Spear-heading Spring
Welcoming the year's first asparagus... plus, meet our webinar farmer panelists
My Fingers Froze, But It’s Officially Spring
I have a tradition that goes back to shortly after we moved to Chicago and local food became my second career and my obsession. I take a photo of the first asparagus of the season at the stand of Mick Klug Farms (St. Joseph, Michigan) at Chicago’s Green City Market, then I buy some, kicking off a non-stop asparagus binge that will last — if the asparagus gods smile on us — for a month and maybe more.
But wait, there’s more. My friends at Ellis Family Farms (Benton Harbor, Michigan) also busted their asparagus out. This provided the lovely still life of transitional local food seasons: The asparagus sits amidst Ellis’ still-plentiful storage apples from last fall’s harvest.
The aisles at Green City weren’t as crowded as I experienced the first two Saturdays of their outdoor season, but there are two good explanations for this. First, I got there just as the market opened at 7 a.m. (the siren song of the first asparagus is strong). Second, after a series of pleasant spring days, the temperatures dipped into the 30s, though a high near 50 is expected.
You never bet too much money on an advance weather forecast in Chicago, but as of now, the forecast for next Saturday is back in the mid-60s.
BTW, if you are reading this Saturday morning, Green City Market in Lincoln Park is open until 1 p.m.
And… my April 20 market haul. From left, a black rye (read pumpernickel) from Dorothy’s Bistro (Chicago), spinach from Nichols Farm and Orchard (Marengo, Illinois); lettuces from Wholesome Harvest (Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin) and Flatwater Farms (Buchanan, Michigan); green and purple asparagus from Mick Klug Farms; also the ramps in the back row; cremini mushrooms from River Valley Ranch (Burlington, Wisconsin); chicken breasts from Jake’s Country Meats (Cassopolis, Michigan); quite possibly the biggest French breakfast radishes I’ve ever seen, from Kajers Greens (North Judson, Indiana); baby kale from Jacobson Family Farms (Antioch, Illinois); and honeycrisp apples from Ellis Family Farms.
Meet the Farmers of Our April 29 Webinar
Meet Alex Finn of Finn’s Ranch (Buchanan, Michigan) and Kyle Jacobson of Jacobson Family Farms. What do they have in common (besides being among my favorite farmers)? Both will be taking part as panelists in Local Food Forum’s “Better” Dialogues’ April 29 webinar.
The webinar is titled Outdoor Farmers Market Season Kickoff: Why You Should Go. And Alex and Kyle will be talking about more than the delicious local food they produce and sell.
Building community is an important priority in the local food ecosystem, and Alex will discuss how that community rallied around her and her family in 2022 when their farm was hit with a devastating fire.
Kyle is an innovator in regenerative production of both produce and livestock, and he will extend upon the topic of regenerative agriculture that was featured in Episode 1 of “Better” Dialogues on April 15.
The farmers market webinar on Monday, April 29 begins at 7 p.m. central time. We will announce our full lineup of great guests early next week. Registration is open and we urge you to sign up early, because you don’t want to miss this.