Vendors at last weekend’s Garden Ramble elaborate on their farming projects and past events.

The ramble took place on May 29 through 30 and sponsored Rincker Family Produce, 5-Acre Farm Daylilies and University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners.

Jim and Sharon Rincker have worked on their crops since February, where they began to grow their products in their basement.

“We have gourd lights, so we grow our flowers and our seeds in the basement, and we move them out to the greenhouse in late March,” Sharon Rincker said.

The Rinckers started growing sweet corn ten years ago and have continued to expand their crops. They grow and sell gourds (plants from the same family of the cucumber, squash and pumpkin), other vegetables and flowers.

“After Earth Bash, pretty much after the first of June, the flowers are pretty well,” Jim Rincker said.

Other than Earth Bash and the Garden Ramble, the Rinckers go to the Farmer’s Market in Charleston and sell everything that they grow.

Sharon Rincker said the farmer’s markets are popular because people like to buy fresh produce.

“It’s a whole different take. We’re having fresh lettuce salads now if anyone needs one, and the lettuce is just a whole different taste then what you can buy at the store,” she said.

Sharon Rincker said she enjoys going to the ramble for fun instead of profit.

“We like to come and talk to people and meet. We meet a lot of nice people,” she said.

Rod Kroemer of 5-Acre Farm Daylilies also goes to different places to meet people. He said the farm does other garden shows all over the state to promote their products.

“Other sorts of garden clubs will call, and they’ll want presentations, and they’ll want someone to come and make the plants available for sale,” he said.

Kroemer displayed and sold the farm’s daylilies, honey, garden gloves and a hand hoes; the farm holds 700 kinds of daylilies.

“They are very, very easy to grow, and they only need to be watered every third to fourth week, and a nice big sunny window,” he said.

Kroemer said he enjoys doing events because of his own experiences with planting.

“I like the fact that I’m semi-retired, and I’ve been able to go back to gardening once again,” he said. “I grew up on a farm, my father and my grandfather were both farmers, and I’m just so glad to come back to do this once again.”

Not only does Kroemer said he likes to plant and grow, but he thinks it’s important for others to do the same.

“I think it’s very important for people to be in contact with the earth, and grow things and have a connection with the world,” he said.

Alesha Bailey can be reached at 581-7942 or at

The woods are alluring as guests walk through the pathways to see the flowers on display. (Jennifer Brown/ The Daily Eastern News)

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