Back to Basics: Fresh, Locally Grown Fruits and Veggies at the Farmer's Market

McCarthy Farms has been a part of the Orland Park farmer's market since its inception.

A long-time Orland Park staple, McCarthy Farms has been selling produce to residents for well over 25 years. Their stand, located on 159th Street just west of Ravinia Avenue, offers a vast selection of fruits and vegetables, which can be found every Friday at the farmers market. 

We talked to Ed Broniarczyk, the uncle of farmstand owner Jerry McCarthy, who is a camera aficionado when not slinging produce. After he finished making fun of the point and shoot Nikon I was using that morning, Broniarczyk said McCarthy grows "his own corn, tomatoes and bell peppers as well as other produce to sell at the farmstand." 

They are best known for their sweet corn that graces the tables of many Orland Park homes.   

McCarthy Farms also grows what Broniarczyk calls cash crop: corn, wheat and soybeans. Last Friday, they had fresh picked green beans, berries, many varieties of potatoes and vine ripe tomatoes.  

Also available were oranges, apples, plums, nectarines, peaches and more.  Even though the clouds were moving in that morning, the line of customers never wavered as people filled their market bags with the fresh produce from the stand. 

We later spoke to Rose Broniarczyk, Ed's wife, at the farmstand on 159th Street.  She recalled a time long ago when her family used to live in a one room farmhouse on 104th Avenue.  She said that was back at a time when things were simpler and remembered back to her childhood. That area is now developed into single family homes but still "holds a place in her heart."

Jerry McCarthy now leases his farm land on 159th Street in Orland Park from the Archdioses of Chicago. He also has some farm land in Peotone that offers him more area to grow crops for his business.

What produce they are unable to grow themselves is bought directly from the farmers that do grow them in order to maintain the farmstand quality.

If you can't make it to the farmer's market on Fridays, then head over to their farmstand located at or their newest stand at on the east side of LaGrange Road just south of 163rd Street (across from Marcus Theaters) on another day.