Farmers' Market Report--May 11th

As I understand it, there's no guarantee that the produce in the Forest Park Farmers' Market (at Madison and Circle) is locally grown. Nonetheless, venders put the location of their farm on their signs and some clearly identify where the produce is from.

I bought Illinois strawberries (terrific for so early in the season), Wisconsin asparagus (a bargain at $1.50 for a good-sized bunch), spinach, and rhubarb. There were lots of other things, including three varieties of ping pong ball- sized potatoes, that looked good as well. (I'm terrible with these nouns as adjectives--where should I be putting those dashes?).

This is why we're doing Mothers' Day at our house!

Ann Fisher wrote:As I understand it, there's no guarantee that the produce in the Forest Park Farmers' Market (at Madison and Circle) is locally grown. Nonetheless, venders put the location of their farm on their signs and some clearly identify where the produce is from.

I bought Illinois strawberries (terrific for so early in the season), Wisconsin asparagus (a bargain at $1.50 for a good-sized bunch), spinach, and rhubarb.

<sigh> I've been to the Nettlehorst market for the last two weekend--but skipped today. Each time I paid $3 (or 2 for $5) for an average sized bunch of pencil thin asparagus from Southern Illinios. It's delicious, but I'm much rather pay half the price!

Ann, you say Wisconsin asparagus. When I checked out the the Forest Park French Market a week ago, there was two produce vendors. One was Hardin Farms of Michigan, with dried fruit and walnuts, the other was a place, Gellis Farms, I believe, with produce from farms in Southern and Northern Illinois. Was there a third produce vendor there yesterday?

This market is surely not what one would call classic, but it's still fun and worth attending. Also, given that there is much already growing, it's a shame that more markets are not open yet.

There was. Someone from Eau Claire. Limited selection. I don't remember anything but asparagus, but he may have had one or two other items. The asparagus were perfect and, as noted, a bargain.

I'd forgotten that I'd also bought some of the cracked black walnuts (a pint? bag for $3). They still seemed to be demanding a lot of work, however, so I sent them home with Ed and Beth with the suggestion that they make black walnut ice cream. The chocolate ice cream they brought for Mothers' Day (along with, bless their hearts, a full sampler assortment from Calumet Fisheries) was divine.

Cook County Farmstands Directory

Cook County boasts of some of the best “farm direct” markets found anywhere. From flowers and bedding plants to vegetables and specialty crops, pumpkins to Christmas trees, you can access quality products and experience great farm flavor by shopping locally.
http://www.cookcfb.com/farmstands.html

This is the guy from Eau Claire with the last of his beautiful basil plants. Also lavender plants, asparagus, rutabaga, dill, parsley, and dried blueberries and cherries.


And I see he's from Eau Claire Mich, not Eau Claire Wis