Think that the farmers market season is over? Think again – several markets on the far north side of Chicago and its northern suburbs will be at your service. While some are a limited-time-only opportunity, there are a few that will be available all winter, and right through spring, something for which we can be truly thankful this coming holiday weekend.
The contenders:
- Andersonville Winter Farmers Market
Ebenezer Lutheran Church, 1650 W Foster Ave., Chicago; Sunday, 11:30am – 3:30 PM, starting 11/20
This market will be held monthly, on the third Sunday of every month. Vendors will include Brunkow cheese and River Valley Ranch mushrooms from Wisconsin, Bennison’s Breads from Evanston, and many others. Bonus convenience factor: the AWFM takes credit and debit cards, as well as LINK cards.
- Evanston Winter Market
Evanston Ecology Center, 2024 McCormick Blvd, Evanston; Saturday, 9:00AM – 1:00PM, starting 12/3 (no market on 12/24 and 12/31)
The North Shore’s new contribution to the farmers market scene should quickly become a weekly staple, as it will have an easily accessible location and a number of well-known vendors. Participants will include vendors from Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan, including Henry’s Farm, Tiny Greens, Sunnydale Farm, Tomato Mountain, River Valley Ranch, Brunkow Cheese, Michigan Blueberries, C & D Family Farms, Patz Honey, Defloured, Pasta Puttana, Passion House Coffee, Ruth & Phil’s Ice Cream, De La Rue Patisserie and Foodie Bites – and the bread made by Dennis Carlson, who is not only the proprietor/bread maker of Crust&Crumb, but also the driving force behind the formation of this ambitious new venture.
- Morton Grove Winter Market
American Legion Memorial Civic Center, 6140 Dempster St., Morton Grove; Saturday 12/3 ONLY, 9:00AM – 2:00PM
This market is a single event, and will feature holiday gifts and decorations, as well as fresh fruits and veggies, baked goods, cheeses, meat and eggs, and freshly-made crepes. Live entertainment and children’s crafts should make this a festive day.
- Glenwood Sunday Winter Market (Rogers Park)
6956 N. Glenwood, Chicago; Sunday 11/20 and 12/11 ONLY, 9:00AM – 2:00PM
The Glenwood market is targeted toward holiday feasting and shopping, with its specific pre-Thanksgiving and pre-Christmas/Chanukah dates. The market is featuring two vendors who raise and sell free-range organically fed turkeys, Mint Creek Farm and Midnight Sun, and both will be taking holiday orders. In tune with the culture of Rogers Park, the market emphasizes organically-grown local products, and caters to vegetarians – even locally-made tofu will be available. With the offerings including rainbow chard, kale, cabbage, carrots, turnips, apples, pears, cider, and cheese, as well as lamb, chicken, and beef for non-turkey enthusiasts, locavores will be able to set a festive and bountiful holiday table.
Also keep in mind the troupers of the Lincoln Square outdoor market, which will hold its final outdoor market for 2011 on Tuesday, 11/22, from 7:00 AM – 1:00 PM. While not all of the summer vendors will be available, due to the limited seasonality of their wares, the bounty of the harvest will be on sale – late-season fruits, root vegetables and hardy squash, baked goods, mushrooms, and meat. Pay them a visit if you can, and wish the farmers and vendors happy holidays!
If you haven’t noticed, I haven’t posted in quite a while. Everyday life, work, having my first child…all of those took priority over the last few months.
During the last year I was also Chair of the Care of Creation Committee at Fourth Presbyterian Church. We are dedicated to environmental issues and have been involved with the Chicago Lights Urban Farm (who works in collaboration with Growing Power).
This Sunday, May 15 at 12:30 pm, our committee is hosting a special panel on ecojustice awareness. The event will be held on the 19th Floor of the Olympia Centre at 737 N Michigan Avenue (enter on Chicago Avenue). During this event a panel of speakers will speak about issues on ecojustice and then we will open up the floor for questions. Our panel of speakers are:
Local food production definitely has ecojustice implications. For example, the City Farm Chicago and Chicago Lights Urban Farm both provide opportunities for under-developed neighborhoods in the form of employment and access to cheap, nutritious food.
We hope that you can join us for this event!
On Sunday evening May 22nd, I’ll host my next Local Food Wisdom Locavore Dinner which includes a screening of the new documentary, Ingredients. The Chicago debut of the film in February drew a standing room only crowd of 75 people (on mayoral election night, no less) so it’s obvious that many Windy City residents are eager to learn more about our local food system and actively participate in the emerging Good Food Revolution. I’m pleased that the owners of Kitchen Chicago have enthusiastically offered to host the event, which includes: a 4-course dinner menu designed by Chef Derrick Wcislak of Pure Kitchen Catering, the film (presented during the meal) and an informal Q&A session with guest farmers and a chef or two (to be announced). Here is the menu, featuring many ingredients (pending availability) sourced from local farms:
One: Chicken ballotine, fried chicken skin, marinated favas and carrots, dill (plated)
Two: Baby lettuce, sweet peas, shaved radish, goat cheddar, buttermilk dressing, wood-grilled pizza crust (family-style)
Three: Roasted leg of lamb, tarragon rub, jus with butter-poached new potatoes, arugula, pickled red onion, black pepper crème fraîche, wood-grilled asparagus, crispy spring onion, Parmesan (family-style)
Four: Chocolate churros, macerated strawberries, bourbon-mint sabayon (plated)
During the past year, I’ve been privileged to work with several chefs while planning and presenting Locavore Dinners at the Hopleaf, StarGrazer Café (Grayslake, IL), mk, Sunday Dinner, In Fine Spirits and Logan Square Kitchen. During those events, we’ve enjoyed guest appearances by some of the farm families who faithfully produce our food, including: Matt and Peg Sheaffer & Jeff and Jen Miller of Sandhill Organics (Grayslake, IL), Mike Klug and family of Mick Klug Farms (St. Joseph, MI), Harry and Gwen Car of Mint Creek Farm (Stelle, IL), Joel and Cheri Espe of Hawks Hill Elk Ranch (Monticello, WI) and Beth and Brent Eccles of Green Acres Farm (North Judson, IN). The enduring goal of the Locavore Dinners is to gather farmers, chefs and consumers, enhance our appreciation for sustainable food production and cultivate our “local food wisdom”, one meal at a time.
If you are unable to join us for the dinner and film, please share this post with a friend, colleague or neighbor and invite them to purchase a ticket ($65/$75) before midnight on Tuesday, May 17th. More details about the event are available on the Local Food Wisdom blog. Thanks for your help in sharin’ the word about this celebration of local food and the good people who produce and prepare it. =)
From City Provisions:
This Month’s Farm Dinner Supper Club Theme is Summer Beers and BBQ. The $125 ticket includes transportation to and From Faith’s Farm in Bonfield IL in a Biodiesel bus, a 5-course meal featuring farm-fresh foods paired with beers from Two Brothers Brewing Company, a tour of the farm, hay ride and bonfire with more tasty beers from Two Brothers. This is truly a farm-to-table experience not to be missed.
Call 773.293.2489 or email info@cityprovisions.com to make your reservation today. our website: http://www.cityprovisions.com/
In addition to our Local Beet “Beet-up”, there is an array of events at the Oak Park Farmer’s Market on May 30. From one of the Market Commissioners:
Go Green Day…the 1st of its kind offered thru the special event committee of the OPFM will be May 30 from 9-11:30. The emphasis will be on “friendly and hands on” as the market attracts a huge array of interests including little ones who won’t have to keep their hands to themselves!We will host the Accesstrans’ Bike Ambassador, Let it Rain will show case their Rainbarrles and compost bins alongside Cheney mansions own Charlie the gardener, who will give us the keys to successful composting. The wave of your motoring future- Electric cars-can be viewed- sponsored by the Fox Valley Electric Car Association-a local non-for prof org. The Friends and Commisioners of the OPFM will demonstrate best uses for some commonly found containers at our Innovation Station. Seven Generations Ahead along with their elementary school partners will tell one and all about the villages partnership in the 0 waste initiative. And no event- especially our market would be complete wiothout Food Demos- Chef Ron Martin of the Cheney Mansion will be whipping up fresh salsa featuring locally grown, and Melissa Graham from Purple Asparagus will be busy with hands on demos for the kids.
Lastly as part of our support for Op’s Urban Gardening Initiative, Master Gardeners will kick off this season with a Q and A booth, which might continue at the market through-out the summer!
I have come to realize that perhaps Evanston’s is a better market, but Oak Park remains my home and my home market and my favorite market. It is not just donuts but its a buyers market. The farmers come prepared. We have come prepared. May 30 (a Saturday), we are holding our first ever Beet-Up; i.e., a meet up for fans of local foods. May 30 is also Go Green Day at the Oak Park Farmer’s Market, and we are especially proud that the Sustainable Cook, Melissa Graham, will be leading child friendly activities from 9 until 11:30.
What else goes on at a Beet-up you ask? Well, honestly, we are not quite sure as we have never gone to one either. Our basic idea is that we will shop together, listen to the farmers talk together, compare notes on rhubarb and asparagus together, maybe have some coffee and donuts together. When we tire of our company, we can always check out the blue grass musicians. And play with the kids with Melissa. At around 11:30, we will leave the market and go to lunch at Marion Street Cheese Market in Oak Park. If you cannot meet-up at the market, you can still meet for lunch. You are free to come to the market as early as 7 AM, but expect to meet me and others (aside from Melissa) starting at around 10:30).
Feel free to ask questions and otherwise discuss.
The Oak Park Market is on Lake Street between Elmwood and Scoville. Details here.
Marion St. Cheese Market is at 100 S. Marion, Oak Park, IL
*Note, while it is possible to walk from the market to Marion St. Cheese, it is not a short walk. Also, the Oak Park market is very accessible to the Green Line El. Ample parking available for the market.
We
Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts George Rasmussen of Michigan’s Swan Creek Farm supplies pigs, chickens and other animals to the best connected chefs in the Chicago area. He can get his hands on some awesome wild boar. His goose is pretty special as well. A few weeks ago, he was on his way to make a meat run when his truck suffered a bad fire. That night, chefs scrambled to have food to serve. They managed, and then soon scrambled to do something special for George. With the help of publisist extraordinaire Ellen Malloy, they organized a dinner to benefit George and Swan Creek Farm. Please join us in supporting this event on May 20 at Goose Island, 7 PM. $100/per person. Call for reservations. 312.951.0071.
For details, go to Mado to pick up a flier or see what it looks like here.
Purple Asparagus is participating in this year’s Green Festival at Navy Pier, May 16 and 17. In the Organic Valley Green Kids’ Zone, we’ll be making “salad in a jar.” With an anticipated 35,000 participants at the festival, we’ll need lots of extra hands.
In exchange for volunteering, admission to this wonderful festival is free. At the event, you’ll enjoy 125 visionary authors, leaders and educators, how-to workshops, organic beer and wine, delicious vegetarian cuisine and live music. There will be over 300 eco-friendly exhibits, everything from all-natural body care to green building supplies. It promises to be a great time for all.
If you would like to volunteer, please contact us at info@purpleasparagus.com or at 773-991-1920 (ask for Melissa). We’re looking for volunteers from 9:30-5 on Saturday and from 10:30-5 on Sunday.
If you can’t join us next weekend, please consider volunteering with us June 29-July 2 when we’ll be at Taste of Chicago in the Family Fun Festival.
Purple Asparagus is participating in this year’s Green Festival at Navy Pier, May 16 and 17. In the Organic Valley Green Kids’ Zone, we’ll be making “salad in a jar.” With an anticipated 35,000 participants at the festival, we’ll need lots of extra hands.
In exchange for volunteering, admission to this wonderful festival is free. At the event, you’ll enjoy 125 visionary authors, leaders and educators, how-to workshops, organic beer and wine, delicious vegetarian cuisine and live music. There will be over 300 eco-friendly exhibits, everything from all-natural body care to green building supplies. It promises to be a great time for all.
If you would like to volunteer, please contact us at info@purpleasparagus.com or at 773-991-1920 (ask for Melissa). We’re looking for volunteers from 9:30-5 on Saturday and from 10:30-5 on Sunday.
If you can’t join us next weekend, please consider volunteering with us June 29-July 2 when we’ll be at Taste of Chicago in the Family Fun Festival.
If you’ve been challenged by how to use fresh, seasonal, locally grown foods in your menu throughout the year, the Geneva Green Market has the solution in their new class, “Look at What’s Local for Dinner!” Taught by expert Jennifer Downing of “Nourish,” this class draws its inspiration from the seasonal produce cookbook by Jeanne Kelly, “Blue Eggs and Yellow Tomatoes,” which is available locally at Townhouse Books in St. Charles. During the class, a drawing will be held for a $10 gift certificate courtesy of Townhouse Books in St. Charles, so foodies can use recipes from this cookbook throughout the year.
Event Details:
• When: April 28, 2009 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
• Where: Inglenook Pantry, 11 N. Fifth Street, Geneva, IL 60134
• Cost: GGM NFP members – $45 per person / Non-GGM NFP members, $55 per person
• RSVP: Karen Stark at genevagreenmarket@gmail.com or call (630) 208.9321.
To learn more about The Geneva Green Market and membership to the GGM NFP, please visit http://www.genevagreenmarket.org/about-us/.
Fishy Fun
In partnership with the Shedd Aquarium and Plitt Seafood, Purple Asparagus presents a sustainable sushi making class for parents and children in the Shedd’s Lobster Lab. On Sunday May 31, 2009, from 4-6pm, join us at the Shedd to roll our own sushi using sustainably caught and raised seafood. Seafood that is as good for the earth as it tastes. On hand will be a Shedd employee who will talk about the importance of sustainability in the aquatic world. $20.00 per adult, $5.00 per child. Adult and child beverages are included in the price. Families who arrive an hour early will receive free admission to the Aquarium.
Shedd Aquarium
1200 S Lake Shore Dr
Chicago, IL
Garbage to Garden
Urban Worm Girl, Stephanie Davies, will show
parents and kids how to transform their garbage into nutrient-rich compost for a garden or
houseplants. We’ll read Tim Magner’s Earl the Earthworm Digs for His Life to learn about the
important role that worms perform for the soil. Finally, with Purple Asparagus‘ head spear, Melissa Graham, we’ll use some of this black gold to grow an herb seedling.
$10.00 for a parent-child team. Space is extremely limited. Please RSVP to A Cooler Planet at 773-248-
1110.
A Cooler Planet
2211 West Roscoe
Chicago, IL
The kick off workshop series brought to you by the GGM, NFP membership.
Start a Seedy Relationship with your yard! Thinking about planting a garden, we are here to help you. The GGM, NFP membership is launching a series of courses to help you in gardening, health and living a little greener. All ages’ welcome!
The first workshop:
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Inglenook Pantry, 11 North Fifth Street, Geneva Il 60134
Cost with materials $35 non-members, $25 members
Expert; Craig MacLean from The Pure Gardener
Get a jump-start on the gardening season! Save money by starting your own vegetables or flowers. The GGM, NFP is offering a workshop on how to start seeds indoors, how to buy supplies to transplanting out into your garden. You will have seeds planted and knowledge on how to be transplanted in the ground. Working with vegetable and flower seed.
You will receive seed starting supplies and will take home starts and seeds planted in the workshop. If you have seeds bring them, but seeds will be provided also. Craig MacLean , The Pure Gardener 502 W State St, Geneva IL. is also talking about sprout, onions, and garlic.
Please register at info [at] genevagreenmarket [dot] org, by sending your name and contact info or call 630.208.9321.
Beverly Unitarian Church
10244 S. Longwood Dr. (The Castle on the Hill)
(The Castle on the Hill)
