The Land Connection Champaign Farmers' Market

The Land Connection Champaign Farmers' Market is tied to a nonprofit founded in 2001 and focused on growing the local food economy both on and off the farm. In Champaign, that mission takes a weekly form: a Tuesday market running from May through October in the downtown plaza at Neil & Main. The setup places the market right in downtown Champaign rather than on the edge of town, making it a regular midweek stop in the center of the city. It is part of The Land Connection’s broader farmers market work in the Champaign-Urbana area, which also includes a separate winter market season in Urbana.

Why it matters locally

The Land Connection operates the Champaign-Urbana farmers markets as part of its work to grow the local food economy, both on and off the farm. That gives this market a role beyond a single shopping trip: it sits inside an organization that also runs food and nutrition programming, local food resources, and related events and trainings.

The market’s local reach also shows up in its partnerships. The Land Connection and the Champaign Farmers Market are named in work with the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District, and Common Ground Food Co-op is also identified as a collaborator on market-related efforts. Families are folded into that local focus through the Kids Kits program, which offers kits at the Champaign market during the May-through-October season and at the winter market from November through April.

What you'll find there

The clearest picture of the market mix comes through the farms, food businesses, and ingredient partners tied to its Kids Kits and related programming. That points to a market connected to produce, dairy, baked goods, grains, honey, and prepared-food ingredients from around the Champaign-Urbana area.

• -Sola Gratia Farm supplies plant starts and ingredients used in multiple Kids Kits recipes.
• -Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery provides chèvre for Green Goat Egg Bites.
• -Janie’s Mill is credited for local rolled oats used in Chocolate Maple Energy Bites.
• -The Hive by Maple Street Gardens is the source of local honey for PB Energy Bites.
• -Weinzierl Fruits provides apples for No Bake Apple Crunch Rings.
• -Koller Family Gardens supplies corn for Elote en Vaso.
• -Ben & Molly’s Farm provides tomatoes for Mediterranean Tomato Toast.

The calendar also names weekly Champaign Farmers Market dates during the season, alongside the Kids Kits program that runs at this market from May through October.

Know before you go

No dogs is the clearest ground rule for planning a visit. The market takes place on Tuesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. from May through October in the downtown plaza at Neil & Main in downtown Champaign, with the listed address at 310-330 N. Neil. If you use EBT at this market, the info table is located at the northeast corner of the plaza.

This market is the outdoor Champaign season operated by The Land Connection, while the separate Champaign-Urbana Winter Farmers Market runs on Saturdays inside Lincoln Square Mall in Urbana from November through April. Restrooms are not listed as available in the visitor details, so plan your stop accordingly.

Payments & SNAP

SNAP/EBT is accepted at the market. The market materials also direct shoppers to information about doubling Link benefits and WIC/Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program benefits, and note that Universal Link Match is funded by Link Up Illinois. For EBT use at the Champaign market, go to the info table at the northeast corner of the plaza.