Green City Moves Opening Up to April 2
Early start follows past two years' extensions of outdoor seasons into November
Breaking: Green City Market Opens a Month Early
Green City Market, a leader in our local food community since 1999, announced today that it is expanding its outdoor season by more than a month. After years of pegging its opening day to the first Saturday in May, Green City will instead be opening its flagship location in Lincoln Park on Saturday, April 2.
In addition, Green City Market’s satellite location in West Loop, which previously opened in June, is moving its season kickoff up to May 7.
The move-up was predicated on the nonprofit Market securing monthly donation subscriptions from at least 50 people by March 31, in order to cover the costs of the additional market days. A strong response helped beat that deadline by a couple of weeks, enabling officials to announce the date change today.
The earlier-than-usual opening follows upon Green City’s experimental extensions at the end of the past two seasons. The 2020 season, which had opened late because of the COVID outbreak, was stretched from its usual late October wrap-up to just before Thanksgiving in late November. This was repeated in 2021.
In both years, the Market cancelled its previously held winter market at Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum because of COVID safety concerns.
Just a few years ago, the idea of opening the outdoor farmers market in early April might have raised eyebrows, since our region’s growing season has traditionally been considered May to October.
But with a rising number of local farmers building hoop houses and other indoor growing facilities to practice their own season extension, there should be a variety of greens, microgreens, and even heirloom tomatoes and new root vegetables, to supplement crops such as asparagus, ramps and rhubarb that are usually first to market here.
Green City Market’s press release is copied below:
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Green City Market To Open Early, April 2 in Lincoln Park, May 7 in West Loop
Thanks to the support of the Chicago community, GCM’s 2022 season is set to start a month early at both its locations
March 18, 2022 (Chicago) — Green City Market (GCM) will reopen its Lincoln Park location on Saturday, April 2, 2022 and its West Loop location on Saturday, May 7, 2022.
After receiving permit approval from the city to open a month ahead of schedule at both its locations, GCM launched a campaign to raise funds to support the increased costs of operating an extended season.
“It might shock people to learn that it costs more than $200,000 each year to operate our markets,” explains GCM Executive Director Mandy Moody. “From permit fees to portalet rentals, market expenses aren’t exactly the most exciting things to talk about; but the costs are significant for a market of our scale.”
To keep the market affordable for small-scale, local farmers, vendor fees cover less than 40% of the costs to operate the market. Remaining expenses are funded through charitable contributions made by individuals and businesses.
Chris and Lisa Zastrow of Wholesome Harvest Farm shared, “Many of us as farmers have things growing and ready for market at this time of the year, and this gives us a great opportunity to expand upon those offerings,” the Zastrows said. “We’re also excited to be able to connect with all of our customers for several extra weeks a season.”
In 2022, GCM Lincoln Park will operate every Saturday in April from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and then every Wednesday and Saturday, May through October from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. GCM West Loop will operate every Saturday, May through October from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Mary Bartelme Park.
GCM’s 2022 extended outdoor season will feature 58 local farmers and food producers, including long-time favorites like Nichols Farm & Orchard and Mick Klug Farm as well as seven new vendors. New farms include Flatwater Farms, a USDA Certified Organic produce farm located in Buchanan, Michigan and Kankakee Valley Homestead, a Certified Naturally Grown produce farm located in Walkerton, Indiana.
New ready-to-eat food vendors include Molino Tortilleria, an heirloom corn tortilla producer sourcing corn from local farmers, and Flat & Point, a restaurant based in Logan Square that will be selling sourdough, bagels, and other baked goods using local grains.
Plus, starting in its 2022 outdoor season, GCM will increase its SNAP benefits match from $15 to $25 to help maximize food assistance benefits for Chicagoans facing food insecurity.
“Shoppers who use an EBT card like the Illinois Link card can double their purchasing power at Green City Market,” explains Moody. “This donor-funded program is critical to expanding food access throughout the city. Last year neighbors from more than 70 zip codes across the city visited Green City Market to use the program”.
View upcoming markets and plan your visit at www.greencitymarket.org/calendar.
ABOUT GREEN CITY MARKET
Nonprofit Green City Market is proud to be a local food leader whose mission is to secure the future of food by deepening support for sustainable farmers, educating our community, and expanding access to locally-grown food. Beyond its world-renowned farmers market, GCM partners with individuals, nonprofits, corporations, and foundations to expand access to local food throughout Chicagoland. For more information, visit www.greencitymarket.org.
More Photos from Chefs’ Ukraine Fundraiser
Green City Market also was a lead organizer of Chicago Chefs Cooks for Ukraine, the remarkable event at Navy Pier Wednesday that raised more than $500,000 for World Central Kitchen. A nonprofit organization created and run by Chef José Andrés, World Central Kitchen rushes to disaster areas and trouble spots to provide healthy meals to desperate people, and has already served more than 1 million meals in Ukraine and in neighboring countries that are welcoming its refugees.
I ran the first group of photos from the event in yesterday’s Local Food Forum, and the second round is below. Click the button below to make a donation to World Central Kitchen.
