Von Bergen's Country Market
 

Open Daily 8:30-6:00 July - October 31

 
 

Home 2008 Season Shared Secrets School Tours About Us
Directions
 
Mel and Bobette have farmed in the Hebron area since 1965. Along with field corn and soybeans, they grew sweet corn and peas for a local canning company. They also grew specialty crops such as gourds and Indian corn for the South Water Market in Chicago.

Mel and Bobette have two children. Mike and his wife, Tracie and their three boys, Quentin, Xander, and Valen, and daughter Neysa are partners in the farm/market operation. Michelle and her husband, Richard reside in Clifton, IL where Richard is Chief of Police. Michelle is a pediatrics nurse in Kankakee.

The birth of our present day vegetable market came when then nine year old Mike wanted to grow and sell pumpkins. It started on a hay wagon in the yard, then moved to the old milk house. Each year more vegetables were added and it grew into the retail/wholesale, (July though October), market of today, selling everything from apples to zucchini. Our bi-colored sweet corn, picked every morning for maximum freshness, and Mel’s famous muskmelons, sweetest around, are our specialties. And yes it is true that Mel and Mike try to have sweet corn through October, weather permitting.

Mel and Mike are the true “farmers”; planting, spraying, cultivating and harvesting the vegetable crops. They continue to improve our growing power. Our early sweet corn is grown on plastic which ripens a week to 10 days earlier than the conventional planting. This past summer, due to the drought, an irrigation system was added, which will further enhance our growing season.

Bobette and Tracie manage the vegetable market. They prepare, display all we grow and find the best quality produce we cannot grow, to be a full service store for one stop shopping. Quentin, Xander, and Valen are learning the business by helping wherever they can.

We have been hosting school tours for over 25 years and continue to educate the area children by their helping us harvest some of the specialty crops in the fall. It’s a fun way to teach the students that things are not grown in the grocery store.

News Flash!  Michelle and Richard will be adding to Mel and Bobette's grandchildren in late August!  Quentin, Xander, Valen, and Neysa are anxiously awaiting the birth of their new cousin.