61st Street Market shoppers know when they want to buy quality, organic meat, Mint Creek Farm always delivers. They’ve been bringing delicious organic grass-fed beef, boar, goat, lamb, poultry, eggs, honey, and more to the Market since 2008.

This year, the 61st Street Farmers Market made big impacts in our community—partnering with Carnegie Elementary School and the Jackson Parkside Terrace (JPT) community to bring fresh food, hands-on learning, and joyful experiences to hundreds of families.

This week, we’re proud to highlight Bennett Farms, a small but mighty family farm delivering high-quality meats with exceptional flavor and care. Founded by farmer Tom Bennett, a U.S. Marine veteran, the farm began in 2012 out of a desire to feed his growing family real, quality food. What started as a personal mission quickly grew into a community movement as demand from friends and neighbors took root.

This Saturday marks the end of the 26th annual National Farmers Market Week, an annual celebration that highlights the vital role of farmers markets in our food system. To celebrate, we are sharing some reasons why our customers and vendors love 61st Street Farmers Market

Celebrating National Farmers Market Week: Why Markets Matter Now More Than Ever

National Farmers Market Week (August 4–10) is a time to celebrate the 61st Street Farmers Market—and farmers markets across Illinois—for the vital role they play in our communities.

1. The power of local food nourishes communities and strengthens the local economy

2. An access point for healthy food with Link Match

3. Beyond dollars and data, farmers markets bring people together

This week, we’re proud to spotlight one of our longest-standing vendors at the 61st Street Farmers Market, Ellis Family Farms. With deep roots dating back to the 1920s, this family-run farm has been growing produce in Benton Harbor, Michigan for over 100 years. Today, the legacy continues with René Ellis, who officially took over the 60 acre farm from her parents in 2005 and now runs it alongside her husband, Bruce.

The Englewood community on Chicago’s South Side has long faced a lack of full-service grocery stores, affordable produce, and safe spaces for families to gather. That began to change with the opening of Go Green Fresh Market and the launch of the Link Match program for SNAP recipients.

Grant Kessler is a Chicago-based food photographer and passionate local food advocate. He is currently supporting Experimental Station as a Project Manager to organize and coordinate the creation of an Illinois Food System Roadmap. We interviewed him to learn more.

For years, Experimental Station has voiced our concern that Illinois is a severely food insecure state, importing more than 95% of the foods we eat. This, despite being one of the country’s leading agricultural states. Out of that concern grew our suggestion for Illinois to create a plan to rebuild the state’s food system, such that Illinois farmers would produce more foods that we can eat and have the infrastructure and markets to process, distribute, and sell their products.