Looking for fresh, healthy food in Chicago? Stop by the
Daley Plaza Farmers Market this Thursday! Every Thursday, farmers and vendors
from across the state travel to Daley Plaza to bring you the freshest,
healthiest food in the market. Here you can find fresh fruits and vegetables,
artisan breads and cheeses, all-natural sodas, and a variety of flowers and
plants!Buy Fresh
Most local farmers and vendors sell organic products and make a commitment to sustainable agricultural practices. While some foods can take 14 days before it actually arrives in the grocery store, requiring chemicals and preservatives, produce at the farmers market is brought to you weekly. If you do purchase produce in supermarkets, look for produce that is in season, to ensure that you are getting the freshest, most local options. See the link below, or click here, to view a Seasonality Chart provided by the City of Chicago and find out when your favorite fruits and vegetables are in season!
Buy Local
2,055. This is the number of miles, on average, lettuce is
shipped from farm to plate in the United States. Why buy lettuce from across
the country when you can buy it from a local Illinois farmer? Buying from local
farmers reduces your carbon footprint by reducing the number of miles food
travels and the amount of fossil fuels burned in the process. On average, 10
kilocalories of energy are burned from fossil fuels for every 1 kilocalorie of
energy we get from food. This is an inefficient, unnecessary system; support
sustainable food networks and buy local!
A Commitment to your Community
By purchasing locally grown foods, you are not only getting
the freshest food, but you are supporting your community. By buying from local
farmers, you are essentially promoting the ecologically sustainable practices
that these farmers employ. Further, you are stimulating the local economy by
investing in local, and typically family-run, businesses.
Whether you are from Chicago or are spending a night or two
with us at HI Chicago, be sure to check out one of the many farmers markets
held throughout the week! The following three are held in downtown Chicago from
7 AM to 3 PM on these respective days:
Tuesday
Federal Plaza Farmers Market (Adams & Dearborn)
Willis Tower Plaza Farmers Market (Wacker & Jackson)
Thursday
Daley Plaza Farmers Market (Washington & Dearborn)
Seasonality chart:
References:
http://www.buylocalca.org/whyLocal.html
http://www.theresidenceschicago.com/blog/?tag=daley-plaza-farmers-market
http://www.theresidenceschicago.com/blog/?tag=daley-plaza-farmers-market
