Ist Farmer's Market of the Year

Today was the first Oak Park Farmers' Market of the year.

Fresh Produce is back!

And the famous Oak Park Farmers' Market Donuts.

Oak Park Farmer's Market

So, my folks were up this weekend--bringing furniture and manure for the garden (city mice still need their country mice for the good stuff!!!!) and Dad's plumbing skills to work on battery-powered sump pump installation with D.

But the whole weekend couldn't be all sump pumps and furniture moving. . . so we also ate our way through the weekend recreationally. Dinner at Fogo de Chao (fun, really good food, bad atmosphere, probably won't go again. . . but everyone should go once), chez Stewart/Phillips ala Jamie Oliver and food from the market, and breakfast at the Oak Park Farmer's Market and Nookie's in Lincoln Park. Luckily the gym was still open on Sunday after the folks drove away.

But from the offerings at the farmer's market (besides the redonkulously yummy donuts), it's clear that we've reached the thin footbridge between summer and fall. We still have musk melons, but broccoli and greens and late root veggies are beginning to take over, as corn and tomatoes and peaches dwindle off. Usually I'm sad, but not this year. I'm getting better at enjoying all of the seasons. . .

D had carrots in the early summer from Carriage House Farms and was floored--so in love was he with the unbelievably carrotyness of homegrown carrots. So, now he's more interested in carrots at farmers' markets.

My folks were most impressed (after the donuts and the prices that farmers can ask for their produce in Chicago) by the Pilgrim Church building and the bluegrass band.

The Farmer's Market Is Back

Winter in Chicago can drag on forever and ever. . . except that eventually the farmers' markets come to neighborhoods all across the city, chasing winter away.

This is our first visit of the year to the Oak Park farmer's market. The OPFM is a very special market. Good farmers have good produce to sell, but there's also a bluegrass band that plays every market, rain or shine. And there's a group that sells the most amazing freshly made donuts--powdered, plain or cinnamon and the cinnamon are the best hands down. Sometimes, I think the OP crowd can be a little self involved and that translates often to rudeness, but if you can focus on the donuts, the music and the sweet sellers, it's a great way to spend a Saturday morning.