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

Community Supported Agriculture consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation so that the farmland becomes, either legally or spiritually, the community’s farm, with the growers and consumers providing mutual support and sharing the risks and benefits of food production.

Typically, members or “share-holders” of the farm or garden pledge in advance to cover the anticipated costs of the farm operation and farmer’s salary. In return, they receive shares in the farm’s bounty throughout the growing season, as well as satisfaction gained from reconnecting to the land and participating directly in food production. Members also share in the risks of farming, including poor harvests due to unfavorable weather or pests. By direct sales to community members, who have provided the farmer with working capital in advance, growers receive better prices for their crops, gain some financial security, and are relieved of much of the burden of marketing. Read more

Who: OnPath Financial, LLC

When: Thursday, November 19, 6:00pm – 9:30pm

Where: Heritage Prairie Farm, 2N308 Brundige Road, Elburn Illinois 60119 (map)

OnPath Finanical, LLC welcomes you to a night of “Responsible Living” Thursdsay, November 19th at 6:00 p.m. at Heritage Prairie Farm. Enjoy live music, a locally-grown dinner, and tour of the farm. Sit with friends at a community table or the warm campfire while the sun sets over the fields as you discover ways to promote a responsible society from the way you eat to the way you invest.

Cost: $15 per person and can be paid the night of the dinner.

RSVP: Please RSVP by November 9th to Bob Leoni at 630-584-8100 or bleoni [at] onpathfinancial [dot] com.

Sunday August 23
1pm-5pm with buffet served from 2pm-4pm
Come join us for a pig roast on the farm.  Live music, local wines, beers, and sodas and a full buffet of fresh, delicious foods from our Farm Kitchen.  Don’t miss the croquet and horse-shoe toss competition!!

Bring your dog to the PIG GIG for a fitness and agility workshop! Co-sponsored by Nature’s Quest Dog Food and Heritage Prairie, this program is taught by instructor Tammi Stone and supports A.D.O.P.T. Requested donation is $2 per dog. Tasty food and beverages available for purchase for people and canines alike. (Heritage Prairie is canine friendly for all well mannered dogs on leashes during business hours.) Please RSVP to info [at] hpmfarm [dot] com or give us a call at 630.443.8253 if you plan to bring your pet with you to the BIG PIG GIG!

Visit the Heritage Prairie Farm website for more info at www.hpmfarm.com

Menu
Succulent roasted pig carefully roasted in a La Caja China Box
served with a variety of farm kitchen-made bbq sauces
BBQ Chicken, Brats,  Hotdogs and Veggie Burgers
Texas BBQ Baked Beans
Corn on the Cob
Garden slaw
Deviled farm eggs
Garlic roasted potato salad
Grilled vegetables
Green salads
Assorted bread and muffins
Summer Farm Cobbler
Watermelon Slices
S’mores by the bonfire

Beverages
Ice Tea, Wind Up Coffee, Bron’s Bees Honey Lemonade
Cash bar with local beer and wine by the glass $5

Price: $25 per adult
Kids up to 13 pay their age

If you are wondering where to get locally grown food in the winter, look no further than Geneva, IL!

Geneva Winter Market will be open Saturday, November 8 and 15 and will be held every Saturday after November 29 Until December 20. from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. (Thanksgiving Festival held on Sunday, November 23, 2008) at the Inglenook Pantry, 11 North 5th Street. There will be an assortment of winter vegetables, herbs, apples, mushrooms, eggs, cheese, milk and various kinds of meat on a weekly basis. It will then start up again, after the holidays.

Heritage Prairie Market is an indoor market that is open all year, it has longer, daily hours providing the benefits of locally grown and produced foods.

Store Hours
Monday to Friday 9:00am to 6:00pm
Saturday 9:00am to 4:00pm
Sunday 12:00pm to 4:00pm
Phone us at 630 443 8253
or email us at info [at] hpmfarm [dot] com

Heritage Prairie Market is located just west of Randall Road
on Highway 38.
2N308 Brundige Road
Elburn Illinois 60119

There are Winter Farmers’ Markets & Meals sponsored by Churches’ center for Land and People (CCLP) in Chicago held by at various churches dedicated to provide a space for local farmers to sell their produce. This website http://www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/M19510 gives a list of when and where the markets will be held from week to week.

In Chicago, the Green City Market takes place each Wednesday and Saturday from 8 am-1 pm at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (2430 Cannon Drive). They plan on changing their location in January. To stay posted checkout http://www.chicagogreencitymarket.org

The Dane County Farmers’ Market is held in Madison, Wisconsin year round. For the exact times and place visit http://dcfm.org/wandw.asp

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

Support Your Local Farmers Supper Club

Moveable Feast and Heritage Prairie are teaming up to provide a supper club experience that you won’t want to miss. Join us at the farm at 6:30pm on August 14 (also on September 18, October 16), 2008 for dinner and a relaxing evening. The farm tour will begin around 6:45pm, and dinner follows at 7pm. Moveable Feast has crafted a menu using the abundance of produce from the farm, including gazpacho, smoked pork chops with grilled onions, summer ratatouille, and cherry berry crisp.  Enjoy Bron’s Bees Honey Ice Tea to drink, or feel free to bring your favorite beverage. If you missed last month’s supper, be sure to join us for this one. Watch the sunset, the moonrise, and the fireflies come out to play.

To reserve your spot, call us today at 630-443-8253.  Cancellations accepted 48 hours prior to event. Arrangements will be made for inclement weather.

When:   Thursday August 14, September 18, October 16
Where:  Heritage Prairie Farm
2N308 Brundige Road, Elburn, IL 60119
Time:    6:30 p.m. reception, dinner at 7:00 p.m.
BYOB:    Refreshing Bron’s Bees honey and ginger lemonade will be served. Feel free to bring your favorite beverage to enjoy.
Price:    $60 per ticket or $55 per ticket when paying for 4 or more tickets
Payment is due upon reservation. Full refund available 48 hours prior to event. Arrangements will be made for inclement weather.

Heritage Prairie Market
hpmfarm.com
630-443-8253

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.

Niche Restaurant located in downtown Geneva, Illinois, highlights the best that the season has to offer throughout the year. This Summer Chef Jeremy Lycan works with local farmers and producers to showcase a 6 course tasting menu carefully paired, by Sommelier Jody Richardson, with 6 domestic wines. Each month we will highlight a unique taste of the season:

• July, The Bounty of Geneva Green Market
• August, A Taste of Heritage Prairie Market
• September, Out to Pasture with Dietzler Farms

Call 630.262.1000 to make reservations. Niche Restaurant is located at 14 S Third Street in downtown Geneva.

Visit www.nichegeneva.com for more details.