UPDATED – Make a Salad with This Filled Up Local Calendar
UPDATE: We are working hard to make our Local Calendar bigger and better. We continue to update our Local Calendar during the week, so don’t just drop in on Friday. As always, we ask that you let us know of any great local food events we missed.
Our Local Calendars in recent weeks have vacillated between despair and barely founded optimism. It was either, oh no another week limited to Tomato Mountain sauces and River Valley mushrooms, or we love sprouts! Well, we feel a bit, slightly, ever more so, better with this Local Calendar. See, do you know what else has grown a bit, slightly, ever more so? Sunlight. I learned via the Logan Square Farmer’s Market newsletter that February 1 brought the Chicago area just a wee bit more daytime. And that wee bit more daylight could enable their vendor, Majestic Nursery to grow lettuces for the weekly Logan Square winter market. So, we can add these greens to the Living Waters lettuces at the Downtown Farmstand and maybe something Cassie has gathered at her Green Grocer; plus whatever Green City Market may have this week, and, well the local table may just be a little more tasty this week.
Use the Local Calendar below to make the most of our new, bigger offerings. Also start marking your calendar for all the great forthcoming events.
WHAT TO BUY NOW
We remain in the part of the year where it is not a question of what’s “in season”, it’s a question of “what’s available.” As noted above, we believe there may be a bit more indoor grown produce this week. Please let us know what you are seeing.
Indoor grown vegetables: lettuces, spinach, micro-greens, mushrooms, cucumbers, herbs, rocket; root vegetables: beets, carrots, celery root, sunchokes; storage crops like onions, potatoes, and apples,winter squash and cabbage.
WHERE TO FIND LOCAL FOODS
These stores specialize in local foods:
- City Provisions Deli
- Downtown Farmstand
- Green Grocer
- Dill Pickle Coop in Logan Square
- Marion Street Cheese Market
It’s open! Eat locally butchered meat at the Butcher and the Larder.
C&D Pastured Pork’s sales around town.
We bet, if you look around, you can also find local foods at various grocery stores, especially local apples, onions, winter squash and potatoes.
WHAT TO DO NOW
Friday – February 11
Chicago – Concert fundraiser for The United Church Children’s Garden Program, an initiative of LET’S GO Chicago, connects low-income youth between the ages of 8-12 with a four-season environmental education including a warm season adventure in urban organic gardening. The event will take place Friday, February 11th from 7-10pm at United Church. Doors open at 6pm. 1545 W. Morse — 2 blocks west of the Morse Red Line Stop – Suggested donation of $5-10 with no one turned away for lack of funds. Additional details here
Saturday – February 12
Chicago – Slow Food Chicago Breadmaking Workshop – Calling all bread-lovers! Slow Food Chicago is pleased to announce it’s offering a series of breadmaking workshops over the next few weeks. Guests will learn how to make breads with pre-fermented dough, and will take home dough for a focaccia loaf and a whole wheat flour pan loaf. The class will be taught by John Stranick, an artisan baker with 20 years experience in foodservice and a current chef instructor at Kendall College. Class takes place from 1:00 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. Whole Foods Lincoln Park, 1550 N. Kingsbury St., Chicago
Chicago – Green City Market – Theme: Meat & Potatoes – 8 AM – 1 PM – Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Geneva – Geneva Community Market – Inglenook Pantry – 11 N. 5th Street, Geneva – 9 AM – 1 PM
Chicago - This Saturday morning from 10-Noon the Lurie Garden is hosting a seed swap. Experienced seed savers/swappers and curious newbies are invited. The seed swap will be held in the 1st floor Garland Room of the Chicago Cultural Center located steps from public transit. One Seed Chicago will be on-hand so you can vote in person for your favorite seed for 2011 if you haven’t voted online. Neighbor Space has generously donated some seeds. Even if you don’t have seeds to swap you will not leave empty-handed. RSVP by calling the Lurie Garden at 312.742.TIXS(8497) – Space is limited.
Sunday – February 13
Chicago – Logan Square Farmers Market – 2135 N. Milwaukee – 10 – 2 PM – All sorts of things on for Sunday including Otter Creek cheddars, Mint Creek lamb, and Tempel Farms eggs; Otter Creek Organic Farm also has grass fed beef and pasture raised organic pork and chicken – Congress Theater, 2135 N. Milwaukee – 10 AM – 2 PM
Wednesday – February 16
Des Plaines/Skokie Oakton Community College – Changing the World One Meal at a Time – Our friends from Evanston’s Talking Farm and Oakton Community College present noted local author Terra Brockman, author of The Seasons of Henry’s Farm and Founder of the Land Connection speaking about the importance of creating and supporting sustainable local food systems. Admission is free. Click here for more information – Des Plaines Campus – 1230 PM /Skokie Campus 7 PM
Chicago - 3rd annual Illinois Farmers Market Forums (3 others around the state through March 9)The Experimental Station – Our correspondent says, “These are very nuts & bolts events, guaranteed to answer lots of questions related to farmers market operations. Great networking, too. Very reasonably [$15 per person if you pre-register /$20 per person at the door] priced for an all-day workshop, including lunch – 6100 S. Blackstone Ave., Chicago – Registration information here.
Chicago – The Buzz about Bees – Local beekeepers share their stories and tips at Chicago’s Downtown Farmstand. Enjoy a tasting of honey harvested from local apiaries that demonstrate subtle differences brought about by harvest times and location. This event is FREE, but RSVP is required. To register, or for more information, click here. – 66 E. Randolph, Chicago – 530 PM
Chicago – Soup and Bread at the Hideout benefiting local food pantries – 1354 W. Wabansia, Chicago – 530 PM – 730 PM
Thursday – February 17
Chicago - Nettelhorst Offers Public Screening of Lunch Line. Screening will be followed by expert panel discussion, led by Lunch Line’s Director. Lunch Line reframes the current debate over the food served in schools through an examination of the program’s surprising past, uncertain present, and possible future. In the film, six kids from one of the toughest neighborhoods in Chicago set out to fix school lunch — and end up at the White House. Expert panelists, including the film’s Director, will share insights immediately following the film. Panelists include: Greg Christian, Chef, author and Organic School Project Founder; Dan Schnitzer, Director of Sustainability for the Academy for Global Citizenship; Dr. Susan Kurland, co-Author, “How to Walk to School”; and Michael Graziano, Director, Lunch Line. Monica Eng, Food Writer, Chicago Tribune, will moderate. The film will be shown in the school’s 420-seat newly-renovated auditorium, the largest performing space in Lakeview. The Nettelhorst School is located at 3252 North Broadway. Tickets are $5.00 online or $7.00 at the door, and can be purchased at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/153381
Riverside - Slow Food Chicago Breadmaking Workshop – Guests will learn two different methods of breadmaking, including how to make a large batch of dough that will keep over time, and how to knead dough effectively. Jacqueline Vasan is the featured instructor, a lifelong breadbaker and owner of “Bread From The Heart,” through which she bakes and sells breads and sweets. Class takes place from 10:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. – Riverside United Methodist Church, 82 Woodside Rd., Riverside
WHAT TO DO SOON
Saturday - February 20
Brookfield – Winter market associated with Faith in Place at Faith Luthern Church – 12 PM – 3 PM – 3801 Madison, Brookfield
Tuesday – February 22
Chicago – Logan Square Kitchen hosts the Chicago debut of the new documentary, Ingredients. In addition to the film screening (approximately 70 min), the event includes networking with other locavores, food provided by Chef Matt Maroni of gaztro-wagon and a closing panel session featuring farmers and chefs. Chef Matt Maroni will be preparing a sampler of his locally-famous naanwiches with locally-sourced ingredients. - $25 per person (includes seat and food from gastro-wagon); a cash bar will offer selected brews from Chicago’s own Revolution and Haymarket breweries. You must purchase tickets online at Brown Paper Tickets - 2333 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago – 630 PM
Tuesday – March 1
Chicago – Slow Food Chicago Breadmaking Workshop – Guests will learn about ciabatta and its many uses, as well as Sardinian semolina crackers and various toppings for ciabatta dough. The instructor will be Anne Kostroski, an alum of the Culinary Institute of America and a veteran of such esteemed kitchens as Tra Vigne in California and Citronelle in Washington, D.C. In 2009, she founded Crumb baking company. – Whole Foods Lincoln Park, 1550 N. Kingsbury St., Chicago
Saturday – March 5
Chicago - Kilbourn Park Organic Greenhouse presents a Gardening Exchange Event – The opportunity to take basic organic gardening classes (a mix of free classes and class @ $5), purchase compost and seeds, and find gently used gardening and cooking tools at bargain prices - Kilbourn Park Organic Greenhouse – 3501 N. Kilbourn, Chicago – 1 PM – 4 PM
SAVE THE DATE!
March 13 – Slow Food Chicago Book Club – Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal Vegetable Miracle – at First Slice Pie Cafe (4401 N. Ravenswood Ave.) at 2:00 p.m. To learn more, or to purchase the book, visit here. RSVP for the event by emailing sfchicagoevents@gmail.com
March 17 – 19 – Familyfarmed.org Expo including Financing Farm to Fork, Chicago Food Policy Summit, Localicious Party and Consumer Day.
April 30 – GreenNet’s 19th Annual Green & Growing Urban Gardening Fair – Garfield Park, Chicago
