An Early Fall Haul
Last week presented some big challenges that resulted in my skipping my farmers market rounds last weekend. So today’s drop by the SOAR Farmers Market in downtown Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood produced this year’s first fall market haul.
As you can see, some of the late summer crops are hanging in there even with the start of October looming on Saturday. From the left there are grapes, plums and pears from Ellis Family Farms (Benton Harbor, Michigan); red bell peppers, green beans and potatoes from Nichols Farm and Orchard (Marengo, Illinois); eggplant and zucchini from Smits Farms (Chicago Heights, Illinois); and a couple of spicy tofu salads from Phoenix Bean (Chicago).
The following are reminders, for your consideration, of three great events that are happening over the next few days.
Chicago Chefs Cook for Puerto Rico
Tomorrow (Wednesday), those incredibly generous local culinary artists are presenting yet another amazing tasting event to raise funds to help people facing desperate situations.
All proceeds from Chicago Chefs Cook for Puerto Rico will go to Chef José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen, which has mobilized to provide hot meals to those affected by the devastating hurricane that hit Puerto Rico, other Caribbean islands and Atlantic Canada last week.
This Wednesday’s event will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture at 3015 W. Division St. in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood. This is the same venue where the Chicago Chefs Cook for Tigray event was held last Wednesday and raised more than $110,000 to support health care for those displaced by a civil war in Ethiopia.
Click the button to buy tickets, priced at $155 each.
Angelic Organics Learning Center Gather & Grow Farm Social
Angelic Organics Learning Center, one of the Midwest’s leading farmer training nonprofits, is holding its Gather & Grow Farm Social fundraiser Saturday evening at its home base in Caledonia, Illinois (near Rockford and about 90 miles northwest of downtown Chicago). The organization reported today that there are a few tickets left for their event, which will featured great food, beverages, company, and pastoral landscapes.
According to the event organizers, “If you act fast you can get in on free live printed t-shirts from Rockford Art Deli, taking selfies with GOATS, delicious food from Abreo Restaurant, drinks from New Holland Brewing Co. and Letherbee, all while supporting your local farmers in building sustainable food networks!
Click the button below to purchase tickets priced at $125 per person.
It appears from the FACT event site that individual tickets for its fundraising event Sunday may have sold out, but an attractive sponsorship package is still listed on the page.
As an added note, the folks from Terra Vitae Farms and Broadview Farm and Gardens — with whom I visited during my recent field trips (click here and here) — will be attending and speaking at the FACT celebration. Both farms are recipients of FACT’s Fund-a-Farmer grants. Since 2012, FACT has awarded $857,000 in Fund-a-Farmer grants for projects that improve animal welfare.
Click below for more information.