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Rhubarb Is In As the Chicago Region Growing Season Develops Slowly
- Bob Benenson
- 6 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Scenes from a Misty Wednesday Morning at Green City Market
While the weather today (May 15) brought a taste of summer to Chicago, overall it has been a pretty cool spring. There was quite a bit of fog clouding the scene over the past couple of days, leading to this mysteriously pretty photo taken at South Pond in Lincoln Park across from Green City Market on Wednesday (May 14).
The very early season crops, such as asparagus, are coming in prolifically, but there isn't much variety.
Rhubarb is coming in strong. It's that tart vegetable that is used mainly like a fruit (unlike the tomato, which is a fruit used mainly as a vegetable).
Probably it's most popular use is in strawberry rhubarb pie. So will strawberries, an early season fruit with unpredictable timing, arrive in time to pair with rhubarb? That's not clear yet. I asked a friend at the stand of Mick Klug Farm (St. Joseph, Michigan) and she said the end of May is the most likely start to strawberry time.
Since there's not much new to report, let's cut right to Green City Market haul. That's black rye bread and a scone from Dorothy's Bakery (Chicago), strawberry streusel doughnuts from Daly's Donuts (Chicago), beet kraut from Sidekick (Chicago), heirloom hothouse tomatoes and spinach from Nichols Farm and Orchard (Marengo, Illinois), and purple asparagus from Mick Klug Farm.
In other farmers market news...
I just learned today that there is a new farmers market in New Lenox, a southwest suburb of Chicago. The market will be open on Thursdays (except July 3) from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. from today (May 15) through September 18.
And with the weekend approaching, a reminder that Local Food Forum's regional market tracker is pinned to the webinar. Check it out and make your local food-buying plans. Support our local farmers!