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Know Your Farmers Market: Hyde Park Farmers Market

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Aug 3, 2012 9:05PM

(Today we continue our series where we visit a different farmers market in the city as part of raising awareness of the farmers market network across Chicago, their locations and how they work to bring the freshest produce and foodstuffs to the communities they serve.)

The Hyde Park farmers Market takes up a nearly block-long stretch of lawn on East 53rd Street, between Hyde Park Boulevard and the lake. The market has one of the best varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables I’ve seen in my visits so far and what vendors are selling don’t seem to be suffering from the lack of rain in the Midwest. It’s tomato season and some of the beefsteaks I saw from Gray Farms were bigger than my fist. So were the peaches from Lyons Fruit Farm in South Haven, Mich.

Produce weren’t the only offerings at the market. C&D Farms had a nice selection of farm fresh eggs and meats, while Bade Farms in Momence, Ill. had a wide array of fresh organic lilies. There were even some prepared breads, pies and even handmade soaps available, courtesy of Geri’s Botanicals. Foot traffic on my visit was light as it was noon and vendors began breaking down their stalls. With its location in the heart of one of Chicago's more iconic neighborhoods, the Hyde Park farmers market serves a community that, for all its advantages, has an oddly hard access to supermarkets and grocery stores.

The Hyde Park farmers market is easy to reach via CTA, Metra, Lake Shore Drive or even by bicycle using the Lakefront trail. It was a 15-minute ride for me from my apartment to 53rd Street. LINK cards are accepted.

The Hyde Park farmers market is located at East 53rd Street and Hyde Park Boulevard and is open from 7 a.m. - 1 p.m. Thursdays through Oct. 25.