champs2005 wrote:I see the fiasco of Nichols Farm being expelled from the wicker market as reinforcing my previous post (about Evanston's market) that the COVID has sucked all the joy out of going to the farmers market.

Everything's beginning to feel like this . . .



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I mean, how hard is it to get your staff to wear their damn masks — especially after you’ve already gotten repeat warnings? I really don’t understand many of my fellow humans.

I used to love to go to the Evanston farmer's market, and I don't love it anymore because there is no music, and I can't stop and visit with my friends. It is a totally different experience. I go there because I am supporting the farmer, and it is a healthier shopping experience than going to Jewel, and plus because the stuff tastes way better than anything I can get at Jewel. When I was at Jewel yesterday, they had Michigan blueberries for two pints for $1. Even though I did not really need them, I love blueberries, and they were practically giving them away. When I got home, I tried a handful, and they were nowhere as good as the blueberries I got at the Evanston market that I paid $5 a pint for, and plus I know the farmer I got them from who I also got peaches from on Saturday.

When I went to the Wilmette and Winnetka markets on 7/26 only because I was in the neighborhood, I was much more impressed with the Evanston market than I was with Wilmette especially. Winnetka was at least trying to keep a safe market, but Wilmette had rules that were not being enforced, and there were lots of farmers there that let people pick out their own corn and tomatoes, which technically they were not supposed to do. Wilmette has a French market that is too commercial for me. They sell jewelry and other stuff that does not belong there. They only had one long row there which was supposed to be one way only, but they were not enforcing that, and people were not social distancing.

Yes I had one ear of corn last night that I would have not picked out myself, but the other ear was okay, and it was way better than anything I could have gotten at Jewel. Thanks, Nancy

I forgot to say that I took my car into a reputable auto repair place in Evanston that I have been going to for years, and nobody that was working there was wearing a mask, even though they are supposed to. I just decided to let it slide, but I wore a mask when I entered the shop.

NFriday wrote:Wilmette has a French market that is too commercial for me. They sell jewelry and other stuff that does not belong there.

You've mentioned this a couple times, and I don't understand what's commercial about it. I haven't been there this season, so I don't know anything about the virus modifications and rules. But the non-produce items don't seem like their corporate-produced merchandise. Evanston has stuff like soaps and oils that don't seem very different. I understand the "French Market" affiliation, but don't know how that changes much. It's different and smaller, but commercial feels a little weird as a criticism. It's low hassle (just park on Green Bay, walk over the tracks) and often has some items that are sold out at Evanston. The ability to check everything in a simple trip up and down the row can even be seen as an advantage versus Evanston where you have to navigate so much more stalls to find out if you're getting the best the market has to offer.

If fresh produce farmers are blocked from the market because they have an agenda/whatever that requires the kitschy vendors, then I would say the model is more flawed than I knew.

It can be hard to get your staff to wear masks, especially if they hail from a farm in downstate Illinois. From reading the article on Block Club, it was a person unloading the Nichols truck and not a customer-facing person who was maskless for a short time.

Yea, it didn't sound like the words of someone with a lot of experience supervising or managing. I know cilantro may well in fact have the experience, but c'mon. It doesn't matter what you're paying them or how simple the requirements are, people aren't going to fall perfectly in line over the full course of an appreciable period of time. And it sounded ticky tack related to setup, not actual open hours with customers.

The only group I’ve ever managed is a party of half-elf clerics and rangers, who all ended up deserting. And that was a solo game.

But look, if I had people working for me and I knew that my livelihood depended on them following some rule (even if I considered it arbitrary), *and* I had already received numerous warnings, I would have a serious word with them about compliance. Now those guys are out of work, too.

It sounds like Nichols are not allowed to return to the market this season. They may be able to return to Wicker Park next season if they can come to an agreement with the Wicker Park market. Apparently one of their workers had a run in with the manager of the market at the last market they attended. This worker had problems dealing with a customer who wanted to touch all of the produce, and asked the manager to step in and help deal with the situation, and the manager blew him off. Nichol's worker then got angry at the manager.

It sounds like Nichols will be at Big Star again this Sunday, but only for their CSA customers. They will not be handing out free food.

Apparently the Wicker Park Chamber has only been running the market for the last three years, and that is when the relationship soured between Nichols and the market. Before that the city ran the market.

Balaton cherries showed up this week in Lincoln Square. With the sudden rain that caused problems during the senior half-hour on Tuesday I did not verify that the dark red tart cherries at both Mick Klug and Noffke were Balaton. Thursday afternoon the cherries were clearly labeled Balaton at the Klug stand.

Several relatives are in farmers' markets under the Noffke Family Farm label but with varying degrees of separation in operations. The sister of the one at Lincoln Square goes to North Center and Logan Square, so those markets may be worth a try.

Despite dropping temperatures, some Chicago farmers markets extending outdoor season

https://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/c ... story.html

Those extended farmers' markets may be very short on farmers. For example, in Lincoln Square Dotson Farm, Mick Klug Farm and Noffke Family Farm are definitely not coming per my conversations this past week. One other grower had dropped out by this past Tuesday. These farmers basically do not have anything left to sell even if the weather was not likely to be cold.

ekreider wrote:Those extended farmers' markets may be very short on farmers. For example, in Lincoln Square Dotson Farm, Mick Klug Farm and Noffke Family Farm are definitely not coming per my conversations this past week. One other grower had dropped out by this past Tuesday. These farmers basically do not have anything left to sell even if the weather was not likely to be cold.

I'm involved with Green City Market and several of the participating farmers were among those who requested that we try to extend the season. Hopefully, that means that participation will be decent, and that there will be ample produce and goods for sale.

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Logan Square Farmers Market Forced To Find New Winter Home After Grocery Store Kicks Them Out Of Fields Building

https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/11/11 ... -building/

Does anybody know where Nichols is going to be doing drop off? It looks like the pre Thanksgiving market in Evanston is going to be a no go because of the huge spike in COVID cases. I checked their Facebook page, and it just says that the winter markets are no going to happen this winter, and it does not mention anything about where there drop off locations are going to be, even though they are offering a CSA for November and December.

NFriday wrote:Does anybody know where Nichols is going to be doing drop off? It looks like the pre Thanksgiving market in Evanston is going to be a no go because of the huge spike in COVID cases. I checked their Facebook page, and it just says that the winter markets are no going to happen this winter, and it does not mention anything about where there drop off locations are going to be, even though they are offering a CSA for November and December.

You can email them = info@nicholsfarm.com

NFriday wrote:Does anybody know where Nichols is going to be doing drop off? It looks like the pre Thanksgiving market in Evanston is going to be a no go because of the huge spike in COVID cases. I checked their Facebook page, and it just says that the winter markets are no going to happen this winter, and it does not mention anything about where there drop off locations are going to be, even though they are offering a CSA for November and December.

Are grocery stores shut down? No, but screw the small family farmers at farmers markets.

Every one will die from a small farmers market, but not at Jewel. What a hypocrisy.

I don't know if Jewel is still limiting the number of people in their stores like they did in April. I used to see somebody sitting out at the Chicago Ave. store making sure that people were wearing their masks, and keeping track of how many people were entering the store. I have not seen anybody doing that for at least two months. If they don't limit how many people enter the store the day before Thanksgiving, the crowds are going to be huge, and no way will I go into a Jewel store right before Thanksgiving.

Whole Foods used to limit the number of customers too, but I am not sure if they are doing that. I know Trader Joe's still is.

The Talking Farm in Skokie, is going to offer PYOB again this Thursday. You order on their website starting tomorrow, 11/17, and then you pick it up at their farm on Howard on Thursday.

NFriday wrote:The Talking Farm in Skokie, is going to offer PYOB again this Thursday. You order on their website starting tomorrow, 11/17, and then you pick it up at their farm on Howard on Thursday.

Thanks, Nancy! Here is the link—we have hoop houses, along with the cold weather crops, so there will be a lot of great veggies to choose from!

https://the-talking-farm.myshopify.com/collections/pick-your-own-basket-skokie-pickup-thursday-mornings/pyob