Market Watch is a bit pressed for time, so the update this weekend will be short — and mostly about food..
We reckon the biggest news this week is that Kleiss Produce will have very limited sweet corn on Saturday. This means you patrons need to arrive early to have even a chance of getting some, OK? MW envisions something like a Macy’s Underwear Sale situation going on at 7 a.m. by the corn truck. If you’re lucky enough to snag some, try making your own elotes — if you have a grill and some corn on the cob, you’re most of the way there. If you don’t manage to get any corn, fear not — more corn is coming, especially once we get into July.
Market-goers will also see lettuces, chard, arugula, kohlrabi, mixed greens, spinach, green onions, broccoli, carrots, radishes, turnips, fresh garlic (wonderful in pesto), potatoes, gooseberries, raspberries, currants, blueberries, zucchini, hydroponic tomatoes and cucumbers, and basil. The fresh-cut herbs are also amazing. If you’re lucky you might be able to snag some greenhouse tomatoes and if you’re extra lucky, some Sun Gold cherry tomatoes from Jeff Meyer in Row 1. The Market’s vendors will also be serving up farm-raised meats, eggs, honey, goat cheese, goat milk gelato (they offer samples), scratch-made baked goods, and homemade jams and jellies. Cut flowers, hanging baskets, and bedding plants are also being sold.
Photography, textiles, stuff for your dog or cat, jewelry, upcycled clothing, derby stuff for your derby girl, soap, candles, trinkets and doo-dads and whimsy … the Market will have all these and more on Saturday. There is much to look at — more every weekend, as the spaces fill in, and they should be mostly full this weekend.
ONCE AGAIN: The City tent, where you can swipe your credit, debit, or LINK card for tokens to spend in the Market (don’t worry, everyone still accepts cash), is now located in the intersection of Walnut and High Streets — that’s the corner by Health Alliance, near the northwest entrance to the Market. They sell Market swag, too, like T-shirts and tote bags. As a result of this new location, there’ll no longer be through traffic there during Market hours to keep things safe for folks traveling on foot between the Market and various Lincoln Square businesses. The parking situation remains the same, too, with the same number of free public parking spaces available in Lincoln Square and south of Lincoln Square. Plenty of bike parking, too, for the two-wheel set.
THIS WEEK’S MARKET WEATHER FORECAST: Partly sunny with a 7 a.m. start temperature in the blissful low 60s and a noon temperature approaching the mid-80s. It’ll be plenty warm, but not the swelter-fest it’s been the last few weeks. There are a million places on the internet to look at the weather, but you can click here for a forecast.
YOUR TASKS FOR THIS WEEKEND’S VISIT: Go to the Triple S Farms booth and ask Stan about what happened at Cochon 555. Pick up some gladiolas from Oosterhoff & Son. Snag a Buy Fresh Buy Local Central Illinois guide from the City tent — it’s an awesome resource if you’re hungry somewhere that’s nearby, but isn’t C-U and you don’t know where anything is.
THIS WEEK’S MARKET TIP: I know, not everyone has kids or knows someone with kids, but if you do, the Market is a great place to take your kids and teach them a thing or two about where food comes from. MW hears a lot of stories about how kids think carrots come from the grocery store. They must be disabused of this notion (and many others!). Bring the kids, even if there’s no special programming! There are ALWAYS farmers!
Have questions? Desire more information? Check out the Market’s home on the web. Follow them on Facebook. Follow their Twitter and Pinterest
Market #8 (already?) starts at 7 a.m. on Saturday and runs until noon. Get out of the house and into your community, dang it! We’ll see you there.