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No Sour Grapes as Another Major Crop Makes Its 2025 Debut
- Bob Benenson
- 20 minutes ago
- 2 min read
This Transitional Season is Looking Spectacular
I'm working down a bit of a produce overstock, so I made just a quick stop by Chicago's Green City Market in Lincoln Park on Saturday. But I still was able to capture some new entries as we enter (gasp!) the last weekend of August.
The biggest news (to me) was my first sighting of Michigan grapes. As you can see in the above photo, Mick Klug Farms (St. Joseph, Michigan) had three varieties. I purchased a container of the Somersets (the ones on the left in the shade) and I'm happy to report that the grape season is off to a great start.
Nichols Farm and Orchard (Marengo, Illinois) is not only the region's largest diversified produce farm, but also the grower of the widest range of apples, many of them artisanal varieties. The super-popular fall varieties, such as Honeycrisp, are a ways off, so Nichols' ever-expanded array of summer apples provide opportunities to try some new things.
They also are ahead of the pack with two varieties of pears.
Also, red peppers have made the market scene.
But melons, fruit that practically scream summer, are plentiful.
My market haul, from right: cremini mushrooms from River Valley Ranch (Burlington, Wisconsin); field tomatoes from Nichols; white peaches, the aforementioned grapes, and strawberries from Mick Klug Farms.
Wait, what? Local strawberries in August? Yes, these are an ever-bearing variety that has two growing seasons, one in spring (the fruit's peak season) and one in late summer. Mick Klug Farms is one of a very few in this region that grows and carries them.
Another busy early Saturday morning at Green City Market. Click the 1st button below to learn more about the market, and the 2nd to buy tickets for its epic Chef BBQ fundraiser, coming right up on September 4 (that's Thursday of next week!).