Farmers market season kicks off in Lincoln Park: 'A dedication to shopping local'

On Saturday, Green City Market kicked off farmers market season with its annual Lincoln Park event, where shoppers can track ingredients in their purchases within the market’s boundaries.

Sample a beverage from Jun Bug Kombucha? Walk over to Ellis Family Farms, where the honey was sourced.

Buy a batch of lacto-fermented vegetables from Sidekick Ferments? Head over to Jacobson Family Farms to shop the produce in its natural state.

Eat a salad with feta from Closed Loop Farms? There’s even more cheese at J2K Capraio’s booth.

“We're using at least five other vendors,” said Jake Chappell, 32, the home delivery manager for Back of the Yards-based Closed Loop Farms. “It's really great to have cohesion, where everyone's working together and selling each other's product and hyping each other up.”

That collaborative spirit is just one of the highlights of the farmers market on North Clark Street, which runs each Saturday through November. (It will add Wednesday hours beginning in May.) The event features dozens of vendors from Chicago and throughout the Midwest. Thousands of patrons shop for vegetables, flowers, meat, baked goods, coffee, prepared food and even dog treats.

In addition to providing access to locally grown food in a fun environment, the market has become a place where farmers can branch out and thrive.

"We're watching our farmers, who maybe started off only doing produce, expanding their farm operations," said Taylor Choy, Green City Market's deputy director and chief operating officer. "Now, they're raising animals, they're starting to do more regenerative agricultural practices. So we're growing the farmers also in their businesses here, incubating them. We're testing out to see if the expansion of their farm operations will yield better sustainability for their businesses."

Now in its 26th year, Green City Market drew more than 60,000 customers in 2024 to its multiple markets held throughout the year. Choy said that turnout was up 42% over the year before.

"I think that there is maybe greater distrust when we go to grocery stores, where that food is coming from," said Choy, who cited recent egg shortages and food recalls. "What we see, especially with the last couple of years, are younger generations coming to shop at farmers markets more. There's a dedication to shopping local."

Farmers and other business owners may also welcome support from markets amid the turbulent political climate. Choy said one vendor lost a federal contract.

And given that the full impact of President Donald Trump's new tariffs on imported products is unknown, vendors are waiting to see how they will be affected. Their food may be grown in the Midwest, but their packaging — and even their tents — may be produced elsewhere and thus generate extra costs, Choy said.

Sam Fazioli, owner of Jun Bug Kombucha, said he was anticipating some price changes for his ingredients.

"We do import tea from Japan," said Fazioli, 35, who works out of a shared kitchen, which he calls "the fermentation station," in Lake View. "The tariffs will be affecting those purchases. It hasn't gone into effect yet, so we haven't seen it as of yet."

He also partners with a local purveyor of saffron, which sources the spice from Afghanistan.

"He hasn't raised his prices yet," Fazioli said.

Kyle Jacobson, 39, owner of Jacobson Family Farms in north suburban Antioch, said he wasn't able to predict what might happen for his business.

"All of our packaging is U.S.-made, but who knows, though?" he said. "I don't have time to think about it. I've got to get the seeds in the ground, I've got to get the animals rotated into the butcher."

Jacobson, a first-generation farmer who also sells pasture-raised beef, lamb and chicken and pork, called the Lincoln Park market the best in the city.

"On top of the traffic, you have customers that are just real foodies that are willing to explore," he said.

Among Saturday's curious customers were Rachel Auerbach, 28, of Lincoln Park, and Gabrielle Marmon, 29, of Lake View.

"I really like to support local farms and businesses," said Auerbach, who bought mushroom pasta and pasta sauce. "I feel like that's so important, especially right now — just the impending drive towards big business."

Marmon, who purchased cheddar biscuits, said she enjoyed the sense of community at the market.

"I find it really empowering to feel like you're a part of something local but bigger than yourself."

Popular among customers was 78-year-old Oriana Kruszewski, who Choy calls the "market grandma."

The owner of Oriana's Orchard in Winslow, near the Wisconsin border, Kruszewski was selling Asian pear products, including dried pear chips, herbal tea and raw vinegar. She was assisted by "Top Chef" contestant and North Pond Restaurant executive chef César Murillo, who uses her pears in his mole.

Kruszewski spoke about a love of nature and teaching younger people like Murillo her trade. She also eagerly engaged in conversation with customers, providing detailed information about how she grows her products.

She's been a market vendor for decades and said it wasn't just the business that kept her coming back.

"It's the atmosphere," she said.