It’s June and Farmers Market Season Is Busting Out All Over

Ah, the glories of Chicagoland’s peak outdoor farmers market season. For many of us fervent local food fans, this is the most wonderful time of the year (with the possible exception of the Christmas season).

Local Food Forum maintains its Farmers Market Tracker, a convenient guide for finding markets across the region. The tracker lists markets by day of the week and is updated weekly. The Illinois Farmers Market Association also offers its Find A Market directory on its website.

This year, the tracker lists 125 markets. At the end of May, 54 outdoor markets were open. By the end of June, that number will have more than doubled, leaving just a handful of short-season markets to open in July. And we’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the fruits and veggies of our region’s farms, since the vast majority stay open at least through September, with a few extending all the way to the cusp of Thanksgiving.

Most of the region’s markets are open on Saturdays or Sundays, the most popular local food shopping days. But a substantial number of markets are open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays, with smaller numbers serving customers on Mondays and Fridays.

In other words, by the height of the season, every day of the week will have multiple markets open somewhere across the greater Chicago region.

Expectations for market farmstands in June vary based on our region’s capricious spring weather patterns. According to the University of Illinois Extension, asparagus—the most popular early-season crop in the area—usually hangs on through mid-June. In years with asparagus-unfriendly weather, it could tap out earlier, while in friendlier weather, it could carry on until around July 4. This year, there is plenty for everyone that likes it, with many markets exceeding expectations by a mile.

The same reasoning applies to strawberries. The first major fruit crop to hit Chicago markets usually peaks in June, but whether we get to enjoy the red berries for a few weeks or a few days depends largely on weather conditions. On the other hand, early-season blueberries have been known to join the market party by late June, but typically their season runs July through August. 

But remember, every growing season is at least a little bit different. Field tomatoes, one of the most longed-for crops, are highly weather-dependent, and a June start could be very optimistic. Yet, improved season-extension practices and newer varieties have enabled some growers to bring crops such as cucumbers and tomatoes to market much earlier than was common a decade ago. 

Don’t forget that June is only the start of peak growing season. When the month ends, most of us will still be waiting on the region’s famous sweet corn, stone fruits such as peaches, summer apples and maybe those finicky field tomatoes.

Also, it’s important to remember that the Chicago foodshed spans roughly 200 miles from north to south, covering major portions of Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana. Crop seasons usually start earlier and end earlier in the southern region compared with the northern region, which means timing of crop arrivals and departures at favorite local markets can vary. Southwestern Michigan microclimates can also affect crop arrival dates.

It’s all part of the great adventure of shopping for local food.

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.