Star Farm Fresh Market Takes Step 1 of 2
Plus some important articles from Natural Awakenings Chicago magazine
Star Farm Chicago — the urban agriculture and landscaping non-profit working to bring healthy food, jobs and opportunity to South Side Chicago’s under-resourced Back of the Yards community — is working to build out a long-desired Fresh Market store in the 5200 block of S. Ashland Ave.
The full-time store is a work in progress, but the summer growing season is in full swing, so Star Farm last Friday launched a series of Friday pop-ups at a storefront right next door at 5254 S. Ashland Ave. Most of the activity took place under a tent on the sidewalk immediately in front of the storefront (see photo above).
These pop-ups, which will take place on Fridays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. through October 27, feature giveaways of beautiful fresh produce, and on opening Friday there were also free tamales, yogurt parfaits, salads and other items. The idea is to better introduce local residents to Star Farm Chicago and prepare them for the eventual opening of the full-time market that will be located in the brown building seen in the foreground of the photo above.
Stephanie Dunn (photo left) is founder and executive director of Star Farm Chicago; Rocio Vargas (right) is the organization’s CSA and market manager.
Star Farm Chicago grows produce on small lots in locations around the Back of the Yards neighborhood, including its headquarters location at 934 W. 50th Place. Its most recently opened location is Stockyards Gardens at 5316 S. Carpenter St. (Back of the Yards got its name from its proximity to the Union Stockyards and giant industrial meat-packing plants that dominated this part of Chicago from the mid-19th century until their closure in 1971.)
Soil Health is Featured Issue in July Natural Awakenings
Last week I shared a link to an article I wrote for Natural Awakenings Chicago about six neighborhood farmers markets with a range of personalities. Today I’m happy to share links to three important articles from the magazine about regenerative growing and soil health.
Fighting Climate Change in the Garden
The Microbiome Connection: How Soil and Human Health are Related
Anne Biklé on The Nexus Between Soil and Human Health
https://www.nachicago.com/2023/06/30/438362/anne-bikl-on-the-nexus-between-soil-and-human-health