Fresh Momentum in Chicagoland’s Local Food Scene

February may feel like a quieter month for local food, but some of the most meaningful groundwork for the year ahead is already happening. From big news in the Chicagoland farmers market world to the steady impact of community supported agriculture, this month’s Local Food Dispatch highlights how our regional food community continues to support farmers and build connection, even in the heart of winter.

GREEN CITY MARKET PLANTS ROOTS FOR A YEAR-ROUND HOME

The public’s rising interest in healthy eating and locally produced foods has sparked historic growth in the Chicago region’s farmers market sector. Yet many local food fans have been frustrated by the lack of a year-round indoor market, like those in cities such as San Francisco, Detroit and Washington, D.C.

But after years of discussion, Green City Market—a Chicago farmers market innovator since its founding in 1999—is now taking a big step in that direction. The nonprofit announced on January 9 that it has purchased a building on the city’s North Side at 2457 W. Montrose Avenue, which will become the market’s first permanent, year-round home.

The new site will complement (not replace) Green City’s established marketplaces: its spring-to-fall outdoor markets in Chicago’s Lincoln Park and West Loop and its indoor winter market, currently located in the Avondale neighborhood, but likely to move into the Montrose Avenue facility for the 2026 to 27 season.

While planning the new space is still under way, it appears likely that it will be a hybrid of a limited schedule of pop-up food market days and event programming. According to Green City Market Executive Director Letisha (Tish) Steele, “Especially with offering different education programs and culinary demonstrations and things of that nature, it’s just exciting to have something to be a part of.”

She adds, “We’re also excited to use the space for conversations. In the past, we’ve called them sustainable suppers, and we’ll probably keep that as well. These will be a bit more of a family-style event talking about issues and successes that we’re having in our food systems and an opportunity to meet the makers behind the food, the growers, the folks who are talking about policy.”

Steele also says there are discussions about building cooler space and turning the new location into a hub where farmers can drop off orders for restaurant clients. 

“A lot of our smaller farmers sell directly to so many of the amazing chefs around the city,” Steele says. “For them to be able to just [compile their orders here] instead of driving around the city... that’s a really great opportunity as well.”

This step has been a long time coming for Green City Market. Founder Abby Mandel strongly supported the idea of a permanent indoor location and created a financial trust to fund it before her death in 2008. Steele learned about it during the interview process last spring that led to her hiring as executive director.

“I’m so aligned with Abby’s original vision and so many folks who support that,” Steele says. “It was something that needed to happen. We could keep putting it off and putting it off, but when I went back through historical documents, this was something that was so profoundly important to Abby and to her family. I felt like this had to be a first priority.”

COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE: CONNECTING LOCAL FARMS AND FAMILIES

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a system in which a farm sells its products by subscription to local consumers, most of whom purchase prepaid shares of the farm’s output and receive them periodically throughout the growing season. February is National CSA Month, designed to promote subscriptions among local food lovers.

CSAs played a major role in financially supporting small farms at a time—not too long ago—when it was harder for consumers to reliably source locally produced fruits and vegetables, grains, eggs and meats. The CSA community has been challenged by the proliferation of farmers markets over the past quarter century (there are now more than 100 seasonal outdoor markets in metro Chicago alone) and virtual online farm markets.

Yet a number of Chicago region farms have sustained loyal clienteles and, in many cases, will be accepting additional 2026 season subscribers in February and beyond.

For local food devotees, CSA remains one of the most enduring and impactful models in the local food economy. At its core, this arrangement creates a true partnership between farmers and their customers, built on shared commitment, mutual benefit and trust. It has been said that nothing expresses the mantra “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” better than CSA.

There is no one-size-fits-all CSA. Each farm structures its program around what it grows best and how it serves its customers. Many CSAs offer weekly or biweekly shares, multiple box sizes, and a choice of pickup sites or home delivery. Some operate traditional “farmer’s choice” boxes, while others provide market-style or customizable selections. This flexibility has made CSAs more accessible to busy urban households and suburban families alike.

While National CSA Month is not necessarily a deadline—many CSA farms continue to accept new subscribers later in the year—it provides a good opportunity to do more research and maybe even a farm visit or two to determine whether a CSA is a good fit.

Bob Benenson is the writer and publisher of Local Food Forum, a Chicago-based publication that maintains a regional farmers market tracker and covers the markets regularly. For more information, visit LocalFoodForum.com.

Local Food Dispatch welcomes tips, updates and stories from around the region and encourages readers to share local food news as it unfolds. Please email [email protected].

The following are just some of the many CSA farms serving Chicagoland. Many are offering 2026 seasonal and full-year subscriptions, while others may have reached capacity for the year. 

Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm Meat CSA (Ottawa)

Chicago Patchwork Farms

Geneva Lakes Produce Farm (Burlington, WI)

Just Roots (Chicago and Sauk Village)

Liberty Prairie (Grayslake)

Mint Creek Farm (Cabery)

Nichols Farm and Orchard (Marengo)

Rustic Road Farm (Elburn)

Second City Greens (Lockport)

Star Farm (Chicago)

The Talking Farm (Skokie)

Tomato Mountain Farm (Brooklyn, WI)

Urban Growers Collective (Chicago and Chicago Heights)