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As Farmers Market Season Fades, Co-Ops Play a Heightened Role
Wild Onion Market, the recently opened food co-op in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood, had some fun with its first Harvest Festival on Saturday (October 26). That's Mary Meyer (right), Wild Onion's founder and Board vice president, and market supporter Nancy Graham handing out some very seasonal produce.
The event also underscored an important point for local food fans.
For those with access to the handful of co-ops currently open in the Chicago region, these markets provide access to locally produced food during the long stretch when our outdoor farmers markets are closed — along with many other better-for-people, better-for-the-planet grocery items.
Most of the items in the photo of mny Saturday market haul were locally produced. There is a Pullman rye from the amazing Publican Quality Bread (Chicago), mini-cabbage from Gray Farms (Watseka, Illinois), cremini mushrooms from River Valley Ranch (Burlington, Wisconsin), and organic tortilla chips, cooked in coconut oil, from El Molcajete Sauces (Evanston, Illinois). The bagels, also local, were purcahsed from Steingold's, which was on my way home from Wild Onion Market.
Wild Onion hosted several producers/vendors who sampled their products Saturday.
Ernesto Rodriguez of El Molcajete Sauces was in the house.
Chef Jacquelyn Lord was there sampling fruit bars she made at The Dinner Belle, her catering company.
Big O Smoke House of Caledonia, Michigan provided samples of its smoked fish and other seafood (loved those Cajun shrimp!).
I can recommend Chicago Cane Collective's locally made rums... because I have a bottle of their Gold Rum at home.
Evanston-based Collective Resource provided customers with information about their home-pickup composting services. One of the longest-running composting companies in the region, Collective Resource last year became a worker-owned/consumer-owned cooperative.
Wild Onion became the region's fourth food co-op when it opened in June, joining the established Dill Pickle in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood and Sugar Beet in suburban Oak Park, and fellow newbie FOODshed in exurban Woodstock, which opened in May. Others that are in development include Prairie Food Co-op in west suburban Lombard and Chicago Market in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood.
All customers are welcome at Wild Onion Market. Those who have purchased ownership shares get special discounts and have a voice in how the market is run.
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