The Urbana Winter Farmers Market provides a space for vendors and shoppers to stay connected despite the cold weather. Beyond shopping, the market supports the community by connecting residents with access to food programs and strengthening the Urbana community year-round. 

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