Best places to buy local produce in Chicago

Hi- I just saw this link on yahoo news about the best places in the Chicago area to purchase local produce right now. The only farmer's market mentioned was Green City Market. All of the rest of the sources were produce stores such as Jerry's. It warned people not to go to Jerry's on weekends if you can not deal with crowds. It left off some places like Marketplace on Oakton, Lincolnwood Produce and Fresh Farms. What does everybody else think of their list?

http://news.yahoo.com/finding-best-prod ... hon=602,il

BTW- The Evanston farmer's market will still be open tomorrow 11/5, for the last time this season. There will be another indoor farmer's market at Immanuel Lutheran Church on November 19 at Lake and Chicago avenue in Evanston. Both Henry Brockman and Lloyd Nichols always sell there. Henry has a deal at Evanston's farmer's market tomorrow, where you get a good deal on certain organic produce, if you buy 5 pounds worth. The sale is on potatoes, carrots, and sweet potatoes.

Hope this helps, Nancy

I think the article is about the best produce, not necessarily the best locally grown produce.

It left off some places like Marketplace on Oakton, Lincolnwood Produce and Fresh Farms.

The list looks Chicago centric. I think they just threw in two suburban markets to make it look more inclusive.

Hi- I just read the article again, and you are right that she is not talking about the best local produce. Thanks, Nancy

The Lincoln Square Tuesday farmers market has been extended to November 22. The number of growers on November 1 was smaller than during the main season and will probably shrink a good bit if the weather is really bad or when more growers have had a killing frost.

Hi- I just found out a group of people have been trying to open up an indoor winter farmer's market at the old Oak Street Market location in Evanston. Apparently the deal just fell through. The organizers could not strike a deal with the owner of the building. I am really disappointed, because the building is only two blocks from where I live. Apparently it was going to be open on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays until March, and was going to house both farmers and artists. That building has been vacant for two years since the unemployment office moved out of there. It is too bad that the organizers could not come to terms with the owner of the building. Hope this helps, Nancy

rickster wrote:I think the article is about the best produce, not necessarily the best locally grown produce.

Which is, more often than not, locally grown produce

(Which is not to say that in the winter one should not also turn to citrus, bananas and other non-local items as necessary)

For at least through December, you have several options for local produce. The Local Beet has a big, we believe complete right now, listing of area winter markets.

There is plenty of produce still around. For instance, Randy Brockway, who sells at Logan Square, might even have some tomatoes this weekend. For several more weeks, he'll have rocket, baby spinach, cauliflower and other cold hardy veg. Beth Eccles of Green Acres Farm told me she'd have all sorts of stuff including kales (italian, russian, siberian white & curly), chards (white, red, & yellow), assorted mustard greens, sweet potatoes (5 kinds including her popular Japanese variety), squash, radishes (beauty heart, black spanish, red & pink), turnips (scarlet & purple top), and much more. Another vendor at Green City, Ellis Farms, still has grapes and pears besides apples.

You may also be able to find a CSA to satisfy your cold weather needs for better produce. With less markets, a CSA can be a great resource in the fall/winter. Wendy, who is the Local Beet CSA maven, put together a list of options for you; some of these still have openings now. We get a box from my wife's employer, Tomato Mountain, and as bias as I may be, this box is amazing for the fall: lettuces, turnips, radishes, broccoli, onions, garlic, bok choy and tatsoi, now; root veg and other storage crops to come.

You can also find local food at places like Green Grocer and the Downtown Farmstand. The Local Beet's Local Calendar includes them each week.

There is no shortage of crops this time of year, and really, with the addition of citrus and such, there is no reason why your winter diet cannot be as varied as in any time of year with local produce. Believe me, my family and I have done it for many years.

Hi- When I was at the Evanston Farmer's Market, I asked several of the farmers there why the Oak Street Market winter market fell through. I was told the owner of the building could not agree on the terms of the contract. Apparently the group that is trying to organize this, is looking at alternate spaces in Evanston. They were originally going to open up at the Oak Street location on November 12, What I don't understand is the fact that the building has been vacant for at least two years, and it seems like the owner would be happy to have a tenant.

The Evanston farmer's market was really busy today. I was surprised how many growers were there today. I got some huge red peppers for 50 cents each, along with some apples and pears, spinach, mesclan and lots of greens. BTW- I did not see Henry selling any mache today. I know somebody here was looking for some last week. Hope this helps, Nancy

While the produce isn't all local, Shop & Save markets (Garfield Ridge, Bridgeview, Des Plaines, Niles, Schaumburg) have a great selection that typically does include a decent mix of Midwest-grown fruits and vegetables.

Hi- There was an article in today's Evanston Review about the winter market that is being developed in Evanston. Originally it was going to open up at the old Oak Street Market location, and be in operation 3 days a week. Apparently the old Oak Street Market location is owned by an estate which is in probate, which complicates things. The lawyer representing the estate, felt that it was not worth the hassle, to just rent out the property for three months.

The organizers of the winter market, have instead decide to locate the market at the Evanston Ecology Center at 2024 McCormick in Evanston. The market will take place on Saturdays from 9:00am-1:00pm from December 3-April 28. Besides produce, they will have meat, coffee, baked goods, cheese and other items. Here is a link to the article.

http://evanston.suntimes.com/news/88844 ... inter.html

This location is not as convenient for me as Oak Street Market, but it is still fairly close, and once gardening season starts for me in April, it will be right across the street from my garden. Hope this helps, Nancy

Hi- There are getting to be more and more places to purchase local produce in the winter time. Besides the market at Immanuel Lutheran Church this Saturday, there is one going on at Morton Grove this weekend, and Green City market has a number of winter markets coming up, and Faith in Place has farmer's markets taking place every weekend in various churches in the Chicago area. I usually go to the one they have in Andersonville in December, and they also have one taking place in Deerfield on December 5.

There is going to be a weekly market at the Evanston Ecology center every Saturday this winter from 9:00-1:00, and the Glenwood farmer's market in Rogers Park, is going to be open once a month this winter. It is getting easier to eat local in the winter time. Hope this helps, Nancy

NFriday wrote:Hi- There are getting to be more and more places to purchase local produce in the winter time.

Rob above wrote:For at least through December, you have several options for local produce. The Local Beet has a big, we believe complete right now, listing of area winter markets.