FARM DINNERS l Village Farmstand, a farmer-owner e-commerce local food retailer, is launching a series of "farm" dinners on May 22 in Evanston, just outside Chicago

FOOD EDUCATION AND LOCAL FARMS l Academy for Global Citizenship (AGC) is an extraordinary Chicago charter school with a better-for-people-and-the-planet focus. They are seeking to connect with local farms to purchase more healthy, sustainable produce for students and faculty

FOOD CO-OPS l If Matt Weschler should ever want to produce a documentary about his tenure as general manager of Chicago's Wild Onion Market co-op, he could do it himself...

FARMERS MARKETS l The full-scale Chicago region outdoor farmers market season is so close you could almost... taste it. That's why we're launching our market schedule

FARMERS MARKETS l While the Chicago region has had a couple of near-summerlike April days, overall it's cooler than normal — meaning the local growing season's off to a slow start

COMMUNITY-SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE l CSA is a practice under which consumers subscribe directly to purchase food from individual farms. After years of writing about them, I've finally joined two

FARMS AND FARMERS l Kakadoodle Farm in south suburban Chicago has been hit by avian flu and the federal funding freeze. But their local food e-commerce site keeps on trucking

FARMERS MARKETS l Get a glimpse of opening day for the farmers market in Grayslake, IL - and learn about an upcoming regular feature that will expand our regional farmers market coverage

FARMERS MARKETS l While it is not surprising to find throngs there during peak season, a Saturday (April 12) warmup brought big crowds to Chicago's Green City Market — even though the region's outdoor growing season has just barely begun.

Spring is a time for hope. And I hope the warmer weather forecast for Saturday — when I'll again be visiting Chicago's Green City Market — is right. The market in exurban Grayslake joins the slim April outdoor market schedule...