Nice Save, Mother Nature
The weather for most of the day on Saturday was pretty blah… Cloudy with persistent rain showers. But then, toward sundown, the clouds parted enough to provide this gorgeous sky show. The rainbow was not only vivid but one of the longest lasting we’ve enjoyed. There’s just a hint of a double rainbow at the right of the photo.
And another angle…
Peak Summer with Hints of Fall
There is a very good reason why National Farmers Market Week is celebrated in this, the first full week of August: It is peak summer growing season, and the tents and tables at your local market are overflowing with all of the season’s bounty.
There is always overlap from one season to the next, though, and thanks to the summer apple varieties produced by Nichols Farm and Orchard (Marengo, Illinois), there is a sneak preview of autumn’s main apple season still a ways off on the horizon.
My modest Green City Market haul included (from left) regular peaches, Saturn peaches and blackberries from Mick Klug Farm (St. Joseph, Michigan); heirloom tomatoes and SunGold cherry tomatoes from Froggy Meadow Farm (Beloit, Wisconsin); carrots from Growing Home (Chicago); lemon balm (which I use for herbal tea) from Smits Farms (Chicago Heights, Illinois); and Discovery apples and bell peppers from Nichols.
Meanwhile, in Evanston…
My friend Jenny Yang shared this photo of her Phoenix Bean Tofu being used by Chef Brian Huston during a cooking demo at Downtown Evanston Farmers Market on Saturday. Please send your photos of your farmers market experiences to Local Food Forum and they will be published.
Reminder: Ravinia Market’s 45th Anniversary This Wednesday
It is not only National Farmers Market Week, but also the week on which Ravinia Farmers Market in north suburban Highland Park — one of our region’s longest-running markets — is celebrating its 45th anniversary.
The event takes place this Wednesday (August 9). It kicks off in Jens Jensen Park with the regular Wednesday market hours of 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Musical entertainment will overlap with the last two hours of the market.
Then the Taste of Ravinia celebration commences at 2 p.m. at the market site and adjacent Dean Ave. with more music, Irish dancing, axe throwing and more. And food, of course, with Ravinia District restaurants offering menu items made with fresh ingredients from the Market.
Ravinia Farmers Market is easy to get to by car, and the Ravinia station for the Metra commuter trains (which is how I plan to travel to the event) is a short block from Jens Jensen Park. I’ll be there for part of the day… look for the old hippie-looking guy taking lots of photos.
This Week’s Regional Farmers Market Schedule
Reminder: National Farmers Market Week, an annual celebration of farmers markets’ contributions to our communities, continues through Saturday (Illinois Farmers Market Association orchestrates the celebration for markets in our state). If you’re not a farmers market regular, it’s peak growing season, so it’s the best time to check it out. If you are a regular, invite friends who aren’t to join you on your local food adventures
Monday, August 7
Edgewater Farmers Market, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., 5917 N. Broadway, Chicago
Hinsdale Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 30 E. Chicago Ave.
Tuesday, August 8
Fox Lane Farmers Market, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., 17 E. School Ct.
Gary Comer Youth Center Farmers Market, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., 7230 S. South Chicago Ave., Chicago
Lincoln Square Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 12 p.m., Lincoln & Leland Aves., Chicago
Lombard Farmers Market, 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., 20 E. St. Charles Rd.
Low-Line Market, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., 3411 N. Southport St., Chicago
SOAR Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., 226 E. Chicago Ave.
Sycamore Farmers Market, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., 133 W. State St.
The Farmer at the Green, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., 320 S. Canal St., Chicago
Woodstock Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Historic Woodstock Square
Wednesday, August 9
Andersonville Farmers Market, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., 1500 W. Catalpa Ave., Chicago
Elmhurst Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., York Road and Valette
Grayslake Farmers Market, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., 201 Center St.
Green City Wednesday Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1817 N. Clark St., Lincoln Park, Chicago
Midway Chamber's Garfield Ridge Farmers Market, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., 6072 S. Archer
Northbrook Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Cherry Lane & Meadow Rd.
Palos Heights Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., 12217 S. Harlem Ave.
Pullman City Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 11100 S. Cottage Grove Ave., Chicago
Ravenswood Farmers Market, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., 4900 N. Damen Ave., Chicago
Ravinia Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Jens Jensen Park
Riverside Farmers Market, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., Riverside Water Tower
South Chicago Wednesday Farm Stand, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., 9000 S. Mackinaw
Uptown Farmers Market, 2:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Sunnyside Mall (betw. Magnolia & Beacon), Chicago
Waukegan Farmers Market, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., 55 N. Harbor Place
Thursday, August 10
Austin Town Hall City Market, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., 5610 W. Lake St.
College of Lake County Farm Market, 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., 19351 W. Washington, Grayslake
Daley Plaza City Market, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., 50 W. Washington St., Chicago
Growing Home Englewood Farm Stand, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., 1844 W. 59th St., Chicago
LaGrange Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 53 S. LaGrange Rd.
Libertyville Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Cook Memorial Park
Lincoln Square Thursday Farmers Market, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., Lincoln & Leland Aves., Chicago
PCC Austin Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., 330 N. Lotus Ave., Chicago
South Chicago Thursday Farm Stand, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., 9000 S. Mackinaw
South Loop Farmers Market Grant Park, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., 1201 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago
The Gathering Farmers Market at Tulip Tree Gardens, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., 1236 E. Eagle Lake Rd., Beecher
Friday, August 11
Gary Comer Youth Center Farmers Market, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., 7230 S. South Chicago Ave., Chicago
Lake Bluff Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 12 p.m., Sheridan Rd. & E. Scranton Ave.
Lake Zurich Farmers Market, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., 200 S. Rand Rd.
North Point Marina Farmers Market, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., 701 North Point Dr. Winthrop Harbor
Olde Schaumburg Center Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 190 S. Roselle Road
Olive-Harvey College’s Farmers Market, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., 10001 S. Woodlawn Ave., Chicago
St. Charles Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Baker Memorial Church, 307 Cedar Ave.
The Market by the River, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., 333 W. Wolf Point Plaza, Chicago
Saturday, August 12
Aurora Farmers Market Downtown, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., 65 Water St.
Batavia Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., N. River St. betw. Willow and Spring
Brookfield Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., 8820 Brookfield Ave.
Crystal Lake Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Depot Park
Deerfield Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Park Avenue between Jewett Park & Hazel
Division Street City Market, 7 a.m. to 12 p.m., 100 W. Division St., Chicago
Downers Grove Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Main St. Train Station
Downtown Evanston Farmers Market, 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., University Place and Oak Ave.
Edgebrook Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 6525-6540 N. Hiawatha Ave., Chicago
Elk Grove Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., 901 Wellington Ave.
Englewood Village Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 58th and Halsted Sts., Chicago
Garfield Park Neighborhood Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 135 N. Kedzie, Chicago
Glenview Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., 1510 Wagner Rd.
Green City Market Lincoln Park, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1817 N. Clark St., Lincoln Park, Chicago
Green City Market West Loop, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Mary Bartelme Park, 115\ S. Sangamon St.
Homewood Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Martin Square
Horner Park Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2741 W. Montrose Ave., Chicago
Huntley Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Town Square
Kankakee Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., S. Schuyler Ave. & Merchant St.
Mercado de Colores, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., 4345 W. 26th St.
Mundelein Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Park St.
Naperville Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 12 p.m., 200 E. 5th Ave.
Northcenter Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., 4100 Damen Ave.
Oak Park Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 460 Lake Ave.
Park Forest Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 12 p.m., 152 Main St.
Park Ridge Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 15 Prairie Ave.
Palatine Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Palatine Train Station
Park City Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 333 Teske Blvd
Plant Chicago Mini-Market, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., 4459 S. Marshfield Ave., Chicago*
61st Street Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., 6100 S. Blackstone Ave., Chicago
South Chicago Farmstand, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., 9000 S. Mackinaw, Chicago
Streator Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Streator City Park
The Lincoln Park Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2001 N. Orchard, Chicago
Tinley Park Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 17375 S. Oak Park Ave.
West Humboldt Park City Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 3601 W. Chicago Ave.
Winnetka Farmers Market, 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 510 Green Bay Rd.
Woodstock Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Historic Woodstock Square
*Plant Chicago holds a full-scale market in Davis Square Park every 3rd Saturday of the month and mini-markets on other Saturdays. In other weeks, Plant Chicago holds a mini-market at 4459 S. Marshfield Ave. in Chicago. The next full market will be held on Aug. 19.
Those peaches must be coming soon. We've had them here for two or three weeks. I know what you're saying about the peak season load. I've taken to using a rolling backpack, which is better than my old system, which was to stop shopping just before my bags were too heavy to lift. I also work with farms that deliver some of the heaviest stuff (meat, corn, melons) directly to home.
I need to get back up there soon because it has been a while. I visited Dane County Farmers Market probably 10 years ago and got to scratch it off my bucket list.
Just staggered home with corn, potatoes, zucchini, and more from my closest market in Madison, WI. I know it's peak season when I wish I'd not shopped alone! Peaches in Chicago, though? Didn't see those here!