The Weblog

The local foods movement is alive and well in Champaign County! Here are some updates on other projects while we finalize our virtual market:

Local Producers Map:
Our local producers map is ready for publication and you will soon be able to find it on gochampaign.com. Copies will be distributed around the community, in the local telephone book, and other “hangouts”. The guide lists the location and contact information for nearly 50 local producers within our county. The map was a project of the Local Food Council and printed with the help of some local sponsors including the Monument Square District, Champaign Bank, the Community Improvement Corporation, the Chamber of Commerce, the Farm Bureau and others. It is a great start to finding a local source for Champaign County’s finest!



 
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Snowy streets out there!


This post expired on January 25, 2023.

Good morn to you locavores! Be careful if you have to travel on these slippery roads. Stay home and learn something new if you can. Just a few exciting things to cover today…

First, the market board has discussed opening the market sooner so you have more time to shop. I agree we can do this and still close the market at regular hours on Tuesday eve. So, we will be opening the market on Sunday as scheduled but NEXT week, we will open the market Thursday evening at 8 PM after market pickup. If you are a traditionalist, you won’t need to do anything different. If you are a trendsetter (and we know you all are!) you can now shop Thursday thru Tuesday. Only issue might be if an item usually sells out, you might need to adjust your shopping habits to purchase earlier to get the best selection. Again, look for the change next week after market pickup on Thursday!

Also, we are going to be working with some of our vendors who are interested in hosting a gathering at their farms or homes. We have an option on the bottom of the sales listing that can be used for reserving a spot at an event. We will provide details for each tour as they are added and will be asking those interested in attending to sign up with a reservation so we know how many will be attending. We’re hoping to provide teachings, tastings and tours monthly throughout the year so let us know who you want to visit! Our vendors all want to show you how they make/grow/raise your food with as much transparency as possible and tours are perfect for this! A nominal fee (a few dollars) will be charged to compensate our vendors for their time but look forward to some take-aways too! It will be fun I promise! Just mention to your market helpers who you would like to tour and we will try to fill your requests!

Have a wonderful day and be watching for our super specials coming up to help you celebrate the SuperBowl with local produce!