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

Beginning Thursday, June 3, 2010, at 7a.m. the local food open-air farmer’s market organized and promoted by Geneva Green Market-NFP will start its fourth season. Leading the group this season as President, is localvore, community leader, and co-owner of Inglenook Pantry, Connie Weaver. Weaver is one of the original founding members of the Geneva Green Market-NPF. “We bring the “Farmer” to the market,” stated Connie and continued by urging everyone to “come and experience ‘Where the Fresh Is!’” Season plans to be a mix of something new and something familiar.

• Who: Geneva Green Market, NFP – Opening Day
• What: Geneva Green Market – We put the “Farmer” in the Market – a local food, green Farmers Market in Geneva, Illinois, for chefs, foodies and everyday people – local, sustainable, fresh food!
• When: Thursday, June 3, 2010 from 7 a.m. – 1p.m. and continues every Thursday thereafter through October 28th 2010
• Where: 75 N. River Lane Geneva, IL (alongside the mighty Fox River at Route 38 in downtown).
• Cost: Free
• More info: about GGM, NFP’s Season Four, please visit the organization’s website: www.genevagreenmarket.org or email us at: info [at] genevagreenmarket [dot] org.

Weaver informs us that starting this season the GGM-NFP will be displaying the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s logo as a recipient of a grant to promote Illinois Specialty Crops. In addition GGM-NFP will be continuing its pledge to help consumers know which products have been grown here in Illinois. “We are insistent that we have the farmer present at the market,” noted Weaver, “this way if any buys has questions about farming methods, soil preparation, or anything which pertains to the product – the farmer is there to answer.”

Once again people coming to the GGM Open Air market will enjoy food preparation demonstrations by local Fox Valley Chefs and the family focused/early childhood education program “Kid’s Corner”. Leading off the Chef Demos on opening day will be local favorite Matt Lennert of Geneva based The Moveable Feast. Most vendors from season three will be returning and some new vendors will round out the mix of locally created, grown, and produced foods.

This season the family-focused early childhood education program “Kid’s Corner” will be joined by Delnor Hospital’s Community Health and Outreach Department and the Fit4Kane coalition workgroups. Information about volunteering at “Kid’s Corner” is available at the Delnor Calendar page, email shannon [dot] mccall [at] delnor [dot] com or call Shannon McCall at 630-208-3996. Weaver noted that the partnership “will help our youth understand more about local food and nutrition.”

Weaver identified 19 vendors that will be participating in GGM’s Season Four and they are: Hasselman’s Family Farm. Orchard Patisserie, Pushing the Envelope Farm, Pur Prairie, Shaping by Dave, Twin Gardens, Planters Palette, Roedgers Brother Blueberries, Erehwon Farm, Heritage Prairie Farm, Hillside Orchard, Stojan’s Farm, Farm Direct Black Angus Meats, Perennial Pleasures, Curds and Why, Diana Vegetables, Inglenook Pantry, O’Leary’s Farm, and CC Black Angus.

Season Four starts Thursday, June 3, 2010 at 7 a.m. – 1p.m. and continues every Thursday through October 28th at 75 N. River Lane. Come and enjoy “Fresh” For up to date information about Season Four, Chef Demo’s, Kid’s Corner, Vendors, and for links for further information about Specialty Crops, Local Foods, and more please visit GGM’s website: www.genevagreenmarket.org.

For additional information about GGM, NFP’s Season Four, please contact Connie Weaver by email – info [at] genevagreenmarket [dot] org or you may reach by phone at 630.377.0434.

About Geneva Green Market, NPF

Geneva Green Market, NFP is a not-for-profit educational and distributional association that promotes the sale of locally produced specialty crops from family farms and local food producers. Educational activities inform the community, consumers, vendors, and other green markets. Vendors are carefully screened to assure they are providing local produce that is fresh, promotes biodiversity, is of the highest quality organic/sustainable food and is the basis of regional cuisine.

Peaceful Parlour, a general store for the conscious consumer and a community gathering place, has opened it’s doors in Geneva. They offer products that are locally made, USA made, natural and/or organic, hand crafted and made from renewable or sustainable materials. Peaceful Parlour’s focus is to find products with social and environmental benefits. Shari Ralish, president and owner of Peaceful Parlour says “we want be the -go to place- for individuals who are conscious of the earth’s limited natural resources and are looking for ways to live more sustainably.”

Inventory keeps expanding. Currently, some of featured products include bamboo bowls, bread crumb boards and baby utensils, repurposed Maine lobstermen float rope doormats, recycled cardboard furniture including adult chairs, toddler table + chairs, rocket ships, lemonade stands, castles and dollhouses, organic herbal infused soaps, salves, oils and crèmes, recycled paper journals and pads, and fair trade Peace coffee. Arriving soon are cotton produce bags to store your market greens and keep them crisp. For Geneva Green Market, NFP members Peaceful Parlour is offering a Bamboo scraper which is “Cheese Man” approved (Rob Murphy of Curds and Whey uses it and loves it!).

Peaceful Parlour has a free book exchange! They accept donated books and display them for customers to borrow or keep. A comfy chair is nearby so folks can relax, customers are welcome and encouraged to browse the and take a breather from the outside hectic world.

Peaceful Parlour is located at 212 South Third Street in the heart of Geneva’s historic shopping district. They can be reached at 630-232-6300.

You can also find us at www.peacefulparlour.com

Micheal Pollan was recently a featured gust on on point with Tom Ashbrook, discussing his latest work –  Food Rules.

Pollan says that inspiration for his latest work came from a doctor-actually, a couple of them. ”They had read my last book, ‘In Defense of Food’, which ended with a handful of tips for eating well: simple ways to navigate the treacherous landscape of modern food and the often-confusing science of nutrition. “What I would love is a pamphlet I could hand to my patients with some rules for eating wisely,” they would say. “I don’t have time for the big nutrition lecture and, anyway, they really don’t need to know what an antioxidant is in order to eat wisely.” Pollan listened.

Listen to the complete interview On Point with Tom Ashbrook: Michael Pollen on food rules for a better life. Pollan’s previous works include “In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto”, “The Omnivore’s Dilemma”. “Second Nature” and “A Place of My Own” and is a regular contributer to the New York Times Magazine.

Giving thanks to the season’s harvests was a centuries-old tradition held by most cultures around the world. After the autumn harvest, communities held long feasts celebrating the season’s harvest and gatherings for the winter months. It wasn’t till the mid-1600’s that Thanksgiving, as we know it today, began to take shape. Fasting forward several hundred years, it was as recently as 1941 that President Roosevelt signed a bill that established the fourth Thursday of every November as Thanksgiving Day. This has been followed by every state in the union since 1956. Today Thanksgiving still remains centered around food and feasting surrounded by family and friends.

In the spirit of giving and being thankful we at the Geneva Green Market, NFP and would like to take this opportunity to thank all the chiefs, GGM, NFP members, merchants and volunteers whose continual hard work and dedication make this market feasible season after season. We would especially like to thank our faithful farmers, vendors and customers.   Join us in Thanking our farmers and in showing how much we appreciate them in providing fresh food from there fields to our tables.

If you haven’t ordered your Thanksgiving Day turkey there is still time to do so. Visit us at genevagreenmarket.org/farmers. If you did not pre-order a turkey, there will be some turkeys available for purchase at the market on a first come,  first serve basis. Come early to get yours.

Feeling overwhelmed by your big bird? Join us from 9-12 as “Talk Turkey to Me” author Renee Ferguson joins us to answer your turkey questions. She will have copies of her book available for purchase. Full of how- to’s, how not to’s, tips, instructions and recipes that can be used year round. A great resource to have on hand for those times Renee can’t personally be in your kitchen. She will sign copies, which can be a nice, personalized hostess gift.

If all this talk of turkey got your tummies rumbling be sure to stay afterwards as Jennifer Downing of Nourish shows you how to dry brine and bake a Black Spanish turkey. She’ll also show you a few excellent sides that will pair up perfectly with your bird. The best part is that’ll you’ll find most of the ingredients right at the market. After a tasty sample, enjoy a wine sample from Galena Cellars Vineyard & Winery-Geneva.  All this should provide great inspiration for our 3rd annual Thanksgiving Localvore Challenge. Deadline for submissions is December 1st.

From our family to yours

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is a perfect way to carve your local Thanksgiving “Bird” Check out Moveable Feast! or call 630.845.3287

To check out what Matt is cooking at Moveable Feast for your Thanksgiving Dinner.

Brine recipe: http://www.moveablefeastgeneva.com/menus/TurkeyBrine.pdf

For more information go to Moveable Feast.

This year the Geneva Green Market, NFP is having a localvore essay contest to accompany the Localvore Thanksgiving Challenge. To participate one must strive to come as close to eating 100% locally grown food for your Thanksgiving meal as possible. To participate, write a 250-word essay, discussing the experience of purchasing local ingredients as well as eating the meal itself.

The winner will receive a $100 gift certificate for the Community Winter Market, and their essay will be published in the GGM, NFP’s newsletter. Email your essays to genevagreenmarket [at] gmail [dot] com by 12/1/09.

What was formerly known as the Geneva Winter Market is now the Community Winter Market sponsored by the Geneva Green Market, NFP. The Community Winter Market will feature fresh, local food throughout the winter and is scheduled to be open from 9 am through 1 pm on Saturdays, beginning November 7. It will be located at Inglenook Pantry, 11 N 5th St, Geneva IL 60134.

On Saturday, November 21st, the Community Winter Market will be hosting its annual Thanksgiving Localvore Challenge. Participating vendors will have the majority of the ingredients you will need to eat an entirely local Thanksgiving dinner. Sign up early for local free-range turkeys.

For the months of November and December the market will be held every Saturday for the first three weeks of each month. Check out the web site for future days in 2010.

Featured farmers/producers:  Curd and Whey Cheese Shop, Erehwon Farm Esther’s Place, Farm direct Black Angus, Grandma’s Farm Fresh Eggs, Hasselmann Family Farm, Inglenook Panty, Robinson Family Farm, Stojan’s Vegetables, Tomato Mountain Farm, Twin Gardens, and Webb Family Farm.

Last Saturday the GGM, NFP had their screening of the documentary “Fresh.” For those who couldn’t make it and would like to see the film, please contact us at info [at] genevagreenmarket [dot] org to set up a screening for smaller audiences.

This movie will put a smile on your face with the understanding of how the conventional agribusiness machine works, because you will know you don’t have to be any part of it.  The hope and inspiration will have a lasting impression. For our health, our children and our future. I highly recommend the whole family come, watch and be inspired.  Karen Stark, Geneva Green Market, NFP

The screening is for the purpose of educating the general public on the importance of eating healthier, locally grown food. Those in attendance will learn why this is such an important movement and how they can participate.

Thank you to the following for helping in bringing this movie to the Fox River Valley.  Batavia Environmental Commission, blue haven Capital LLC – Geneva, Natural Resource Committee, Geneva, Pure Prairie Farm, Batavians for Clean Energy & Conservation, Diane L. Peterson, Klean Kanteen & To Go Ware, Slow Food City’s Edge, Conservation & Garden Dept. of Batavia Women’s Club, Orenda International, Unitarian-Universalist Society of Geneva, and Spiritual Green Connection.