Subscriber Says Deerfield Market Does It Right
Market photos from the 'burbs, and a couple of events you'll want to attend
North Suburban Shopping Fun
Kim Feil is chief marketing and strategy officer for Aspire Healthy Energy Drinks based in the north Chicago suburb of Deerfield. She is also a Local Food Forum subscriber, and she shops at the Deerfield Farmers Market. From the market haul photo she shared, it appears she and I have very similar tastes.
Says Kim, “We got a great haul Saturday, especially from Skibbe Farms and J Summer Produce. Made some great ratatouille with the veggies and herbs from my garden!”
Here are some more photos from her market visit. Love your local market? Puh-leeze, send me photos and I will glorify them (and you) in Local Food Forum.
Evolved Network’s Delicious Fundraisers Return
The Evolved Network is a Chicago non-profit that works with young people from under-resourced communities to provide education and support through farm-to-table experiences. Founder and chef Sebastian White currently provides cooking lessons for students in several Chicago schools. His ultimate goal is to build out a restaurant and urban farm that will provide young participants with job, business and growing skills while providing therapeutical assistance for those who need it.
From last October through this spring, Sebastian collaborated with leading chefs around our area to stage sumptuous dinners for a good cause. And after a brief summer break, The Evolved Network series is resuming on Thursday, September 21 with an event in which Sebastian teams up with personal chef Candice Howarth of Bridges & Space and The Self-Employed Collective.
Here’s how Sebastian describes the event. There’s a link to buy tickets below.
About 4 weeks ago, Candice and I were connected by Tracy Rhodes with The Paramount Group. We later met at eden [restaurant] to learn about each other’s work, and we instantly connected around the all-encompassing power and beauty of food.
We both deeply believe in the healing and transformative power of food and the connection and community it creates. It is from this space that we knew a collaboration was necessary. Candice eagerly sought to support The Evolved Network and graciously offered her event space for an opportunity to connect more people with our mission. I could not fully accept without also giving her the spotlight she deserves and as such I am so excited to partner with her on this opportunity to show the connecting power of food.
Come out! Eat some incredible food prepared by two Chicago chefs, have a couple drinks, and support our cause, while meeting other local businesses and community members.
WHEN: September 21
TIME: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
WHERE: @BRIDGESANDSPACE
NEIGHBORHOOD: Logan Square/Hermosa
address will be sent with ticket purchase
Save the Date for Young Farmers’ Farm-ily Reunion
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the average of farmers in the United States is just a few years younger than me. I’m not at all comfortable with that. We need an infusion of younger farmers to ensure the sustainability of our food supply, which is why I’m always happy to support and promote organizations such as the Northern Illinois Young Farmers Coalition (NIYFC).
So please save the dates of October 1 and 2 for NIYFC’s Midwestern Farm-ily Reunion at Piscasaw Gardens in Harvard, Illinois to celebrate the 2023 season with friends, neighbors and fellow farmers.
Local Food Forum will provide a heads-up when tickets go on sale. For now, here is how NIYFC describes the event.
One of our core goals is to build community amongst farmers in northern Illinois, from Chicago to the suburbs to all the rural corners. Thus, we are hosting our Midwestern Farm-ily Reunion for the second year in a row! This event will serve as a way for all farmers and their communities to gather and take a collective deep breath as we close out the 2023 growing season. You can expect an abundance of local eats, farm olympics, live music by Family Junket, and camping.
So SAVE THE DATE, gather your people, and spread the word! Keep an eye on our Instagram and listserv to be alerted when ticket sales go live. We hope you’ll be able to join us. We’re looking forward to having an amazing time together.
Additional thoughts & information -
Farmers rarely get a seat at the highly acclaimed farm-to-table dinner because of price, time of season, and most typically farmer exhaustion. This inspired us to create an event for farmers by farmers. Our focus is to make this event affordable, accessible, and attendable. We’re aiming to achieve this through a sliding scale ticket structure, a location that is close to the Metra, travel stipends for BIPOC attendees, and hosting the event on a Sunday for those who have Saturday farmer’s markets. Please pass any other suggestion to improve the event our way!
And if you would like to be a part of the event, whether through joining our planning committee, selling us produce/meats/grain/beverages, or sponsorship, please respond directly to niyf@googlegroups.com.
Date: October 1-2 (Sunday-Monday)
Location: Piscasaw Gardens, 9306 Lawrence Road, Harvard IL
"Our mission is to cultivate bonds of community through the abundance of farming and farm life. The beauty and nutritive quality of our products serve as a hub of interconnectedness with our neighbors, clients, employees, and families."
And in case you don’t know us…
The Northern Illinois chapter of National Young Farmers Coalition aims to strengthen the vibrant community of farmers throughout urban, suburban, and rural northern Illinois. Today, our chapter serves farmers by working in the areas of education, policy, and community building. We do this through organizing events, training farmer leaders to advocate in their communities, and providing inclusive spaces where farmers are invited to gather. We are dedicated to changing the current landscape of agrarian work, and at the heart of our mission is advocating for policy that promotes equity for BIPOC farmers. In 2023, we are increasing our commitment to issues of land access and farmer well being.