Photos: Winter Farmers Market at the Botanic Garden

Seasonal produce, herbs, wreaths, handmade pottery, honey, and more available at two upcoming December events.

The Chicago Botanic Garden held it second of four planned Winter Farmers Markets this past Sunday in the center's Garden View Room. The Botanic Garden extends the traditional market season by moving the event indoors and featuring more prepared items and less fresh produce, while there definitely still is some available. This is the fifth year the Winter Farmers Market has been held.  Guests to the market discovered seasonal produce, herbs, wreaths, handmade pottery, honey, and more. A variety of local vendors participate in the event, among them: Xanadu Forests Apiary of Antioch, River Valley Ranch of Burlington, Wisconsin, Faith's Farm of Bonfield Illinois, and Windy City Harvest of Chicago. Two more dates are upcoming in December, one …

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Nearby Farmer's Market Now Accepts Link Cards

Northbrook residents still eligible to use Link cards at the Glenview Farmers' Market, which starts June 23.

Betsy and Sal

Gardening is for the Birds

It's also for the bunnies. And deer. And chipmunks. Welcome to the number one resort for Highland Park's Wildlife.

Gardening is for the birds. More specifically, our garden is for the birds. And, judging from the traffic I’ve witnessed in the past few weeks, it’s also for the bunnies, deer, chipmunks, squirrels, raccoons, insects, grubs, skunks and apparently, some unknown dirt biker. I can’t complain too much though. My husband David and I made a conscious choice to opt for beauty over function when it came to vegetation protection. No fence would obstruct our view of the budding plants as they emerged from the soil. What would stop the hungry predators from taking a turn at our free salad bar? The prayer method would have to do. Planned Gardenhood would not approve. Lovely as our raised stone garden is, a barrier for hungry seed and soft tender root …

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Botanic Garden Serves Up Farm-Fresh Dinner

Caterer has guests munching on organic foods brought in from nearby Midwest states.

It was a beautiful, breezy evening for those attending the Farm Dinner at the Chicago Botanic Garden on Wednesday night, and the menu wasn't that bad, either. The cocktails were fresh from Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois; some of the main-course herbs were picked right from their stems at the garden; and Chicago-based City Provisions, which caters only the finest in locally grown, sustainable and organic foods, did the cooking. Other food stories: Time Marches on for Grocery Store Owner More than 50 guests, who each paid $200 for the dinner reservations and tour through the fruit and vegetable garden, indulged in bacon- and buttercake-stuffed jalapenos as an appetizer, and portobello mushrooms with kale and bleu cheese over ciabatta bread…

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Matt Klinkert

1:07 pm on Friday, September 9, 2011

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Northbrook, in Pictures

Photos: Northbrook Farmers Market Opens For the Season

Opening day celebrations include watermelon cutting, balloon animals, local dignitaries and, of course, fresh local produce.

A night of powerful storms that downed trees and cut off power  did not stop residents from coming out to support the opening day of Northbrook's farmers market Wednesday morning. A ceremonial watermelon cutting marked the official opening and, there were several more activities for families to enjoy.   "This is our third year and it's really, really going well," said farmers market founder Dale Duda. "We're having an amazing opening day.  The community is full of support." Among the market's offerings include a wide selection of produce and live plants as well as a number of prepared products such as honey and oils.  High quality baked goods can be found, as well as crepes and even pizza.  Several nonfood related booths are also at the …

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