Let the Market Opening Boom Begin
This week's schedule, plus where the heck are my goslings?
Who’s Got Geese?
One of the true joys of living in Lakeview is communing with the baby geese and ducks each spring at the North Pond bird sanctuary in Lincoln Park. I hadn’t gotten down there because of workload and weather, so I took advantage of a beautiful Sunday to visit.
I did happen upon the two little beauties in the photo, but… they were the only goslings I saw. This is profoundly weird. By this time in a normal May there are dozens, from just hatched to fledging. Where’d my geese go?
Maybe the unusually cold early spring, which extended into the beginning of May and is still popping up, has something to do with it. North Pond is undergoing a major dredging and rehabilitation project this year, and maybe the clearing of some of the vegetation and the presence of massive machinery has prompted the geese to nest elsewhere.
In any case, if you are seeing plenty of baby geese around you, please let me know. It would set my mind at ease.
This Week’s Chicago Region Market Schedule
We are rounding May out in the Chicago region with six farmers market openings (they are asterisked in the schedule below). But take a look at the coming attractions at the end: The surge is about to start, with 27 openings counted between Wednesday, June 1 and the following Sunday.
More and more opportunities for us to get out and support our local farmers by buying their super-fresh, delicious, healthy and sustainably produced food. Have a great week, and please send some market photos to bob@localfoodforum.com. There’s only one of me and there’s a lot of you, so I’d welcome your help in showing off some of the markets I can’t get to.
(* =Season openings)
Tuesday, May 24
Lincoln Square Tuesday Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to noon, Lincoln & Leland, Chicago
Woodstock Tuesday Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m, Historic Woodstock Square
Wednesday, May 25
Andersonville Farmers Market, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., 1500 W. Catalpa Ave., Chicago
Green City Wednesday Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1817 N. Clark, Chicago
Uptown Farmers Market, 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., 4620 N. Broadway, Chicago
Thursday, May 26
Daley Plaza Chicago City Market, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., 50 W. Washington St., Chicago
Growing Home Farm Stand, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., 1844 W. 59th St., Chicago
La Grange Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 53 S. La Grange Rd.
Lincoln Square Thursday Market, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., Lincoln & Leland, Chicago
Friday, May 27
Back of the Yards Farmers Market, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m, 940 W. 50th Pl., Chicago
Saturday, May 28
Batavia Indoor Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to noon, 160 First St.
Division Street Chicago City Market, 7 a.m. to noon, Chicago
Downers Grove Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 5001 Main St.
Downtown Evanston Farmers Market, 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m, University Place and Oak Ave.
Grayslake Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 201 Center St.
Green City Market Lincoln Park, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1817 N. Clark, Chicago
Green City Market West Loop, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., 115 S. Sangamon St.
Homewood Farmers Market*, 8 a.m to 1 p.m., Martin Ave. betw .Ridge & Chestnut
Huntley Farmers Market*, 11704 Coral St., 8 a.m to 1 p.m.
Kankakee Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon, S. Schuyler and Merchant
Oak Park Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m, 460 Lake St.
Park Forest Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to noon, 152 Main St.
Palatine Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 137 W. Wood St.
Park Ridge Farmers Market*, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 15 Prairie Ave.
61st Street Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., 6100 S. Blackstone Ave., Chicago
South Loop Farmers Market )Printers Row*, 632 S. Dearborn St., 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Lincoln Park Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2001 N. Orchard, Chicago
Woodstock Saturday Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m, Historic Woodstock Square
Sunday, May 29
Logan Square Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., 3107 W. Logan Blvd., Chicago
Pilsen Community Market*, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., 1811-25 S. Blue Island Ave., Chicago
95th St. Farmers Market, 8 a.m to 1 p.m., 1835 W. 95th St., Chicago
South Loop Indoor Market, L&A Healing Studio, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2018 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago
The Dole Farmers Market*, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 401 Country Club Rd.
Wicker Park Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., 1425 N. Damen Ave., Chicago
Coming Up Next Week
Wednesday, June 1: Elmhurst Farmers Market; Garfield Ridge (Chicago) Farmers Market; Ravinia (Highland Park) Farmers Market; Riverside Farmers Market
Thursday, June 2: South Loop Farmers Market Grant Park (Chicago); AMITA St. Mary and Elizabeth West Town Health Farmers Market (Chicago); Glencoe Farmers Market; Libertyville Farmers Market; PCC Austin Farmers Market
Friday, June 3: Lake Bluff Farmers Market; Lake Zurich Farmers Market; Schaumburg Farmers Market
Saturday, June 4: Aurora Downtown Farmers Market; Elk Grove Farmers Market; Horner Park (Chicago) Farmers Market; Mercado de Colores (Chicago); Naperville Farmers Market; Northcenter (Chicago) Farmers Market; South Chicago Farmers Market; Streator Farmers Market; West Humboldt Park Chicago City Market; Winnetka Farmers Market
Sunday, June 5: Glenwood (Chicago) Sunday Market; Hyde Park (Chicago) Farmers Market; Mount Prospect Lions Club Farmers Market; Portage Park (Chicago) Farmers Market; Skokie Farmers Market
As always, if I’ve missed anyone, please let me know at bob@localfoodforum.com.
More Dogs of Logan Square
The main reason to go to farmers markets is food, of course. But if you’re a dog person, markets are popular places to bring your pups. Here’s are some more from my Sunday visit to Logan Square Farmers Market. (There’s lots more about Logan in yesterday’s newsletter).
More dogs, please!