Square Up: Lotta Folks for Logan Opener
Attendance numbers are looking good at early season markets
Local Rules at Logan Square
Rewind two years. COVID had exploded as a major public health crisis. Many groceries were not allowing in-store shopping, there were long delays for home delivery, and a number of products had limited (or no) availability. Many people facing food insecurity for the first time in their lives turned to local farmers and farmers markets, which were only too happy to get food from farms to their tables.
Many farmers markets continued to enjoy an attendance uptick in 2021 even after society started to reopen. But with something resembling a new normal now in play, would this trend continue?
The early returns are in and it’s good news for local food fans. Green City Market enjoyed steady traffic on Saturdays after moving its starting date to April 2 from early May, with a burst of 9,000 attendees on April 23 , the one warm Saturday in an otherwise chilly month. Green City reports that its attendance this past Saturday (May 7) was 13,236.
Then yesterday (May 8), I visited Logan Square Farmers Market’s season opener and the place…was…packed (see photo above). The aisles between stands were filled with folks and some of the more popular vendors had lines wrapped around their tents.
Let’s keep it going and support our local farmers. The schedule for this week’s Chicago region markets is below, and a big temperature warmup means you can finally park your parka and shop til you drop for the latest spring crops hitting the market.
And I have a favor to ask: I will be visiting more markets in a week than most humans but there are dozens I won’t get to. If you help manage or work at a farmers market, or just have a favorite market you’d like to show off, PLEASE SEND PHOTOS to bob@localfoodforum.com. Photos will be attributed to sender.
More Logan Square market photos are below, including Dogs of the Farmers Market.
This Week’s Chicago Region Market Schedule
(* =Season openings)
Tuesday, May 10
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 11
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 12
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 13
Back of the Yards Farmers Market, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m, 940 W. 50th Pl., Chicago
Saturday, May 14
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.
Kankakee Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon, S. Schuyler and Merchant
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.
61st Street Farmers Market*, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., 6100 S. Blackstone Ave., Chicago
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 15
Logan Square Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., 3107 W. Logan Blvd., 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
Wicker Park Farmers Market*, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., 1425 N. Damen Ave., Chicago
Next week’s openings: Saturday, May 21: Oak Park Farmers Market; Sunday May 22, Northwest Side Farmers Market Collective (Chicago pop-up)
As always, if I’ve missed anyone, please let me know at bob@localfoodforum.com.
Goslings’ Arrival? Not Eggsactly Sure
It looks like the asparagus crop isn’t the only thing delayed by the unseasonably cool spring so far. I dropped by North Pond, the bird sanctuary in Lincoln Park, Saturday in hopes of seeing some fluffy goslings — after all, I’d had several Facebook reminders with baby goose photos in April. No such luck.
Maybe the much warmer weather forecast for this week will, um, goose the process. In the meantime, here’s a gorgeous wood duck to admire.
More from Logan Square
My Logan Square market haul Sunday included (from left) sourdough bread and a blueberry scone from Montelimar Bread (Evanston, Illinois); my first hothouse heirloom tomatoes of the season from Piedt Farms (Eau Claire, Michigan); cremini mushrooms from River Valley Ranch (Burlington, Wisconsin); extra-firm tofu and an Asian Smoke tofu salad from Phoenix Bean Tofu (Chicago); “Blank Slate” artisanal cheese from J2K Capraio (Walkerton, Indiana); and pork steaks and ground pork from Jake’s Country Meats (Cassopolis, Michigan).
The Illinois Farmers Market Association (ILFMA) totes joined the crowd on opening day at Logan Square Farmers Market.
Geneva Lakes Produce (Burlngton, Wisconsin and Kankakee, Illinois) and Iron Creek Organic Farm (La Porte, Indiana) stands.