Up on the Farms
Photos from a road trip to two growers in Illinois' true north, plus the weekend sked
How About Them Apples?
I haven’t gotten out of the city too often since the pandemic started, so I’m taking advantage of a relative workflow lull to take a couple of field trips. The first one was Thursday, and it started with a visit to Curran’s Orchard on the west side of Rockford, about 90 miles northwest of where we live in Chicago.
Curran’s goes big time on agritourism in the fall, and my purpose was to interview owner Pat Curran on that topic for my next article on the Buy Fresh Buy Local Illinois website. I had a great time talking with him, but I can’t give away too much in advance of the article being published.
What I can tell you is that Pat told me that this is his best apple season in five years. The photo above of one of his trees suggests he is not exaggerating. The farm does minimal spraying, using far less chemicals than many apple orchards.
Speaking of Buy Fresh Buy Local Illinois… on my way back east, I stopped by Broadview Farm and Gardens in Marengo, which was the subject of my second story for the site, back in Feburary, which focused on community supported agriculture (CSA).
Owners Tim and Delicia Brown feature a “Salad Bowl CSA” and their farm focuses heavily on salad ingredients, such as the tomatoes above. The farm is Certified Naturally Grown.
You know how I said I can never visit a farmers market without buying stuff? The same is true of farm stands.
On the left are veggies I bought from Broadview: Same-day-picked lettuce, bright-red radishes (with their greens); garlic; tomatoes; green bell peppers; and shishito peppers.
On the right… well, Curran’s Orchard caters to an agritourist trade, and I knew Barb wouldn’t forgive me if she heard there were apple donuts that I didn’t bring home. I decided to throw in a small apple pie, and a half-peck of Zestar apples.
Scroll down for more Broadview Farm photos. But first, here’s this weekend’s Chicago region farmers market schedule.
This Weekend’s Chicago Region Market Schedule
Friday, August 26
Back of the Yards Farmers Market, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m, 940 W. 50th Pl., Chicago
Lake Bluff Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to noon, Village Green
Lake Zurich Farmers Market, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., 200 S. Rand Rd.
Marshall Farmers Market, 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Courthouse Square
Mundelein Farmers Market, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., Park St.
St. Charles Indoor Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to noon, Baker Memorial Church
Schaumburg Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 190 S. Roselle Rd.
Saturday, August 27
Aurora Downtown Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon, Water St. Square
Batavia Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon, N. River St. betw. Wilson and Spring
Brookfield Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., 8820 Brookfield Ave.
Crystal Lake Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Depot Park
Deerfield Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Park Ave. betw. Jewett Park & Hazel
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.
Edgebrook Farmers Market*, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Central & Hiawatha, Chicago
Elk Grove Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., 901 Wellington Ave.
Englewood Village Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 58th and Halsted, Chicago
Garfield Park Neighborhood Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 135 N. Kedzie, Chicago
Glenview Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon, 1510 Wagner Rd.
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.
Homewood Farmers Market, 8 a.m to 1 p.m., Martin Ave. betw .Ridge & Chestnut
Horner Park Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2741 W. Montrose Ave., Chicago
Huntley Farmers Market, 8 a.m to 1 p.m.,11704 Coral St.
Kankakee Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon, S. Schuyler and Merchant
Mercado de Colores, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., 4345 W. 26th St. Chicago
Naperville Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to noon, 200 E. 5th Ave.
Northcenter Farmers Market, 8 a.m to 1 p.m., 4101 N. Damen Ave., Chicago
Oak Park Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m, 460 Lake St.
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.
Park Ridge Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 15 Prairie Ave.
Plant Chicago Farmers Market, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Davis Square Park
61st Street Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., 6100 S. Blackstone Ave., Chicago
South Chicago Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., 9000 S. Mackinaw, Chicago
South Loop Farmers Market Printers Row, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 632 S. Dearborn St., Chicago
Streator Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon, 200 N. Park St.
The Lincoln Park Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2001 N. Orchard, Chicago
West Humboldt Chicago City Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 3601 W. Chicago Ave.
Winnetka Farmers Market, 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 510 Green Bay Rd.
Woodstock Saturday Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m, Historic Woodstock Square
Sunday, August 28
Bronzeville Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 4700 S. King Dr., Chicago
Buffalo Grove Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 951 McHenry Rd.
Glenwood Sunday Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Glenwood Ave. betw. Morse & Lunt, Chicago
Hyde Park Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., 54th St. & Old Lake Park Ave. West, Chicago
Independence Park Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., W. Irving Park Rd. & Hamlin, Chicago
Jefferson Park Farmers Market, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., 4818 N. Long, Chicago
Logan Square Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., 3107 W. Logan Blvd., Chicago
Mount Prospect Lions Club Farmers Market, 8 a.m to 1 p.m., Northwest Hwy. & Main St.
North Park Community Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 5515 N. Kimball Ave., Chicago
Pilsen Community Market, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., 1811-25 S. Blue Island Ave., Chicago
Portage Park Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 4100 N. Long St., Chicago
95th St. Farmers Market, 8 a.m to 1 p.m., 1835 W. 95th St., Chicago
Roscoe Village Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon, 3149 N. Wolcott, Chicago
Skokie Farmers Market, 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 5127 Oakton St.
The Dole Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 401 Country Club Rd., Crystal Lake
Wicker Park Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., 1425 N. Damen Ave., Chicago
More Pretty Pix from Broadview Farm
