Geneva Green Market: Geneva, Illinois - A Local Food Green Farmers Market

Many farms offer produce subscriptions, where buyers receive a weekly or monthly basket of produce, flowers, fruits, eggs, milk, meats, or any sort of different farm products.

A CSA, (for Community Supported Agriculture) is a way for the food buying public to create a relationship with a farm and to receive a weekly basket of produce. By making a financial commitment to a farm, people become “members” (”shareholders” or “subscribers”) of the CSA. Most CSA farmers prefer that members pay for the season up-front, but some farmers will accept weekly or monthly payments. Some CSAs also require that members work a small number of hours on the farm during the growing season. A CSA season typically runs from late spring through early fall. The number of CSAs in the United States was estimated at 50 in 1990, and has since grown to over 2000.

Here in Geneva Illinois, and the Fox Valley, we have many choices with CSAs. Some continue into the fall.

Erehwon Farms:
Seven weeks of wonderful fall produce such as winter squash, pie pumpkins, carrots, radishes, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, spinach, Swiss chard, lettuce, parsnips, tatsoi, Read More…

Fresh at the Market:
beets, blackberries, fall flowers, greens, heirlooms (portland), honey crisps, lamb, macintosh apples, peppers, pork, potatoes, raspberries, squash (summer), squash (winter), sweet corn, swiss chard… and much more!

Chef’s Demo:
Chef Jeremy Lycan of Niche

Kids Corner:
Homemade applesauce
Dianne Peterson - talking about water … will have stainless steel water bottles for sale from Klean Kanteen

Special Guest:
Dave Coulter - Arborist for the city of Geneva
If you have question on Ash Borer in Geneva check out the city’s info
http://www.geneva.il.us/BulletinBoard/emeraldashborer.htm

Winner of the Wine and Local food basket:
B.J. German of Geneva

Fresh at this Weeks Market:

• Amaranth (fresh, whole leaf)
• beans (purple or green)
• beets
• bell peppers
• broccoli
• cabbages
• corn
• cucumbers
• eggplant
• heirloom tomatoes (seven to eight variety)
• kohlrabi, lettuce, potatoes (various varieties)
• radishes
• summer squash
• sweet corn
• tomatoes

… and much more!

Vegetable of the Week:

Amaranth, a warm weather version of Spinach…can be eaten raw or cooked with olive oil and garlic…

Chef demo:

Jeremy Lycan of Niche Restaurant

The Chicago Tribune featured a cover story with Chef Jeremy Lycan, of Niche Restaurant and vendor Heritage Prairie entitled “Support Your Local Farmer - Movement to eat food grown within 100 miles of home is gaining traction” in the July 6, 2008 issue:

Growing concern about such “food miles” has inspired many consumers to become locavores.

Betsy Zinser, 44, of Batavia began her pursuit of locally grown food two years ago after finding that a bag of broccoli in her freezer was produced in China.

Deri Gray, 47, a dedicated locavore in Geneva, said the ability to trace her food to its origin has given her peace of mind, particularly while health officials have been focused on tomatoes as they probe a nationwide salmonella outbreak.

“I knew right away the tomatoes I got here wouldn’t be tainted,” Gray said outside the Heritage Prairie Market in Elburn. “It hasn’t been touched commercially, so there’s nobody in between contaminating it with any disease.”

Many locavores cite a different reason for their dietary decision: Locally grown food is fresher, more nutritious and tastes better. That may explain why many chefs in the Chicago area’s trendiest restaurants feature locally grown ingredients.

“We’re finally getting back to craving the flavor and textures of produce that’s extremely fresh,” said Jeremy Lycan, chef at Niche Restaurant in Geneva.

Lycan gets his rib-eye from Dietzler Farms, a 750-acre farm in Walworth County, Wis., about 65 miles from his restaurant. And he gets garlic and beets from Heritage Prairie Market.