Warning-I just went on Soul and Smoke's website, and I clicked on order, and my antivirus software would not let me go there. There were phishing concerns. It looked though like you could not order individual servings of anything just based on the prices I saw. Hope this helps, Nancy

NFriday wrote:Warning-I just went on Soul and Smoke's website, and I clicked on order, and my antivirus software would not let me go there. There were phishing concerns. It looked though like you could not order individual servings of anything just based on the prices I saw. Hope this helps, Nancy

They’re using Tock for their online ordering platform. When you purchase a meal, you’re also purchasing one to be sent out to the community.

bweiny wrote:I don't know what viewpoint this article is being written from, because what it describes absolutely doesn't square with my experience at 10.30am, pretty much right in the heart of open hours.

The part about forgetting something and "there's no circling back" couldn't be further from the truth. It's not part of a quote from the manager Gorman, so I have no idea who told Louisa that. The center of the market was wide open, nothing at all to prevent people from walking from one side to the other. Even if you could make that an enforceable way of running the market, it would result in a windfall for the markets at the front

Coming back to note that Louisa corrected this part of the article. It now says "you can circle back, but just keep moving" which is a much more accurate description of the setup.

Hi- The Daily Northwestern did an article last week about the changes taking place at the Evanston Farmer's Market this year.

https://dailynorthwestern.com/2020/04/2 ... 2bH_cvk3Cc

Notice that there is a comment at the end of the article from somebody who used to post a lot in this group saying that she will not attend the market this summer because they won't let her pick out her own produce. The only thing that would make a lot of difference to me would be tomatoes and corn. I assume large tomatoes are going to be bagged up, and they just lay the bag down on the table for you to pick up. Also you could get some less than desirable sweet corn, but I hate it when people strip it to death to find the perfect ear of corn. This is way safer shopping than Jewel right now.

I did leave a comment for the market manager on the farmer market website, about the fact that she should emphasize more about why people should come solo. She said she did already mention it, and there really was not anything more she could do to encourage spouses to stay at home. I am just concerned that on Saturday they had 2,300 people show up, and they only let 105 people in the market at any one time. It worked out okay, but in June when the fruit starts appearing, we can expect to see as many as 5,000 people show up on a given Saturday. She said she is going to encourage the vendors that do preorder to have a separate line for people to pick up their order. They should have asparagus this Saturday, but Henry won't be at the market until at least 5/16, and maybe not until 5/30.

Week 2 of the Distanced Masked Experiment

Spaced line at 9.45a stretched from the entrance on the south (garage) end to University Place. Only took 5 minutes. The most frustrating element is the lack of clarity on whether a line exists at a vendor. Because of the spacing, a short line just looks like people standing looking around, there's no shape.

Nichols was well stocked, I got a $5 pound of heirlooms. Stovers remained the only vendor with ramps. They were almost out by 10a when I got my bunches. River Valley had the most professional efficient operation, per usual.

Asparagus was in, kids being with their parents was out. Looked like an even split between couples and solo shoppers.

Hi- I just got back from the farmer's market. It seems like there were more people there, but I got there an hour earlier. People were not social distancing as much as last week either. I got there earlier because I wanted to get some plants from Teresa. She had all of the plants that I wanted, but I got charged $6 instead of $4.50 because she quit accepting preorders. Downstate she got three times as many preorders as she got last year, and when she opened up the ordering for Evanston, she had 50 people order on the first day.

I only got one bunch of asparagus, because Jon First was not there today, and Nichols asparagus was $6 for the same size as Jon First's $4 bunch. Jon will be there next week. I also got a bag of spinach from Nichol's, and a dozen eggs from Gast's. BTW- Gast's only take cash. He is into low tech. I was told. I said I knew that because my sister Annette texted him a few years ago, and Eddy said he does not do texts, and please don't send him any more. I thought all the farmers had to take credit cards this year.

What is going on with Green Fire? Their line was as long as Nichols. Are all of those people waiting for eggs? Are their eggs that much better than anybody else's? Thanks, Nancy

NFriday wrote:
What is going on with Green Fire? Their line was as long as Nichols. Are all of those people waiting for eggs? Are their eggs that much better than anybody else's? Thanks, Nancy

I was also curious about the line for Green Fire. I was there early (before 8:30) and it was the only sizable line I saw.

There was no line to get into the market when I arrived. I was basically there to buy plan starts rather than produce so I didn't inspect the vendors that closely. It's early, though, so selection is limited.

bweiny wrote:Stovers remained the only vendor with ramps. They were almost out by 10a when I got my bunches.

On my way back to the parking garage, I saw Lake Breeze Organics also had ramps, though maybe they ran out by the time you arrived.

gastro gnome wrote:On my way back to the parking garage, I saw Lake Breeze Organics also had ramps, though maybe they ran out by the time you arrived.

While I'm familiar with that name, I can't recall their location in this setup. I might've missed it at theirs. There were several similar sounding green onion and garlic items at other places. If it is to the west of Stovers, I'm even more likely to be wrong because I wasn't as circumspect on the last greens vendor directly to the left/west.

bweiny wrote:

gastro gnome wrote:On my way back to the parking garage, I saw Lake Breeze Organics also had ramps, though maybe they ran out by the time you arrived.

While I'm familiar with that name, I can't recall their location in this setup. I might've missed it at theirs. There were several similar sounding green onion and garlic items at other places. If it is to the west of Stovers, I'm even more likely to be wrong because I wasn't as circumspect on the last greens vendor directly to the left/west.

I don't know where Stovers is set up.

Lake Breeze is in a new location. They are as far Southwest as you can go in the lot - where Spud Club used to set up; just outside of the westmost garage door.

Lake Breeze is out of the square. I went on Green Fire's website, and it sounds like they mostly sell meat that you preorder. Most of their chicken is sold out, but they also have lamb, lots of sausage, eggs, various cuts of beef, and some pork. They are located in Wisconsin. They must be doing something right.

NFriday wrote:Lake Breeze is out of the square.

I paid even less attention to those this week because I parked in the row in the alley facing south at University Pl. The end of the line was right across the street. Garlic chives at Smits were the only thing I considered on the outside as I walked past them. Didn't look closely enough at Lake Breeze which must be between Smits and Katic, but I thought that's where 1st Orchards had been. You could know every nook and cranny about prior years and be just as clueless as a first-timer now.

Katic is good enough bread I might place a pre-order at some point soon if I remember before the Wednesday cutoff.

I wish they would post the map of the market online the day before. They had it displayed at the entrance to the market, but I did not want to take the time to look at it carefully. I asked where First Orchards was at the City of Evanston table, and somebody told me he will be there next week. When the fruit people such as Keoningshof's and Morlock's show up, I don't know where they are going to put them. I hope the virus dies down enough that they can loosen things a little bit by the end of the summer, but I don't know.

Hi- Henry is going to be at the Evanston market this Saturday, with spinach, sorrel, chives, mint, some Asian greens and stinging nettles. He is not bringing any lettuce this time. The market has changed its hours starting this Saturday. It was open from 7:30-1:00. They are now going to open up at 7:00, but the first half hour is reserved for seniors and people with disabilities. I wonder how they are going to police that. Previously the market manager encouraged seniors to stay home, as if Jewel is going to be safer. A friend of mine went to Valli a few weeks ago on one of their Senior days, and she said she did not feel comfortable there, because there were too many customers there, but she saved $5 by going there.

BTW- My Sister Annette that has the farm in Michigan says parts of her farm got down to 24 degrees on the morning of 5/9. Everything is late there this year, and her apples were not in bloom yet, but her cherries, apricots and peaches were. She is sure that she lost some of her crop, but she won't know how much damage it caused until maybe on Monday. Last summer she only had 25% of a peach crop, and she had way more peaches than anyone else in SW Michigan. She had one orchard that had almost 100% of a crop, and the rest of her peach orchards only had a handful of peaches. You can visit her Facebook page here to find out more.
https://www.facebook.com/fruitacres/?rf=448493168689210

I wonder who is considered a senior? Is it 60 or 65? Other?

Hi- I think it is 65. She does not say, but in her earlier remarks she mentions that people 65 or older should stay home. I went to one of Jewel's senior hours, and they were not policing it, and there were clearly people there way younger than 65, but there is a remote chance that they had a preexisting condition.

Hi- I just checked on the farmer's market Facebook page, and you do have to be 65 to be considered a senior. The market manager did a webinar this week with 80 market managers explaining how she was able to open up a safe market. The person who is selling the cashews is selling them in bags already roasted. Part of his proceeds is being donated to the Cancer Wellness Center in Northbrook. There is also a new person from NW Indiana selling goats milk cheese and other cheeses that looks interesting. Currently they don't allow anybody to prepare food at the market such as the crepe people that were there last year. They also don't allow anybody to sell cups of coffee. They have two people there selling coffee, but it sounds like they are only allowed to sell coffee beans.

I was just on the Evanston friends site, and another new thing that has just been implemented is that if you buy more than you can carry to your car in one trip, you can go to the city table where you have your parking ticket validated, and ask for a ticket which allows you to take a load of stuff to your car, and then come back and enter the market again with out waiting in line.

NFriday wrote:There is also a new person from NW Indiana selling goats milk cheese and other cheeses that looks interesting.

If that’s the same guy who was sometimes at the winter market, then he has some really nice cheeses. Unfortunately for him, I don’t know how likely people (including myself) are to buy pricey cheese without having tried it. Hope he sticks around, though.

No line at 9.45am, small one when I was leaving 15-20 min later.

After parking on Emerson and walking in along Oak, I saw the out-of-the-loop vendors first, Henry's the first among them. I was picking up items for some friends who have been regulars in past years. Radishes were on their list, and Henry had them at 2 for $5. But Henry was being a stickler for the exact change "rule", that other vendors see as more of a suggestion. With limited singles and fives, I wanted to check the inside before giving up the limited currency. After shopping for the brief period, getting a couple fives in change at a couple places, I went back to Henry's and they were packing up, radishes gone, just selling off the last sorrel, spinach and one other green. I was apoplectic.

Stovers is done with ramps, I got one bunch at Lake Breeze which are 3x's the cost of Stovers when factoring in how much smaller the bunch is. No fruit anywhere (another missed item on my friend's list). 1st Orchards was there, mainly plants, but they had asparagus (which I already got for friends and family at Stovers and Lyons). Going to see how different spring onions from Green Acres play as opposed to ramps, I'll compensate with greater garlic proportion. The shrimp scampi with ramps tossed with linguine I've made a couple times was really good this last week.

Hi- I thought the farmers were told that they were not supposed to give change back. The market said they preferred that people pay with credit card. Everyone took my credit card, but Gasts don't take any credit. It was okay because I had exact change when I bought my eggs last week. I was going to go to the bank before I hit the market to get some cash, but I was running late, and I only had 5 singles with me. Part of the problem is that ATM's do not give out singles, and I am not sure if they give out $5. It might just be even amounts they give out. The bank branch that I usually go to, the lobby is closed except for appointments only. The branch on Emerson has walk up and drive up, and so I will go there this week and ask for lots of small change at the walk up.

I actually prefer First's asparagus to every one else, although Nichols were okay last week. First's give you 2 large bunches for $8. I asked if they would take my credit card since I did not have enough cash, and they told me yes. After I paid for it I noticed that they charge an additional 10% if you don't spend $50 there. He used to do that, but I was hoping that he was getting rid of that additional charge. Next week I will make sure I visit the walk up branch on Emerson to get lots of small change before I go to the market.

Henry's Sister only took exact change for her plants last week too, but she preferred people pay by credit. If you paid her more in cash, she said that she was going to give the extra money to the farmer's market for their LINK match program. Henry had two bags of spinach left when I got to his stall. I assumed he was inside, and so when I did not see him, I bought a bag from Nichol's. I passed on the ramps. They were too expensive.

Everything is late this year because of the cold spring, and strawberries won't be available until the middle of June. Hope this helps, Nancy

I'd have no problem using a credit card if the processors had waived their cut and fees, but absent that, I can't knowingly give them a piece of the action that I'm trying to get to these farmers. The fact bank lobbies are closed has made it harder to get small bills for exact change, furthering the burden of the policy.

Considering how loosely I see the other so-called rules such as going alone, hand sanitizer upon entry and exit (that's gone), being followed, the exact change only policy should be ditched. More of a pain than it's worth.

I just looked it up and she does not require people to use credit cards or use exact cash. She just says she would like them to. I get the impression that some people will give you cash back. I saw Stover's doing it the first week, but I am not sure about Nichols, and Henry and his sister actually prefers you to pay with a credit card. I think they are hung up about how sanitary the bills are. They actually found out that when they started accepting credit cards that people actually bought more. The only times I have used my credit card with them though is when I bought a lot of plants from Teresa, or at the Thanksgiving market when I order tons of stuff from Henry. Last week I spent $42 on plants.

I don't know what the deal is with the hand sanitizer. The first week they had a huge bottle of hand sanitizer and gave everybody some. I have not seen that since then. I have not seen the hand sanitizing stations, but I have not looked for them either. On two different occasions today I caught somebody trying to cut into the line, and I had to point out where the end of the line was. I don't think they did this deliberately though. Hopefully they will be able to loosen things up a little bit by the end of June when Pritzer allows the restaurants to open up.

I just posted over at the Evanston farmer's market Facebook page asking if the vendor's were allowed to issue change if somebody pays with cash. I also expressed frustration that Gast's only take cash, and First's charge you 10% extra if you charge it and spend less than $50, and Henry will accept exact cash, but prefers to be paid with a credit card. I also went into the fact that a lot of banks do not have drive ups and ATM machines do not give out small bills. The Evanston market is mostly just following the recommendations given by the state of Illinois, and I think a big part of the reason they even decided to have a market is because a lot of people begged them too. Hopefully things will loosen up when we enter into stage 3 which hopefully will happen the end of this month. Then at least you will be able to get a hair cut.

The farmers need this more than Evanston does. Most grocery stores only want to deal with mega farms that can supply all of their grocery stores with produce. Most farmer's unless they have a CSA, have nowhere else to sell their produce right now, especially due to the fact that they have lost most of their sales to restaurants.

Hi- I posted on the Evanston farmer's market Facebook page yesterday mentioning about the different forms of payment I have run across at the market. The market manager just got back to me, and she said that she preferred that they do credit card and exact change when doing transactions, but she is not forcing them to, and it is up to them, and it sounds like they can give change back if they want too, although she would prefer that people pay with exact change. I told her that Eddie Gast only takes cash, but she told me he is looking at options. He is a friend of my sister Annette that has the farm, and he is not tech savvy. She texted him once, and he called her up, and told her please don't text me again.

Next Saturday I will definitely go to the Byline Bank walk up/drive up on Emerson near the market, and get lots of small bills, and I will check out the outside of the market to see what they have before I get inside the square, although that does help now that they will give you a ticket to reenter the market without waiting in line. Anybody that has any questions about the market, or has any suggestions should go to the market's Facebook page. She will get back to you. Hope this helps, Nancy

The Mexican restaurant is going to be at the market tomorrow. I am not sure how they are going to keep people from eating their tamales at the market as opposed to waiting until you are home. Kinnikinnick Farms is not going to be at the market until at least July. Right now they are only doing preorders, and pick up is at Temperance Brewing on Dempster.

Henry is not going to be at the market tomorrow either, although his sister Teresa will be there for people who preordered warm weather plants from her. She will also bring up some additional plants for sale, but the ones you buy at the market she charges $6 per plant. Since people are not supposed to spend lots of time at her stall deciding what tomato plants to get, Teresa has come up with some signs with general options. You can tell her that you want a red cherry tomato plant and she brings you one. You can also specify what variety of red cherry tomato plant you want, but she does not have the individual varieties listed anywhere. This is to speed things up, and get people in and out as quick as possible. There is one heirloom tomato plant with a Russian or Polish name that I would like to purchase, but I can't remember the name for it. It is one that several of her customers recommended to her, and she said it produces like crazy.

Hi- I just visited the Evanston Farmer's Market Facebook page, and Myra the market manager, just posted a new post. She is reminding people that they cannot bring dogs, and that they must do social distancing, and they must wear a mask. She is also reminding people that 7:00-7:30 is reserved for seniors or people with disabilities, and that only one person from the family should come to the market. I have seen lots of couples show up, and a few families with baby strollers, as well as groups of 4 or more friends show up together, and not doing the social distancing. As she mentioned, there is really nothing for the kids to get excited about. There are no free samples, no music, and no sprout club. She is also encouraging people to preorder as much as possible before they come to the market. One person posted on the Facebook page that there were several people who went to the front of the line for one particular vendor to see what he was bringing that week, and they were not socially distancing. She was probably referring to Nichols. They always have a long line, and they bring lots of stuff.

Starting next week 6/6 they will expand the market to make room for the people that bring fruit. University Ave. will be closed off to vehicles, and additional vendors will be set up there.

Both Teresa and Henry are showing up tomorrow as well as Wettstein's. Teresa is bringing the last of her veggie and herb plants. Some of her plants are going to be B1G1F, including her plum tomato and her non bell sweet pepper plants. A few of her herbs including her parsley are going to be $3 or 5/$10. She is not putting her basil on sale.

Henry is not bringing any lettuce or spinach this week, although I wonder if he is including those in his CSA this week. He is bringing strawberries, but I am sure they are not going to be cheap. He is also bringing stinging nettles, some sort of mushroom plant. It smells like mushrooms, and some herbs. Does anybody here ever buy anything from Wettsteins?

There is still going to be lots of asparagus and spinach tomorrow, and some lettuce. I was disappointed with the bag of lettuce I bought last week. They were the only vendor to still have lettuce when I got there. Has any Senior here made it to the market at 7:00 here? I am tempted to get there that early so I can get some of Teresa's Sungold tomato plants. How are the crowds then?

Busiest it's been with the longest lines of the year. I got there at 8.15a, the line was to University Pl and a few feet west on University. As I was leaving 40 min later, the line stretched west on University, almost to Henry's, ie. the western edge of the enclosed square.

The line moved fast though. Nichol's keeps offering more and more, while other vendors seemed to have less. With all the lines both to get in, and again once inside, it's not a very enjoyable experience. Closing University to expand it next week is going to be a shitshow. The line will be on the sidewalk on the other side, people aren't going to be getting dropped off in the same place, or generally know what the hell is going on.

Hi- I got there at 8:00. I did not even go inside the square. When I got to Henry's I got in the CSA line by mistake, and did not realize it until I finally went to Henry to tell him what I want, and he told me I was in the wrong line. The lines were not marked at all. The line for people that are not picking up CSA orders was shorter. Henry was already out of the strawberries when I got in the right line, and so I ended up getting one bag of mesclun and two bags of spinach. I then went to Teresa to purchase more plants, and she had some tomato plants that she was out of last week, including Sungold, Black Krim and Cherokee Purple. I also bought some more basil and parsley and some pepper plants. I ended up spending $84. Before I stopped in at Teresa's, I was going to go to Jon First to get some asparagus, but he was not at the market yet. He had problems with his truck, and did not make it there until 8:30. I then walked home with my plants, and then came back to get some asparagus.

I did not even go inside the square since Henry had spinach. I saw how long the line was to get in when I got there at 8:00. As I was walking back home with my plants, I saw a couple enter the parking garage with their dog, and I informed them that dogs were not allowed. If they could convince only one member of the family to come to the market that would help a lot. I saw a couple with a baby stroller, and a wagon walking towards the market.

The lines outside the square were not that bad other than the line for Henry's CSA and the line at Jon First because he was still setting up when I got back to the market. The only farmer inside the square that I would have bought anything from was Nichols anyway. I still think not everyone is aware that the market is set up completely different this year, and that they cannot pick out the stuff themselves

Hi- I just received the email that Terra sent telling people what Henry is bringing to the market. Since the majority of his produce will go to the people that purchased a CSA from him, Terra will send an email to those people on Thursday evening to let people know what will be in their CSA. On Friday evening Terra will be sending an email to everyone else telling people what Henry is bringing to the people that do not have a CSA.

The market will expand tomorrow, and will have vendors set up on University Place. Henry will be relocated to University Place and most of the vendors that are showing up for the first time this season, will also be situated there. This street used to be used for handicapped parking, but handicapped parking has been relocated to the parking garage.

Inside the square Nichols will be relocated to the West side of the square. Morlocks are returning for the first time this season, and they will also be located in the square.

Henry is bringing his amazing array of lettuce tomorrow, and he is trying something different since he is bringing lots of different varieties of lettuce, and people are not allowed to touch the lettuce before they purchase it. He is charging everyone $3 per bag of lettuce if he or one of his helpers picks out the bag. If you tell him that you only want red romaine lettuce, then he will charge you $4 per bag. He is also bringing the first of his snow peas, as well as many other things. He will have everything he is bringing written down on several white boards.

There might be a few strawberries there tomorrow since Morlocks and another fruit grower from Michigan are coming tomorrow. There should also be lots of asparagus. When I went on the friends of the Evanston farmer's market site today, I noticed that 1st Orchards now has a website, and you can preorder from them. Hope this helps, Nancy