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Piled High by Mid-July? Get Ready 'Cause Sweet Corn's A-Comin'
- Bob Benenson
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Keep Your Eyes Open for These Ears
Local food fans cherish this time of the Chicago region growing season, and for many, sweet corn is the king of all crops. Over the next few weeks, you'll be having some royal corn feasts, because the ears are here.
I first saw 2025 corn during my visit Saturday (July 12) at Green City Market, but there wasn't much. But when I visited the Tuesday SOAR Market in downtown Chicago's Streeterville neighborhood three days later, there was a big old pile at the stand of Nichols Farm and Orchard (Marengo, Illinois).
[If you're new here, SOAR stands for Streeterville Organization of Active Residents. The market, open Tuesdays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., is located on the plaza in front of Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art.]
Nichols is the largest diversified produce farm in the Chicago region, so it's not surprising that it is one of the leading corn purveyors in the area. Soon their corn piles will be much bigger than the one in the photo.
I didn't buy any corn at the market, though, because I've ordered a dozen ears from Three Sisters Garden (Kankakee, Illinois) for home delivery Wednesday. Farmer Tracey Vowell grows a lot of beautiful crops, but she is particularly renowned for her sweet corn. Watch this space to see what I'm talking about.
Gotta say, those artisan cucumber varieties at the Nichols stand appear to be having a very good year.
It's the berries (and cherries and plums and peaches) at the stand of Ellis Family Farms (Benton Harbor, Michigan).
It was just after 8 a.m. when I took this photo of the already busy market. I hope the rest of the day went as well.
And my market haul: red new potatoes, green bell peppers, green beans and gooseberries from Nichols; tomatoes, peaches and sweet cherries from Ellis; and Wisconsin blue cheese, basil jack and 3-year-old cheddar from Stamper Cheese (Chicago).