Bob Benenson

Sep 266 min read

Chicago Region Farmers Market Schedule, September 27-October 3

Squashing Any Rumor That the End of the Local Food Season is Nigh

Farmers market haul — Photo by Bob Benenson

The O-word — October — has inevitably arrived in the weekly Chicago region farmers market schedule.

A quick spin through Green City Market on Wednesday (September 25) showed that sweet corn is pretty much tapped out. Tomatoes are pretty scarce too.

But this is also a time of the year when, if you hit the right farmstand, you can score some epic bargains as farms scurry to unload what remains of their summer bounty.

For instance, with a stop at Nichols Farm & Orchard's stand, I took advantage of a discount of 10 bell peppers for $5... or 50 cents apiece. I also picked up two boxes that contained a total of 19 small to medium zucchini for $10, a little more than 50 cents apiece.

The rest of the haul was eggplants, a melon, and Cox's Orange Pippin apples from Nichols, and Concord grapes and tomatoes from Mick Klug Farms (St. Joseph, Michigan).

And I have no fear of the month ahead, because I love winter squash and pumpkins and apples and root vegetables and greens. So bring it on, October. I'm ready for ya.

Ready for your first fall farmers market excursion? Here's the schedule for the next week.

Friday, September 27

Gary Comer Youth Center Farmers Market, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., 7200 S. Ingleside, Chicago

Lake Bluff Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 12 p.m., 40 E. Center Ave.

St. Charles Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Baker Memorial Church

Schaumburg Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 190 S. Roselle Rd.

Saturday, September 28

Arlington Heights Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Commuter Parking Lot

Aurora Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., 65 S. Water St.

Batavia Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., North River St. between Wilson and Spring

Brookfield Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., 8820 Brookfield Ave.

Deerfield Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Park Ave. betw Jewett Park & Hazel

Division Street Market, 7 a.m. to 12 p.m., 100 W. Division St., Chicago

Downers Grove Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Main St. Train Station Pkg Lot

Downtown Crystal Lake Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Depot Park

Englewood Village Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Halsted & 58th Sts., Chicago

Evanston Farmers Market, 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Oak St. and University Pl.

Garfield Park Neighborhood Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, 135 N. Kedzie, Chicago

Glenview Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., 1510 Wagner Rd.

Grayslake Farmers Market, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., 201 Center St.

Green City Saturday Market Lincoln Park, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.,1817 N. Clark St., Chicago

Green City Saturday Market West Loop, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., 115 S. Sangamon St., Chicago

Hegewisch Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 133rd and Green Bay

Homewood Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Martin Square

Horner Park Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2741 W. Montrose Ave., Chicago

Huntley Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Town Square

Kankakee Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., S. Schuyler Ave. and Merchant St.

Mercado de Colores, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., 4345 W. 26th St., Chicago

Mundelein Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Park St. betw Lake and Seymour

Naperville Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 12 p.m., 200 E. 5th Ave.

Northcenter Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., 4100 N. Damen, Chicago

Oak Park Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 460 Lake St.

Palatine Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Palatine Train Station

Park Forest Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m, 152 Main St.

Park Ridge Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 15 Prairie Ave.

61st Street Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., 6100 S. Blackstone Ave., Chicago

South Chicago Farm Stand, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., 9000 S. Mackinaw, Chicago

South Loop Farmers Market Printers Row, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 632 S. Dearborn, Chicago

Streator Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., S.W. Corner of Streator City Park

The Lincoln Park Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2001 N. Orchard St.

Tinley Park Farmers Market, 17375 S. Oak Park Ave., 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Winnetka Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 754 Elm St.

Woodstock Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Montgomery County College, Crystal Lake (one time only... returns to Woodstock Historic Square on Sept. 28)

Sunday, September 29

Bronzeville Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 4700 S. King Dr., Chicago

Buffalo Grove Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 951 McHenry Rd.

Frankfort Country Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Breidert Green

Garfield Park Neighborhood Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 135 N. Kedzie, Chicago

Glenwood Sunday Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Glenwood betw Morse & Lunt, Chicago

Hyde Park Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., 1516 E. 54th St., Chicago

Logan Square Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Kedzie from Logan-Fullerton, Chicago

Mount Prospect Lions Club Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., W. Metra Parking Lot

95th Street Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1835 W. 95th St., Chicago

Roscoe Village Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 3035 N. Hoyne, Chicago

Skokie Farmers Market, 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 5127 Oakton St.

The Dole Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 401 Country Club Rd., Crystal Lake

Wicker Park Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., 1425 N. Damen, Chicago

Monday, September 30

Edgewater Monday Market, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., 5917 N. Broadway, Chicago

Hinsdale Farmers Market, 30 E. Chicago Ave., 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Tuesday, October 1