Second Homecoming
Writing and advocating for a better food system is more than a second career for me. It’s a whole lifestyle thing. I’ve been a farmers market regular for a good part of my adult life, and since we moved to Chicago almost 13 years ago, I have developed friendships with a number of the local producer-vendors.
So I really missed going to our winter indoor markets during my three-week, COVID-prompted layoff, and it was great to break the slump with my Saturday morning visit to Green City Market’s indoor location in Chicago’s Avondale neighborhood.
Of course there’s less variety than during the peak outdoor season, but there’s still lots of nutritious food to be had. Over-wintered carrots, like these from Tomato Mountain (Brooklyn, Wisconsin) are in especially high supply.
This is also a good time of the year to try some new stuff. Windy City Mushroom is a rising local star with its focus on artisan mushroom varieties.
Finn’s Ranch (Buchanan, Michigan) has added to its lineup of frozen meats and fresh eggs with some yummy-looking prepared foods.
Here’s my first February market haul (from left): white mushrooms from River Valley Ranch (Burlington, Wisconsin); some of those Tomato Mountain carrots; three pounds of chicken breast and a pound of ground beef from Finn’s Ranch; and onions and sweet potatoes from Nichols Farm & Orchard (Marengo, Illinois).
Lincoln Square Markets Draws a New Lot
A long-awaited upgrade to the Chicago El’s Western Brown Line station in Lincoln Square is getting under way — and it will cause a temporary relocation of the Lincoln Square Farmers Market, from its traditional spot in the parking lot immediately adjacent to the station to other lot a couple of blocks south at 4513 N. Lincoln Ave.
The lot, located between Wilson and Sunnyside avenues, is just south of the Old Town School of Folk Music and several popular restaurants.
The market opens for the outdoor season in its new space on Thursday, May 2 and has its first Tuesday session on May 7.