October Brings Abundant Local Produce Even as Chicagoland Markets Begin Winding Down
If you frequent our Chicago region’s farmers markets, October always comes too soon. When the first full month of fall begins, most of Chicagoland’s outdoor markets are still open. But each week brings a new round of summer outdoor market season endings.
A small handful of hardy outdoor markets will remain open past Halloween, with some operating until just before Thanksgiving. Yet October markets still offer an abundant selection of local food, along with the artisanal foods and products, live music and activities that make farmers markets community gathering places.
In recent years, farmers seeking to meet increasing consumer demand for local food have amped up their production of storage crops (think apples, winter squash and root vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes and carrots). Many growers are also utilizing hoophouses, greenhouses and other indoor growing spaces to provide a steady supply of cold-hardy greens and extend the growing season.
Farmers, food producers and artisanal makers continue bringing their harvests and products to market through the final weeks of the outdoor season, and they depend on shoppers’ weekly attendance and support for their livelihoods.
After October, most local food fans will have to rely on the smaller number of indoor farmers markets, as well as e-commerce sites and grocery co-ops that specialize in locally grown produce. Until then, put on a jacket and enjoy the abundance of the fall farmers market season.
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.
