Fall: Coming in Like a Lion
Looks like it’s not just March that comes in like a lion. The morning rains in the Chicago area (seen pretty dramatically above) are moving south, but they’re being pushed out by strong north winds that herald the for-real beginning of autumn at 2:20 p.m. central time.
In fact, there is a Gale Warning for all of Illinois’ Lake Michigan nearshore waters with possible 12 to 18 foot waves. So please be very careful if you’re by the lake today.
Logan Square Schedule & Green City Clarification
In its newsletter today, the Logan Square Farmers Market provided an update about its schedule as the outdoor season winds down. Currently, the market’s outdoor season is scheduled to end on Sunday, October 31. The market informs, however, that its outdoor market has had its permit extended to the end of November IF a suitable indoor location has not been identified by November 21 (the scheduled start of its indoor season).
The need to find locations that meet ongoing COVID safety protocols and have space for social distancing is a major complication for the handful of farmers markets that previously staged indoor winter markets, including Green City Market.
Also, a clarification on yesterday’s article about Green City’s schedule. The lead stated that Green City’s West Loop satellite market was extending its outdoor season, but Saturday, October 30 — correctly stated in the article — was actually its scheduled closing date. So just to be absolutely clear, the current Green City Market final outdoor markets schedule is as follows:
Wednesday, October 27: Last Wednesday market at Lincoln Park.
Saturday, October 30: Last Saturday at West Loop.
Saturday: November 20: Last Saturday at Lincoln Park.
If you are engaged with or know of any other markets that are extending their outdoor season, or have announced plans for an indoor season, please send that information to bob@localfoodforum.com.
Two Documentaries That You Should See
Man in the Field: The Life and Art of Jim Denevan
Jim Denevan overcame major challenges of his youth — including his father’s illness and premature death and family members’ extreme mental illness — to first distinguish himself as a conceptual artist, drawing mind-blowing geometric compositions on beaches and other natural environments. A trained chef, he then merged his artistic vision over the past two decades with his Outstanding in the Field farm dinners.
His life story, with its beauty, drama and successes, is the subject of the new documentary, Man in the Field: The Life and Art of Jim Denevan. The film will be available for viewing online starting this Friday, September 24. Click the first button below for information and to view the trailer.
Local Food Forum had the privilege of attending an Outstanding in the Field dinner at Chicago’s City Farm In August. Click the second button to read our August 12 story.
Seasons of Change on Henry’s Farm
The Land Connection is presenting a free online screening of the film Season of Change on Henry’s Farm on Wednesday, September 29 at 6:00 p.m. The film focused on the central Illinois farm of Henry Brockman — one of the region’s pioneering sustainable producers — as it navigates the troubling impacts of global climate change. Here are the notes about the film from The Land Connection:
Twenty years ago, good food advocate and author Terra Brockman founded The Land Connection. Raised in central Illinois, Terra couldn’t wait to escape what she called “a capital B Backwater.” After years of traveling, writing, teaching, and exploring, Terra was drawn back to her roots in central Illinois.
Her experiences abroad reinforced a truth she had always known: the best food in the world could and should be grown by small, diverse farms that mimic nature, and that communities should be able to feed themselves independent of fossil-fuel based agrichemicals. In 2010, Terra authored the book The Seasons on Henry’s Farm to tell the story of her family and their life on the farm in the form of a year-long memoir (with recipes) that takes readers through each season of life on the farm. Terra’s book led to the documentary Seasons of Change on Henry’s Farm, which we are thrilled to offer as a private screening.
The film, Seasons of Change on Henry’s Farm, is a timely documentary that follows organic farmer Henry Brockman as he grapples with the future of farming. For a quarter-century, Henry has worked alongside nature to grow delicious organic vegetables on his idyllic Midwestern family farm. But farming takes a toll on his aging body and Henry dreams of scaling back. While his former apprentices run the farm, Henry spends a “fallow year” with his wife Hiroko in Japan. But things don’t turn out as planned, and Henry must grapple with a changing climate on personal, generational and global levels.
There will be a post-showing discussion featuring Terra Brockman and film director Ines Sommer.
Click the button below to register.
Seasons of Change on Henry's Farm is a film everyone should see. It is a remarkable documentary for many reasons, and the filmmaker's commitment to the story as it unfolded over years is a testament to the craft, and her skill.