The Illinois Farmers Market Association (ILFMA) and Sterling Main Street, are pleased to announce that Lori VanOosten, Market Manager for the Twin City Farmers Market, recently completed the 2024 Illinois Certified Farmers Market Manager Program. Sponsored by the Illinois Farm Bureau, the nine week class launched in January 2024.
The Twin City Farmers Market (“the Market”) opened in July of 2005, and has been under the stewardship of Sterling Main Street since September 2006. An employee of Sterling Main Street since November 2015, VanOosten officially took on the title of Market Manger in the Spring of 2023.
“With the exponential growth of the Market since the addition of the outdoor Sterling Marketplace in 2020, we saw the need to formalize the role of a Market Manager. While a volunteer committee provides general guidance for the Market, the staff time dedicated to vendor coordination, monitoring
regulatory requirements, and overseeing building maintenance and improvements has steadily been increasing,” says Janna Groharing, Executive Director of Sterling Main Street. “Lori has been taking on more and more responsibilities with the Market in addition to her Main Street duties, including staffing
the Market on Saturday mornings. Her obtaining this certification is another step in the Market’s continued growth.”
The Twin City Farmers Market is currently home to 26 vendors in the indoor portion of the market which is open year-round. The outdoor market will open Saturday, May 4th, bringing 40 additional vendors to the Market throughout its 6-month season, when ends October 26th. Vendor applications are still being accepted for the outdoor market.