North by Northcenter: A First Market Visit
Plus, next stop is butterfly, and some other local food news
Something Amazing is Happening in There
The other day I published a photo shared by gardener friend Gerry Williamson of a butterfly caterpillar curling into position to create its chrysalis, the capsule in which it would morph into a Monarch butterfly. And here is what that chrysalis looks like.
There are things in nature that just kind of blow your mind.
First Visit to a Quintessential Neighborhood Market
I’ve been keeping my promise to get to some of our local farmers market that I haven’t visited before. Today (June 10) I checked the Northcenter Farmers Market off my list.
This Saturday market is located at 4100 N. Damen Ave. a block north of where Irving Park Rd., Damen and Lincoln Ave. intersect, and in a small park adjacent to a CVS. As I walked up Damen I heard a saxophone wailing and followed the sound to what could be seen as the very model of a small neighborhood market.
There were just more than a dozen vendors’ tents, with sellers of prepared foods (baked goods, cheese, tamales) outnumbering the produce and meat sellers. The trio led by the sax played in a modern-designed gazebo near the Damen entrance to the market. There are plenty of benches to take in the relaxed scene.
This is much more of a community market than a destination market, but if you’re in the area between. 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. on a Saturday, pop in grab a tamale or a scone or some seasonal fruit, and enjoy the laid-back atmosphere.
My small market haul: Potatoes and strawberries from Bailey Farm to Home (Coloma, Michigan), 4-year-old cheddar from Stamper Cheese (Chicago) and sesame bagels from Irene’s Finer Diner, a breakfast and lunch place located a short walk away on Irving Park Rd.
I Can’t Be Everywhere — Please Share Photos
Ravinia Farmers Market is located at the south end of the suburban North Shore city of Highland Park. I’ve only been there once, last July, and hope to visit again this summer. In the meantime, my friend Ben Harrison — CEO/owner of Fresh Picks, the local food delivery company based in Niles, Illinois that was tabling at the market — shared these photos of the season-opening Ravinia Farmers Market last Wednesday (June 7).
Here’s Peggy Malecki, publisher of Natural Awakenings Chicago Magazine and marketing consultant for Ravinia Farmers Market. The musical clef on the market’s logo signifies its proximity to Ravinia Festival, a popular summer outdoor concert venue.
Here’s Fresh Picks’ tent. If you want to learn more about their service — and their new Pasture Picks meat subscription program — click here to check out an article on Local Food Forum.
Asparagus standing like sheaves of wheat at the stand of Klug Orchards (Berrien Springs, Michigan).
Now here comes the crowd-sourcing appeal. No matter how hard I try to make the rounds, there are just too many markets and too little me to get to more than a handful a week and maybe two dozen or so across the outdoor season.
So please, be like Ben, send photos of the local markets you frequent, and I will post them. Then, if you’re not already, you can list “published photographer” on your LinkedIn profile. Send your photos to bob@localfoodforum.com.
Why Not, Doc?
An update on the Hawthorne Terrace rabbits because, why not? They have a nice lifestyle. Sit in the warm sun, nibbling on grass. Not a lot of natural predators in our Lakeview neighborhood. I’ve had ways worse jobs than that.