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Salad Days Start Early at Chicago's First May Markets
- Bob Benenson
- May 4
- 3 min read
Spring Lettuce and Tomatoes Made First Appearance on First Saturday
Two of Chicago's legacy farmers markets — Green City Market's flagship location and The Lincoln Park Farmers Market — are located just about three-quarters of a mile apart and are open simultaneously on Saturdays between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m.
This rare proximity may not be a big deal for most people, but for a farmers market junkie like me, it makes the Lincoln Park neighborhood as close as I'll get to a local food theme park.
This Saturday (May 3) was the first time this year that I hit both markets in one outing. It surely won't be the last.
A big reason why these markets are able to coexist so well is that they are quite different in nature.
Green City Market, a pacesetter for Chicago's local food community, is a destination market, drawing thousands of visitors each Saturday and hosting multiple sellers of produce, meat, flowers and lots and lots of bread. The Lincoln Park Farmers Market is an excellent example of a neighborhood market, one focused primarily on its immediate community, with enough variety to provide one-stop shopping but with a much more easygoing atmosphere.
The Lincoln Park Farmers Market, located in the parking lot of Lincoln Park High School, was my first stop.
The biggest thing at this market was witnessing the growth of Los Rodriguez Farm's stand. The farm, located in Eau Claire in western Michigan, was relatively new to Chicago markets when they were accepted to vend at The Lincoln Park market four years ago. Their superb produce, combined with the friendliness of this wholly family-run operation, has enabled Los Rodriguez to expand to a stand that is five tents wide, by far the biggest at The Lincoln Park Market.
You can also find them at an expanding number of markets around the region.
I mentioned in my article about my May 1 visit to opening day at the Lincoln Square Thursday market that microgreens are enjoying growing popularity at farmers markets. On Saturday at Lincoln Park, I met one of the newest entries: Meraki Urban Farm. That's Katie Staudt, owner and head grower, in the photo.
When I finished my shopping there, I trekked east to the actual Lincoln Park where Green City Market was buzzing by mid-morning.
I encountered some big first-of-the-season crop news, especially if you are a salad lover. The photo at top is from the stand of Wholesome Harvest (Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin). It wasn't the only stand with early season heads of lettuce, but it was the only one I witnessed with a whole big table full.
Nichols Farm and Orchard (Marengo, Illinois) always stands out for its selection of spring hothouse-grown tomatoes that have big flavor. These cherry tomatoes (and a handful of heirloom full-sized tomatoes) were the first I've seen during these early season days, and I snatched up a pint.
As I alluded earlier, the number of bakeries vending at farmers markets has expanded greatly in recent years... and they all have lines at some point in the market day.
Dorothy's Bakery, owned by a married Chicago couple, has become a personal favorite because I'm mildly addicted to their amazing English muffins.
Here's my combined market haul.
From The Lincoln Park Farmers Market, dill pickle hot sauce and pickled red onions from Pickled Prince (Chicago); from El Molcajete Sauces (Chicago), their delicious organic tortilla chips fried in coconut oil and owner Ernesto Rodriguez' weekly bespoke salsa, this one made with roasted prickly pear, chilis, and tomatoes; green asparagus from Los Rodriguez Farm; and Wisconsin blue cheese and 7-year cheddar from Stamper Cheese (Chicago).
From Green City Market: Cherry tomatoes from Nichols; green leaf lettuce from Wholesome Harvest; purple asparagus from Mick Klug Farm (St. Joseph, Michigan); those English muffins from Dorothy's Bakery; and Evercrisp apples from Ellis Family Farms (Benton Harbor, Michigan).
And since this local food lover doesn't live by farmers markets alone, this delivery order from Three Sisters Garden (Kankakee, Illinois). On the left is gai lan, aka Chinese broccoli; it has tiny florets and big leaves, the opposite of American broccoli, which has big florets and tiny leaves. Farmer Tracey Vowell grows some of the region's best, sweetest winter spinach, and I'm going to keep buying it until they run out. On the right is a big old bag of Tracey's excellent popcorn.
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