Summer Settles In at Chicago Markets

With corn, peaches and other crops arriving early, a happy status quo

Photo by Bob Benenson

With a busy day ahead, I make an early and quick run to SOAR Farmers Market in Chicago's Streeterville neighborhood. In a normal early July, we'd still be waiting anxiously for favorite local summer crops such as sweet corn and peaches. But their early arrival, reported here previously, has enabled our region's markets have settled into a very pleasing status quo.

There are still plenty of summer crops — melons, field tomatoes, bell peppers that aren't green and purple, and more — that will be coming in as the season advances — but you sure can eat good with food from your neighborhood market right now.

Since there's no breaking produce news, a swift turn to my market haul: some of the superb bacon from Finn's Ranch (Buchanan, Michigan); basil and fresh garlic from Lane's End Farm (Lowell, Indiana); and from Nichols Farm & Orchard (Marengo, Illinois), zucchini, sweet corn, green peppers, and hothouse field tomatoes (which Nichols' Steve Freeman, aka Steve the Market Guy, informed are of the "Tied-Dyed" variety and thus very appropriate for a Boomer customer like me.

Lots of week and lots of markets left. Support your local farmers!

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