Spring is here, and the Farmers Market in Federal Plaza opened today. I took a quick walk-through on my way to the office, but since I was running a little late I did not stop. Since it is still early in the season, you will not find the vast array of produce the market has a little later in the spring, but I did notice Nichol's Farm had fingerling potatoes, green onions and asparagus and lettuce. I'm hoping to get down there a little later this morning and shop.

Nichols also has some bedding plants and herbs. The cheese guy is there, as well as the bakeries and a few produce booths. Also, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless is selling coffee.

I'm really excited to have this so close by my office.

Suzy

I'm glad that I have a lunch downtown today. I plan on checking it out too. Of course, I got to go to Madison last weekend, so I'm very sated right now. Spring really can offer much good to eat.

sdritz wrote:Since it is still early in the season, you will not find the vast array of produce the market has a little later in the spring, but I did notice Nichol's Farm had fingerling potatoes, green onions and asparagus and lettuce. I'm hoping to get down there a little later this morning and shop.

Asparagus is clearly the dominant crop at the market right now. Nichol's Farm has the largest variety at the moment: I picked up some purple spring onions, rhubarb, asparagus, and some beautiful young green garlic.

Nichol's also has a wide variety of potatoes.

Mushrooms are also available (including morels at very high prices).

There are three different bakeries selling today, which seems like more than normal.

Best,
Michael

I picked up several pounds of the Russian banana fingerling potatoes from Nichols this morning on my way in to the office. I got about 3 lbs. last week and they were a welcome addition to Sunday's dinner -- the girls ate the leftovers for a snack when they got home from school yesterday. Oven roasted with olive oil, kosher salt and some freshly ground pepper -- there's not much better to go with a meal.

We also had fresh peas I had ordered from Natural Direct. I asked at Nichols when the peas would be in, and they said June. They only are available for a few weeks, so when they do show up at the market, don't hesitate to buy them right away.

Suzy

Strawberries seem to be at every table today. Hooray!

And here's a question I've been reluctant to ask: are any of the products at Federal Plaza organic? I fear (and expect) that the answer is no. I guess that's why I haven't asked any of the farmers themselves.

fj123 wrote:And here's a question I've been reluctant to ask: are any of the products at Federal Plaza organic? I fear (and expect) that the answer is no. I guess that's why I haven't asked any of the farmers themselves.

I'd bet that many of the growers are organic. Some specifically mentioned on the http://www.chicagogreencitymarket.org are:

Genesis Growers
Growing Home Inc
Kinnikinnick Farm
Sweet Earth Organic Farm
Tiny Greens
Tomato Mountain

It certainly can't hurt to ask.

I don't think any of those Green City Market sellers also sell at the Federal Plaza. And I think if any of the sellers at the Federal Plaza are organic, their banners will say so very prominently (e.g. the Sandhill Organics stand at the Oak Park market). So your original suspicion, that they're not organic, is probably correct. You will often find, however, that they'll provide some information, often that the tomatoes, for example, are "unsprayed."

I've always felt that buying locally from small farmers was more valuable, on many fronts, than buying organic produce that comes from California or beyond. (Of course at Green City you're not forced into that choice--but it's not convenient for me). I also tell myself that I don't think these are "industrial farmers"--managing thousands of acres of monoculture with lots of pesticides and herbicides. Organic standards are very tough (as they should be) but I think there are lots of small local farmers who may be using a chemical fertilizer, but are generally trying to minimize their use of herbicides and pesticides. And I'm sure some crops require a lot more intervention than others.

Of course, organic or not, we should be washing our produce before we eat it.

While I have yet to see Green Acres at Federal Plaza (and they usually start coming later in the season), I do know that their produce is organic. Also, I think Nichols, if not organic, is definitely unsprayed. I remember them telling someone several years ago that the apples were sprayed but they were trying to find a way around that. It may be that they have solved that problem as well.

At any rate, the salad I made yesterday with the baby lettuces I picked up from Nichols was terrific. It contained some two year old parmesan from the cheese seller in the market as well. With a simple dressing of olive oil, lemon, kosher salt and pepper and the addition of some craisins and a chopped apple, it really hit the spot. I'll be picking up some more lettuce at Thursday's market in Daley Plaza.

Suzy

This post inspired me to walk down to the farmers market yesterday. Finally back working downtown, so I figured I should take advantage of the markets this summer (why I never did before amazes me).

I had a bit of a walk, but after looking at the gross strawberries in Jewel the previous night, I read about the strawberries & had to venture over (ps. the vendor said to expect raspberries next week!).

I scouted prices, grabbed a pint of strawberries for $3.50 from one stand. At Nichols I scored the first sugar snap peas of the season. After a sample, I couldn't resist. $3 for a small container, but so much better than what I've seen at Jewel or even WF recently. "Picked yesterday" was enough to get me to try them out.

Lastly, I had about $1.50 left in cash, so the $2 bundles of asparagus were out of range. However, one really nice woman was doing "$1 handful of asparagus", so I used up my last buck. As it was after noontime, she gave me a ton, and wouldn't take more than the $1 suggested price......

Sweet cherries are in full swing at the market and Nichol's is carrying a couple different strawberry varieties.

I spoke to a couple people about the blueberry crop (my favorite). They're on their way, but the cool evenings have been slowing down the progress. Hopefully in the next couple weeks.

I also picked up some garlic from Nichol's that has the best of all garlic worlds: a young bulb, the green stem, the woodsy tops, and fully formed scapes. Four different useful portions of the same plant. A neat purchase.

I also snapped up a lot of asparagus mainly because I expect it to go away soon (even though I am getting a little sick of eating it).

Best,
Michael

For those interested in fruit: Strawberries are on the way out and blueberries are on the way in.

For those interested in pesticides: The guy at Nichols told me that nothing they are currently selling is sprayed, but some things they sell later in the season (he named apples and eggplants as examples) are.

fj123 wrote:For those interested in fruit: Strawberries are on the way out and blueberries are on the way in.

Today's market was terrific, the first of the big summer bounties, and I lost my self-control a little bit, blowing my budget by over 100%.

Not only are blueberries in, but cherries are in full swing and I even got some raspberries today too. Squash is also here including plenty of squash blossoms.

Best,
Michael

The blueberries looked great.

There were also tons of sweet corn at the MCA Farmer's Market today -- 2 cobs for 1$.

kanin wrote:There were also tons of sweet corn at the MCA Farmer's Market today -- 2 cobs for 1$.

hard to imagine sweet corn coming from any local farms at this point. Oh well, some "farmer's markets" sell mangoes too. I guess they're from a farm somewhere.

We've been gorging ourselves with fresh produce at the Dritz house. Between the Federal Plaza and Daley Plaza markets during the week, and the Frankfort Market on Sundays, my house has been loaded with fresh herbs and vegetables and lots of local cheese.

I noticed today at Nichols that the sign by the peas read, "Last of the English Peas." I bought enough for a couple of meals and am hoping to grab more on Thursday, if I can find more. I will be sad to see the end of this year's crop. We've been eating them several times a week now and nobody has asked me to please find something else to cook because they know the season is limited.

I also saw several types of tomatoes, but my four plants are on the verge of explosion and I think some of my own cherry tomatoes are ready to eat tonight. If I didn't have my own plants I would have grabbed some of those in a hurry.

Suzy

I stopped by the plaza on my way to work this morning. A few stalls are selling sweet corn, but it is expensive. Isn't it early for locally grown corn?

The corn in my garden is about as long as my hand; it'll probably be ready in a week or so - so if the farms are south of us, or in a different microclimate (which abound around here) I'd say it's possible...

Cold May and June weather affected sweet corn production this year. I had some Su (normal aka old fashioned aka real corn flavor) type from a grower in southern Will County from the Lincoln Square market on July 2. The next week he had some Se (sugary enhanced) corn, which he will have for the rest of the season albeit with some probable gaps in plantings. Most of the other growers at Lincoln Square use Sh (shrunken gene aka supersweet aka crap that tastes of nothing but sugar) and had plentiful supplies on July 22. Seed with the Sh gene rots rather than germinates in cold soil, so there is no early production. Seed with the Se gene from a single parent tolerates more cold but still needs warmer soil than Su types that have been selected and bred for early maturity and cold tolerance. There are a number of Su hybrids available with maturities of less than 60 days and cold tolerance to permit planting in late April in much of Will County or farther south. Corn with Se gene from both parents (Se2 or Se+) needs slightly warmer soil than Se but not as warm as Sh. The Se and Sh genes both occurred naturally and are incorporated by normal hybridization.