ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Although the fall equinox is just days away, the weather across the Rockford region feels more like mid-summer.

And for local farmers and market vendors, that’s not just a seasonal surprise — it’s a boost.

Unseasonably warm temperatures have allowed producers to keep harvesting and selling summer crops well into September, a rare extension of the growing season.

“It’s great to have pollinators still around, because when it gets colder those slow down," said Elaine Simon of Middle Sister Farm of South Beloit. "So, for things like zucchinis that need to be pollinated, that’s still going.”

At the Edgebrook Farmers Market, vendors say the extended warmth means they’re still bringing in tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and other summer favorites — crops that typically b

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