NFriday wrote: I do not know if any of the city sponsored markets in Chicago accept the LINK card.

Actually most do.

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/farmers-markets/
http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=44172

The double value deal using the card is good at all of the officially sponsored city markets as well.

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/provdrs/markets_and_neighborhoodprograms/news/2011/aug/link_purchases_doubleatchicagofarmersmarkets.html

Hi- I got confused because the DHS list does not include any of the downtown Chicago markets on its list of markets accepting the LINK card. I know until a few years ago, none of the city sponsored markets accepted the LINK card. It looks like they will only double the first ten dollars you spend there anyway. I tried to find out about the Waukegan market, and all I saw was a facebook page, which has not been updated since 2011. Apparently the farmer's market there is operated on Wednesdays by a church.

Hi- I just did some further research, and Waukegan does accept the LINK card.

I think that DHS link is out of date. I was at the Wicker Park market Sunday and the Link Card booth was there, ready to serve!

I thought I saw that market on the DHS site --if you scroll down, I'm pretty sure it's there.

boudreaulicious wrote:I thought I saw that market on the DHS site --if you scroll down, I'm pretty sure it's there.

Which one? I can't find Waukegan, Wicker Park or North Chicago on the DHS site.
The CBS one does list that Wicker Park takes Link (and it also lists the 3 downtown markets taking Link)

Hi Leek- I think she is referring to the Wicker Park one. The DHS site is really outdated. I still think that there are a few city sponsored markets that do not accept the LINK card, but the situation is a lot better than it was 10 years ago when none of them accepted it, and none of the farmers wanted to sell at the food desert farmer's markets, because they were doing good if they had $100 in sales for that day, and there is no way you can make any money driving from Michigan if all you take in is $100 for the day.

If the food desert farmer's markets take the LINK card, and make people aware that they do, then they should do enough business to make it worth their while. It helps too if they sell stuff that people will buy. Collards are going to be a lot bigger seller in those neighborhoods than shallots or shitake mushrooms. It helps if you give cooking demonstrations too, with free samples, and copies of the recipes. The number one complain I have had when I have tried to give away veggies from my garden is I don't know what to do with it. I've found out that salad items such as lettuce, and tomatoes, I have no problems getting rid of, but zucchini is a different story. Hope this helps, Nancy

I was pretty sure when I wrote that that North Chicago does indeed have a farmer's market. According to The Local Beet's web page, last year at least, North Chicago had a farmer's market at 1215 N. Green Bay Road, Wednesdays and Saturdays, 9-1. It didn't get going until mid July, though.

While the indoor farmer's markets sponsored by a group called Faith in Place won't start up again until next January, this seemed like a good spot to post about them. They partner with churches across the city and a few suburbs and the markets accept the LINK cards. I believe I read there will be six sites in 2014. I went to one held in Park Ridge about 18 months ago, I think, and there was a good variety of items and vendors. Obviously not a lot of fresh vegetables at that time of year, though!

http://www.faithinplace.org

Hi- I am on Faith in Place's email list. I went to a farmer's market they did in Andersonville a few years ago. They put on more than six markets every winter. All the markets are held in various churches in both the city and the suburbs, and the farmer's have to donate a certain percentage of the money they take in back to faith in place, which uses the money for their various programs. They have an office somewhere in the loop, and they put on at least one farmer's market most weeks during the winter. Hope this helps, Nancy

NFriday wrote:Hi- I am on Faith in Place's email list. I went to a farmer's market they did in Andersonville a few years ago. They put on more than six markets every winter. All the markets are held in various churches in both the city and the suburbs, and the farmer's have to donate a certain percentage of the money they take in back to faith in place, which uses the money for their various programs. They have an office somewhere in the loop, and they put on at least one farmer's market most weeks during the winter. Hope this helps, Nancy

Nancy,

In their most-recent newsletter, Faith in Place said they would only hold six markets in 2014, down from a dozen or so. There really wasn't any explanation given.

Hi- Thanks for the info. I get their newsletters all the time, but I just glance over them, since Evanston now has a winter market. I don't know if Robyn is as involved in the indoor markets as she used to be.

NFriday wrote:Hi- Thanks for the info. I get their newsletters all the time, but I just glance over them, since Evanston now has a winter market. I don't know if Robyn is as involved in the indoor markets as she used to be.

Sure; all I know about the group is what I read in the newsletter -- I am not involved in any way beyond attending one of the markets. I think it is a great idea; I would be curious about the reason for the reduction in number.