Green City Market - Chicago - News

Pledge to be a Locavore: Sept. 9th through Sept. 23rd.

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:00:00 CST

The 2009 Locavore challenge will run from September 9th through September 23rd. The Town Hall Meeting will be on September 23rd, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Sign up now to become a part of the Locavore challenge!

Pledge to become a Locavore and join other Chicagoans committed to eating locally grown and produced foods for two weeks!Sign up at the Information Tent at the Green City Market or download a pledge form and fax it to 773-880-1262. Don't forget to pick up your Locavore kit at the Green City Market Information Tent. The Locavore Kit has a list of local stores containing local foods.

Check our Locavore page for more information on the challenge and a list of participating restaurants.

Green City Market Annual Chef BBQ

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 CST

Tickets for the Green City Market Annual Chef BBQ are sold out!

A limited number of VIP tickets are available only through the Green City Market office by calling (773) 880-1266. There are two levels of VIP ticket this year: The Heirloom level, which is a reserved table for 10 with the services of a waiter, and the Heritage level, for a table for 10 with no waiter. Heirloom tickets are $2500 per table and Heritage are $1500 per table.

The 2009 Green City Market Annual Chef BBQ will be held in Lincoln Park on Thursday, July 16, from 6-8 pm. Read more about this event.

47 vendors join our Indoor Market this winter.

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 CST

The following vendors will be at the Market in November and December:

Abby's Crepe Stand
Bennison's Bakery (All dates but 11/25)
Blue Marble Family Farm (Saturdays Only)
Brunkow Cheese
Burton's Maplewood Farm (Saturdays only)
Capriole (Saturdays only)
Earth First Farms
Ellis Farm (Saturdays only and 11/25)
Floriole Bakery
Garden Offering (Saturdays through November, no dates in December)
Genesis Growers
Green Acres
Growing Home (Saturdays only)
Growing Power (Saturdays only)
Hawks Hill Elk Ranch (Saturdays only)
Heartland Meat (Saturdays only)
Heritage Prairie Market
Hillside Orchard
Hoosier Mama Pies
Iron Creek
King's Hill
Kinnikinnick (Saturdays only)
Lehman's Orchard
Liberty Family Farm (Saturdays only)
Meadow Haven Farm (11/14, 11/25, 12/12, 12/19)
Mick Klug Farms (Flora Confections will be sold at this stand; both are at the market November only)
Mint Creek Farm
Nichols Farm (all markets in November, Saturdays only in December)
Nordic Creamery (11/14, 12/5, 12/12)
Oriana's Oriental Orchard (Saturdays only)
Pasta Puttana
Prairie Fruits Farm (Saturdays only)
Prairie Pure Cheese (Saturdays only)
River Valley Ranch
Seedling
Smits Farm (Saturdays only)
Snooklefritz (New vendor!)
Snug Haven (Saturdays only and 11/25)
Stoney Run Fields (Saturdays only)
Three Sisters Garden (Saturdays only)
Tiny Greens (Saturdays only)
TJ's Free Range Poultry (Saturdays only)
Tomato Mountain
Traders Point Creamery (Saturdays only)
Twin Oak Meats (Saturdays only)
Zullo's (Saturdays only)

Green City Market moves indoors!

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 CST

Green City Market will move indoors from November 7, 2009 - April 24, 2010. We will set up shop at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (2430 N. Cannon Drive) again this year.

From November 7 through December 23, Green City Market will be open every Wednesday and Saturday from 8 am to 1 pm (no market on November 28). In 2010, Green City Market will be open on the following Saturdays from 8 am to 1 pm: January 16, February 13, February 27, March 13, March 27, April 10 and April 24.

Our themes for the 2010 indoor season are:

January: Are You Game?
February: Meat and Potatoes
March: Bacon and Eggs
April: Cheese

Make sure to watch for more announcements, chef demonstrations, workshops and other special events.

End of Outdoor Season and Halloween Party

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 CST

The annual Halloween Party is Saturday, October 31st from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at Green City Market (this is also the last day of our outdoor season).

We will kick things off at 9:00 am with a special Halloween Tour for kids of Green City Market with our fabulous volunteer, Devin.

At 9:30 am, sample tastings prepared by some of the best pastry chefs in Chicago: Tony Galzin (MK), Toni Roberts (C-House), Nathaniel Meads (Fritz Pastry), Mindy Segal (Hot Chocolate), Elissa Narow (Chef Instructor, The Illinois Institute of Art Chicago) and Allison Levitt (Mado).

Join us at 11:00 am for the Kids Halloween Costume contest, judged by Joel from Hawks Hill Elk Ranch and Lyle from Green City Market. The winner will take home a special prize!

We'll end the party with the Club Sprouts kids cooking demo at 11:30 am with Courtney Treutelaar from Common Threads.

For the adults, we'll have a chef demo at 10:30 am with Chris Pandel of the Bristol. Green City Market will also have a membership drive at the market. For more information about Green City Market or the Halloween party, please e-mail admin@chicagogreencitymarket.org.

Green City Market awarded two grants.

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 CST

We are thrilled to announce that on October 16, the Illinois Department of Agriculture announced that Green City Market has been awarded two grants amounting to $25,000. GCM is one of 28 Illinois funded projects and the only organization to receive multiple grants. Dollars from these grants will go toward promoting the Illinois Specialty Crop Industry through the Know Your Food . . . Know Your Farmer brochure (this is a matching grant resulting from the recent USDA award); creating marketing materials to educate Chicagoans about the Heritage and Heirloom Project, Club Sprouts and Locavore Challenge; funding the GCM weekly newsletter; and assisting with the development of farmer-chef online communications.

To read the press release, click here: http://www.illinois.gov/PressReleases/ShowPressRelease.cfm?SubjectID=2&RecNum=7932.

Apple Fest!- Wednesday, October 7th

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 CST

We invite you to join us in this month's Savor the Seasons festival celebrating tomatoes in the height of their season. Several varieties of heirloom tomatoes will be available to sample. Chef tastings will be with Patrick Sheerin (Signature Room), Alex Cheswick (May Street Market), Sarah Levy (Sarah's Pastries). The festival will run from 9:30 am to 10:15 am at the Green City Market.

Photo by Laura Watkins

Green City Market receives federal grant.

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 CST

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the release of 86 grants totaling more than $4.5 million under the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP), naming Chicago’s Green City Market as the sole recipient statewide. Part of the USDA’s “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” initiative, the Green City Market was awarded $76,300. According to the USDA, the grants were awarded to encourage and support the viability of farmers markets and direct marketing projects nationwide. “This is a giant step forward for us and will help expand the mission and vision of Green City Market,” states Lyle Allen, Executive Director of the Market. As Chicago’s only year-round farmers market, the mission of the Green City Market is to provide a marketplace for purchasing sustainably grown food and to educate, promote and connect farmers and local producers directly to chefs, restaurateurs and the greater Chicago community through the market itself, educational programming and special events. A national directory of farmers markets is available at www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets.

The FMPP is designed to promote local and regional food systems that help to boost local economies, eliminate child hunger, and increase access to fresh produce in low-income neighborhoods, thereby improving community health and nutrition. Part of the funding is directed to aiding low-income consumers by increasing access to fresh produce through the use of electronic benefit transfers (EBT). In Chicago, the grant dollars will be utilized by the Green City Market for the following:

The establishment of the Green City Market Farmer Scholarship Program encouraging our farmers to attend workshops, seminars, conferences and classes to ensure they receive 3^rd Party Organic and/or Sustainable Certification by 2012 (as required by GCM)
Developing marketing materials, including promotional assistance with the EBT Program
Development of a Know Your Food, Know Your Farmer brochure
Improving the Edible Gardens program
Staff salaries

As Chicago’s only year-round truly “green” farmers market the Green City Market is creating a national marketplace model for distributing, promoting and educating about local sustainably-grown food. Green City Market is a non-profit organization that values education about quality food and its source. We value farmers who take care of the land; the preservation of sustainably farmed land; a vibrant thriving community of local farms; and consumption of locally grown foods. The Green City Market operates Wednesdays and Saturdays within Lincoln Park; for more information, www.chicagogreencitymarket.org.

Written by Jenn Galdez, Grapevine Public Relations

Green City Market Annual Harvest Benefit

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 00:00:00 CST

You are cordially invited to attend the annual
Green City Market Harvest Celebration
Sunday September 13th, 2009
4:30 until 7:00 pm.

The celebration will be held at the beautiful country estate and gardens on Bill Kurtis and Donna La Pietra in Mettawa, IL. The Market Harvest Celebration will include Chicago's most well respected chefs cooking flavorful local foods on the gardens, potager, tree house, over the fire pit and by the pond. A true country feast will showcase the freshest, best tasting Green City Market products and bring together camaraderie of the most passionate food environmentalists.

Chef participants include:
Rick Bayless of Frontera Grill/Topolobampo, Gale Gand of Tru/Gale's Coffee Bar/Tramonto's Steakhouse, Mark Mendez of Carnivale, Carrie Nahabedian of NAHA, Bruce Sherman of North Pond, Rita Gutekanst & Marguerite Lytle of Limelight . . . food illuminated, Sarah Stegner and George Bumbaris of Prairie Grass Cafe, Paul Virant of Vie and Randy Zweiban of Province.

An array of exciting one-of-a kind culinary auction packages will be offered all in support of the Market. This year's packages include:

A weekend getaway to Kentucky featuring a farm tour and dinner at Capriole Farm, A Farm dinner at Heritage Prarie in Geneva, Il - spend the weekend in their beautiful farmhouse and invite eight of your friends for a chef prepared dinner or brunch, a VIP Table at the Green City Market Chef BBQ in Lincoln park (pre reception for you and your guests with celebrity chefs preparing hors d'oeuvres and cocktails), exclusive chef inspired events, cooking classes and more!

Ticket levels are:

Heirloom Benefactor level - two (2) tickets at $2,500.
Heritage Contributor level - one (1) ticket at $1,000.
Market Patron level - one (1) ticket at $500.
Market Supporter level - one (1) ticket at $250.

This is a tax-deductible contribution to Green City Market, a 501(c)3 not for profit organization, less $100 (cost of the dinner), per ticket.

For more information, please call 773-880-1266 or visit www.brownpapertickets.com to reserve your tickets. Capacity is very limited for this special event. Reservation deadline is Friday, September 11th, 2009 or while supplies last.

Edible Garden Fall Field Trips

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 00:00:00 CST

The 2009 Edible Gardens Fall season is right around the corner and we invite you to visit the gardens at Lincoln Park Zoo for a field trip! We provide each child with a hands-on garden experience and they will participate in activities such as harvesting, compost-making, weeding, seed saving, etc. We welcome schools interested in starting their own school gardens to visit us for Chicago-appropriate ideas and inspiration. The gardens will be open for Fall field trips in September and October on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 am - 1 pm.

The Edible Gardens is sponsored by a partnership between Green City Market and Lincoln Park Zoo. The field trips are designed to educate children about the concept of “seed to table”, organic gardening/farming, the importance of eating locally grown foods and the health benefits of incorporating fruits and vegetables into their diets.

We will also be continuing our special Green City Market activity for Wednesday’s field trips! Each school group will be given a brief guided tour through Green City Market, the city's only 100% sustainable farmer's market, and will be given the opportunity to experience a hands-on children’s Tasting Table. The Tasting Table will feature seasonal vegetables and fruit available at the Market for children to see, touch and taste.

Wednesday Trip Dates:
September 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
October 7, 14, 21, 28

Thursday Trip Dates:
September 3, 10, 17, 24
October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

If you'd like to sign up, simply email Sara Gasbarra, Edible Gardens Field Trip Coordinator, with a few date requests and we'll send you information about our field trip and how to prepare your classroom for their visit. Sara's email address is: sara@theorganicgardener.net.

Additionally, you may also pre-book your spring field trips for Wednesdays and Thursdays during April and May.

We look forward to seeing you at The Edible Gardens this fall!

Vote now for Green City Market!

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 CST

Are you a fan of Green City Market? Do you think we are the best Farmer's Market in the country?

Show your support and spread the word about Green City Market and local, sustainable food by voting for the Green City Market in the Care 2 Love Your Farmers Market contest.

Latin Fest!

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:00:00 CST

We invite you to join us at this month's community festival event showcasing a Chicago neighborhood Saturday, August 8th! Chef tastings will be with Efrain Cuevas (Clandestino Supper Club), Rick Miranda (Cafe 28) and Mario Santiago (May St. Cafe) at 9:00 am.

At 11:30 am, share the passion of Latin dance at Green City Market with Luna Negra Dance Theater! Learn salsa and merengue moves with Luna Negra dancers Ricardo Garcia and Kirsten Shelton, classically trained artists who deliver modern Latino expressions with energy and power. Open to all ages and abilities, this workshop will invigorate you with Latin rhythms.

Last day to buy Chef BBQ tables: July 13th

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 CST

The last day to buy the VIP tables for the Green City Market Annual Chef BBQ is July 13th. There is a limited number of VIP tickets are available only through the Green City Market office by calling (773) 880-1266. There are two levels of VIP ticket this year: The Heirloom level, which is a reserved table for 10 with the services of a waiter, and the Heritage level, for a table for 10 with no waiter. Heirloom tickets are $2500 per table and Heritage are $1500 per table. Individual tickets are completely sold out.

The 2009 Green City Market Annual Chef BBQ will be held in Lincoln Park on Thursday, July 16, from 6-8 pm. Read more about this event.

Lead Feather

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 CST

Lead Feather is a non-profit organization working to strengthen relationships to the earth and one another through Native American ceremony, time in the wilderness, and environmental programming.

Lead Feather offers week-long wilderness experiences that uniquely combine these elements and is offering a special offer for Green City Market eNews subscribers. Guided by ancient spiritual and cultural wisdom, their Native American leaders will welcome you to participate in sacred ceremonies, which may include drumming and singing circles, sacred fire ceremonies, sweat lodges, and more.

Lead Feather supports the Green City Market community, and offers $150 off any of our journeys to Green City Market eNews subscribers. Please just mention you received this message on GCM's eNewsletter, and they'll be happy to reduce your registration fee.

For more information about the journies available to join, please contact Paulie Cohen directly at 802.497.1494, or at paulie@leadfeather.org. More information about other custom journeys and programs is also available at their website, www.leadfeather.org

Special Announcement: Market open on July 4th

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 CST

Due to popular demand, Green City Market will be open on July 4th from 7 am to 1 pm in our outdoor market location. Hope to see you there!

Green City Market - Chicago - News

Pledge to be a Locavore: Sept. 9th through Sept. 23rd.

Green City Market Annual Chef BBQ

47 vendors join our Indoor Market this winter.

Green City Market moves indoors!

End of Outdoor Season and Halloween Party

Green City Market awarded two grants.

Apple Fest!- Wednesday, October 7th

Green City Market receives federal grant.

Green City Market Annual Harvest Benefit

You are cordially invited to attend the annual Green City Market Harvest Celebration Sunday September 13th, 2009 4:30 until 7:00 pm.

Edible Garden Fall Field Trips

Vote now for Green City Market!

Latin Fest!

Last day to buy Chef BBQ tables: July 13th

Lead Feather

Special Announcement: Market open on July 4th

You are cordially invited to attend the annual
Green City Market Harvest Celebration
Sunday September 13th, 2009
4:30 until 7:00 pm.