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Fun with Food and a Hot Time on the South Side
Given that it can be tough to draw a crowd in the summer, it wasn't too surprising that the group for Local Food Forum's and Naturally Chicago's tour of the 61st Street Farmers Market on Saturday (July 13) was on the small side. But it was a great, engaged group that enjoyed interacting with the market's team.
The market, located at the northern edge of the Woodlawn community and adjacent to the University of Chicago campus, is the biggest farmers market on Chicago's South Side, and it's one of the most mission-driven anywhere.
The 61st Street market has been run since its 2008 founding by Experimental Station. The non-profit was founded six years earlier by Connie Spreen, who has held the title of executive director since 2007, and Dan Peterman, who is a member of the organization's board of directors.
After filling a farmers market void that existed at the time on the South Side, Experimental Station continued to break new ground. The 61st Street Farmers Market was one of the first in the state to accept food assistance benefits through the Link program (which manages the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, in Illinois). In 2009, the market was the first in the state to provide what then were known as Double Value coupons (later renamed as Link Match) to food assistance beneficiaries.
Then in 2011, the Link Up Illinois program was created to provide funding for Link Match programs at farmers markets and other retail food outlets across the state. Experimental Station administers the Link Up Illinois program.
Our group received a taste of this history from Matthew Ruffi (photo left), who leads the Link Up Illinois program, and 61st Street Market Manager Emily Cross (right). Matthew, a man of many talents, also manages the Uptown Farmers Market in the neighborhood of the same name on Wednesdays and is president of the board of directors at the Chicago Market co-op grocery project.
We enjoyed a demo by Ramona Baptiste, aka Chef in the Hood, who shared samples of a salad made with mixed lettuces and blueberries (all local from market vendors).
We took a moment for a group photo. At right is Jim Slama, managing director of Naturally Chicago, for which I do communications consulting work. Next to him is Chef Sebastian White, who introduced other members of the group to his non-profit, The Evolved Network, which helps underprivileged youths through farm-to-table experiences.
Vendors at the 61st Street Farmers Market include some that have a major presence in Chicago region farmers markets, such as Mick Klug Farms (St. Joseph, Michigan), and...
... and Ellis Family Farms (Benton Harbor, Michigan)...
... and others, such as Lane's End Farm (Lowell, Indiana), that are building followings at Chicago region markets.
From the little known storybook, "Lassie Loves Local Food." Collie-flower, anyone?
Before we wrapped up, we got out of the steamy midday heat and visited the shop of another Experimental Station program, Blackstone Bicycle Works. The program aims to empower youths from local communities through bicycle education and develop problem-solving, leadership and life skills.
Local Food Forum again thanks our friends at 61st Street Farmers Market for taking time out on a very hot day to show us around.
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