SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Farmers’ markets don’t close up shop when the new school year opens in the fall, noted Lindsay Record, in urging people to turn out for their local markets in the first statewide Shop-tober Farmers’ Market event throughout October.

“Farmers’ markets thrive in the summer, but when fall hits, there are less and less shoppers at many of the markets – yet there is still an abundance of local produce available to customers,” said Record, spokesman with the Illinois Stewardship Alliance (ISA). “We want to encourage people to go to the farmers’ markets because it’s not over yet.”

When school doors open and the fall term begins, attendance at many farmers’ markets throughout the state drops to a low 50-60 percent of the summer attendance. It appears many people believe a return to school signifies the end of such markets for the year.

“The crowds are there in July and August,” she said. “There are many summer crops like zucchini and cucumbers which also signal the start of fall crops, but the number of people shopping declines more and more.

“In talking with farmers to see if that was their experience, too, most of them said yes. Some farmers have reduction of 60 percent in sales in October versus a day in the middle of summer.”

Shop-tober at the farmers’ markets is a time for people to buy some of the last of the bounty of the season, plus show their support for the people who grow their food.

“October is a great month to shop and stock up on items for the winter,” Record said. “Actually, throughout the state of Illinois, we can continue to grow different products. We can extend the season through October and beyond. Now farmers are using things like row covers and unheated protectors, so some things can be available all winter.

“There are farmers who do interesting things in central Illinois, and they have greens and carrots and turnips and beets and herbs and things like that throughout the winter.”

Illinois purchases $4.3 billion in food every year. Nearly $4 billion of that is spent on food raised out of state, the ISA noted.

If customers in central Illinois spent just 15 percent of their food budget on locally raised food, it would pump more than $600 million back into the state economy.