molly, Author at Illinois Buy Fresh Buy Local

Black-Owned Eden Place Farms’ Heavenly Impact on a South Side Chicago Neighborhood

A century ago, there were nearly 1 million Black farmers in the United States, and they composed about 14 percent of the farm population. Today there are fewer than 50,000, just over 1 percent of all farmers. So if you…

CSA’s the Best Way to Know Your Farmer and Your Food: The Broadview Farm Story

Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) was at the cutting edge as consumer interest in buying food directly from local farmers started to build. True believers eagerly subscribed to receive CSA boxes from their favorite farms, ensuring that they would enjoy the products…

January is the perfect time to fill your freezer with pastured meats

Colleen and Jeremy Ruhter of That Little Farm in the Country pose with their Idaho Pasture Pigs. January is the perfect month to buy local meat. Cold winter days lend themselves to wholesome winter meals, and pastured meats are a…

Mark Brady & Katie Kennedy Of Timberfeast Farms Make It Easy To Purchase Their Pasture-raised Turkey. Head Over To Their Website For Online Ordering And Pick Up Options, And While You're There, Choose From Hundreds Of Other Local Ingredients In Their Online Store.

17 Farms Where You Can Find Local Turkey this Thanksgiving

Now's the time to start planning your Holiday gatherings. Have you made your turkey plan yet? When you prioritize purchasing a local turkey this Thanksgiving, you'll not only get a turkey with unique and delicious flavor, but you'll be keeping your food dollars local, growing your local economy, and helping keep family farmers on the land.

Buy Fresh and Buy Local this Holiday Season

Holiday shopping will look very different this year, but that does not mean buying from local retailers is off the table. In this post, we explore how important it is to shop locally this season, and how the Illinois Buy Fresh Buy Local directory can help you find local retailers who carry products from your local farmers and food artisans. Photo/Supporting Images:

Buy Fresh Buy Local Illinois Announces Farm-to-Table Restaurant Award Winners

Buy Fresh Buy Local (BFBL) is pleased to announce the winners of the first annual Illinois’ Favorite Farm-to-Table Restaurant Awards. Diners from across the state voted for their favorite restaurants listed in the BFBL Illinois Directory. The restaurants that received…

Voting Now Open for the Illinois Favorite Farm-to-Table Restaurant Awards

Voting runs September 14-30, 2020 Now more than ever farm-to-table restaurants need support. To help promote these restaurants that are going the extra mile to source from area farmers, the Buy Fresh Buy Local Illinois coalition is launching the inaugural…

Buy Fresh Buy Local Illinois Launches Farm-to-Table Restaurant Awards

Now is your chance to show your favorite farm-to-table restaurants some love in the Illinois’ Favorite Farm-to-Table Restaurant Awards presented by Buy Fresh Buy Local Illinois. Voting opens on September 14 and closes on September 30

Meet Farmers Marty and Will Travis of Down at the Farms, LLC

n the wake of a pandemic, farmers Marty and Will Travis of Down at the Farms, LLC lost 30 restaurant accounts overnight. But with ingenuity and incredible foresight, the Travis’s pivoted to meet the needs of their community and insure that 60+ farms would stay in business.

40 Local Farms for All Your Grilling Needs this 4th of July

It's that time of year to fire up the grill, and with 4th of July just around the corner, Buy Fresh Buy Local Illinois has your local meat supply taken care of. Whether you're grilling up burgers, brats, or wings, check out the 40 farms below that will make your celebration extra special and extra delicious. There's nothing more American than buying local!

Why Shop at a Farmers Market?

The COVID-19 pandemic shed a new light on the importance of farmers markets and supporting local farmers. Shoppers, if they didn’t know already, are realizing now more than ever the importance of connecting with their local food system. So even with changes and restrictions happening at our Illinois markets, why should we continue to shop at farmers markets? We explain more in this month’s blog post.

Support all the local businesses you love with stay-at-home bingo

With the state’s stay-at-home order extended through the end of May, why not have a little fun while social distancing using the Buy Fresh Buy Local Illinois bingo card? Even with social distancing orders in place for another month, there are ways that we can support local food businesses from across the state.