Warm Welcome - Literally

We're expecting summer to rear its head again this weekend. More on that in a second - let's reminisce about how cool and sunny last weekend was.

OK, yes, we're expecting plenty of sun this weekend, and it'll be slightly warmer than it has been, but what better way to welcome new students - and their families - to the University of Illinois and Urbana than to take them to the Market, followed by a trip to the Urbana Sweetcorn Festival? The Festival starts Friday night and then is on again Saturday morning at 11 AM, while we get started at 7 AM Saturday and go until noon. Should be a busy day around downtown Urbana. The food will certainly be in generous supply! 

Seriously, though, the Market is all about continuing to create the U-C's local food culture, and our new residents can be a huge part of that. There's a story about the Market and its place in the local food scene here.

This week's programming: This week we're offering up the August installment of Art at the Market! The I.D.E.A. Store will be on hand to lead a continuous art workshop for patrons of all ages. The event is completely free and will be happening at the NW entrance to the Market at the City tent from 8-noon. Musical guests the Adura Trio will be playing from 9:30-11:30 in the same area. Free iced coffee, courtesy of Einstein's, will be located at the beverage tent just inside the Market's NW entrance.

Next week: The Urbana Free Library will be onsite, as will the Community Blood Services of Illinois' BloodMobile.

Hope to see friends - old and new! - at the Market this weekend!

Forecast: Perfect (Again)

A pretty serious thunderstorm is raging outside as this is being written (it's Thursday afternoon), but the weather will be straight-up awesome by the time Saturday morning rolls around, just like it was last weekend. Evidence:

It was just a great Market day - the finest this season so far. The produce was gorgeous, people lingered over food-truck breakfasts - there really isn't a better way to spend a Saturday morning, especially when the weather's good. 

Fortunately, we can expect more of the same this weekend. To welcome returning U of I students, faculty, and staff, there will be more gorgeous produce, more food truck breakfasts, beautiful arts & crafts, performers, community organizations, and Sprouts at the Market, which this weekend will focus on the mighty tomato. The event is continuous from 9-11 AM, and is geared toward kids ages 3-8. Art Mart Toys will honor all certificates of completion (every kid who visits all the Sprouts stations will receive one) for a 25% discount in the store on Saturday, too! It's win/win for the kids. For more info about Sprouts this weekend (and future weekends), click here.

It's just looking good, friends. Hope to see you out there this weekend!

Forecast: Perfect

Did you miss it? The weather last weekend was acting like it was early July all over again, but Market patrons came out in force anyway and partook in the following:

We also had a book signing with author Janine MacLachlan, who wrote about the Market in her book, Farmers Markets of the Heartland:

We're now past the halfway point of the Market season - hard to believe, isn't it? In some ways it feels like it should be later in the season (the heat has done a number on everyone, it seems), but in others it feels like we're just getting started with the food.

Speaking of food: 

1. Peach lovers need to know this: Saturday is the last day you'll see the folks from Eberlin's Orchard and Sager Farms (both are from way the heck down there in southern Illinois) and their peaches. The heat of the season got things started early, and that means they're ending a bit early, too. Other growers will continue to have peaches for a bit, but Sager Farm and the Eberlins are perennial Market favorites and have been for many years. We thought Market regulars might like to know.

2. Corn lovers need to know this: Kleiss Produce, Roth Countryside Produce, Schottman Sweet Corn, and possibly one or two other vendors will have sweet corn in varying amounts. Boil it, steam it, grill it, eat it raw - just get some. It's so good and we're lucky to have any at all because of the drought.

3. Tomato lovers need to know this: Heirloom tomatoes are coming on something fierce. Growers are carrying varieties in colors, shapes, and patterns we never thought possible. There's just nothing like a fresh heirloom tomato. Pick up a few different ones and have a taste test - the nuances are amazing!

4. Nothing says "summer is still in effect, dang it" like MELONS. Meyer Produce and Kleiss Produce both have a variety of melons, large & small - other growers might, too. 

5. Food trucks are in Row 5. This week we expect Fryer Tuck, Cracked, Burrito King, and the Moo Mobile. Community organizations are also in Row 5 - it's the new Market hangout!

Market programming in August:

- 8/11: The BloodMobile will be in the parking lot just west of the Market site from around 7:30-11:30

- 8/18: Sprouts at the Market is on the docket. This month's theme: The almighty tomato. Free, kids ages 3-8, 9-11 AM. Check in at the Sprouts tent near the NW entrance to the Market.

- 8/25: Art at the Market is happening! The I.D.E.A Store is in charge of the workshop, which is free and open to the public, from 8-noon. The Aduro Trio will provide music on Walnut Street from 9:30-11:30, and Einstein's Bagels will provide free iced coffee after 8 AM, while supplies last.

See you out there!

Summer Eats, Summer Reads

We were so busy last weekend that nary a photograph was taken, unfortunately. Well, there was one - of gorgeous, fabulously-scented tuberose from the Oosterhoffs:

It's the busy season at the Market, and this weekend will be no exception (although we'll try much harder to get some photos taken). You won't find a wider variety of fresh food at the Market than in August, so best grab an extra shopping bag before you leave the house. That extra bag might be just for sweet corn and tomatoes.


Fear not - if you get hungry while you're visiting us, you're in luck - we'll have quite the array of food trucks in Row 5, including the Crave Truck (EDIT: Crave Truck won't be with us this weekend, but will return 8/11!), the Moo Mobile, Burrito King's truck, and the brand-new Cracked truck. Fryer Tuck's with us, too, located at the south end of the row, along Illinois Street. YUM.


This is also happening, along with visits from the Urbana Free Library and the Urbana Business Association:

Writer (and Jill of many kitchen/food trades) Janine MacLachlan will be at the Market this Saturday to shop, talk farmers' markets with patrons, and sign copies of her new book, Farmers' Markets of the Heartland,  published by the U of I Press. She'll be near the NW entrance at the Market from 9:30-11:30, and she'll be ready to chat with you. Come visit and have a look at her book if you haven't seen it - your local market is prominently featured in the "Illinois" section, but if you're from other midwestern states, you might find a market or two that you know featured in the book as well. We're lucky to have her - don't miss!

Peaking Long, Peaking Strong

We've entered peak season at the Market. It's when we have the most farm-raised food at the Market, the most art, the most prepared food, the most people, the most activities, etc. This time of year at the Market is, well, THE MOST.


Here are some scenes from last week, in case you missed it in its not-quite-as-sweltering glory. There were a lot of scenes - click on them to enlarge!

Things will look much the same this weekend, only with more of everything. More melons (not just watermelons, but lovely cantaloupes and honeydews from Kleiss Produce), more corn, more tomatoes (LOTS of heirlooms), more peaches, more gorgeous vegetables (o, the peppers!). It's outdoor feasting season. There is so much food. We were just talking in the office about how we need to gorge ourselves and/or preserve what we have available locally, because even though it's hot and things are abundant, the season is relatively short, and this summer's dicey weather has made things even more uncertain. EAT LOCAL FOOD, PEOPLE! It tastes SO good.


The Market will be humming with other activity this weekend too:

Urbana Land Arts will be doing the art workshop for Saturday's Art at the Market event from 8-noon. Anyone of any age can participate! Live music will be provided near the Arts tent by the Michael Fenoglio Trio from 9:30 - 11:30, and Einstein's Bagels will be providing self-serve iced coffee at our beverage tent, free of charge, while supplies last. Look for all the action near the NW entrance to the Market.


See you there!

Height of Summer

It's here. The middle of summer, those days when the sky is brassy and it refuses to rain and the insects whine during the day and it's just plain hot out, like let's-immerse-ourselves-in-a-swimming-pool kind of hot, is here. And actually, it feels like it's been here for awhile already. 


Lo, here's just a sampling of what you can find at the Market this time of year.

That's not even including the amazing stone fruit, tomatoes, cukes, and summer squash. And beans. And onions. And... well, everything. This is the time of year when everything's around

We anticipate a warm, but not heat-advisory warm, day on Saturday. In fact, the low Friday night is forecast to be a "chilly" 61 degrees and frankly, we think the day is going to be absolutely sunny and perfect.

GOOD NEWS: Schottman Sweet Corn, from Effingham, IL, will be at the Market this weekend. It's been dry this summer, as you know, so sweet corn has been slow in coming from those folks, but you'll see their truck at the south end of the Market in the third row, just like always.

SPECIAL EVENT: It'll be a great day for Sprouts at the Market, which starts at 9 and runs continuously until 11. 

The focus this month is on nutrition, so there'll be lots of tasting at the tables. Kids will receive bonus MyPlate stickers and temporary tattoos for visiting all the Sprouts tables, plus a Sprouts certificate good for a discount at Art Mart Toys all day. The Sprouts tent will be located by the City tent and the Chambanamoms tent at the NW entrance to the Market.

We're really looking forward to being at the Market this weekend in slightly cooler temps. Make sure you make us your first stop on a busy Saturday!

So Hot, We Missed A Post

Apologies for the lack of posting last week. Our brains must have been fried from the heat in the days leading up to what was surely one of the hottest Market days ever. There were still beautiful produce and beautiful things at the Market, though (click to enlarge images):

We survived to tell the tale, and in great style. This weekend's weather promises to be cooler, with maybe even a slight chance of rain later in the day. Rain is not usually a word we welcome when talking about Market days, but it's so badly needed by our farmers that we're OK with it.

Don't get us wrong - there's plenty of food at the Market. It's been a booming season for fresh produce, actually, and lots of our farmers irrigate to ensure production for the markets and for local restaurants. But eating local often means we eaters are experiencing food a little differently.

Market sweet corn farmer Mark Schottman told us this over the phone this morning: If you're uncomfortable, the corn is, too. Mark's from Effingham, IL, about 90 miles south of U-C, and they've had less rain than we have. If you've been missing him at the Market, the very hot weather and the lack of rain have made it nearly impossible for him to get a sweetcorn crop together. He's irrigating as best he can, and he's hoping he can make it to the Market next week (7/21), but a lot depends on rain moving in and temperatures not being so hot. 

Moral of the story: The appearance of food at your farmers market, whether it's in Urbana or somewhere else, is heavily dependent on the weather. The corn crop - and there is sweet corn at the Market from Kleiss  Produce and Roth Countryside Produce, but they need it to rain, too - is just part of the story. Central Illinois lost its stone fruit crop to a late freeze this year, and southern Illinois may have its peach season cut short this season due to drought and heat. The weather makes all the difference... year-round.