local food Archives – Illinois Buy Fresh Buy Local

The Pleasures of Eating Locally: Five Unique Farm-to-Table Restaurants to Experience in Illinois

In this month’s blog post, we feature five unique farm-to-table restaurants to experience in Illinois, all of which provide immense pleasure in eating locally and supporting local business.

Illinois Dairy is Udderly Delicious!

From yogurt to cheese curds, cows milk to goats milk, Illinois dairy producers are making a name for themselves through their dedication to fresh, high-quality dairy. If you’re looking for udderly delicious Illinois dairy products, this month’s Buy Fresh Buy Local Illinois blog post will help you get started! Get to know Rocky Road Dairy, All Grass Farms, Rolling Lawn Farm, Ropp Jersey Cheese, and Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery.

Building, Growing, and Resilience: Shining a Light on Illinois’ BIPOC Farmers

BIPOC farmers in Illinois are finding ways to build equitable food systems, grow their communities, and promote resilience across Illinois. Buy Fresh Buy Local Illinois is honored to shine a light on three amazing Illinois farms in this month’s blog.

Photos Of Grain Producers From This Article, Map Of Illinois Indicating Location Of Each Farm

Grains Galore: From Rice to Spirits, Illinois Artisan Grains are Rising to the Occasion

In this month’s blog post, we head out on a journey of grains galore beginning Southern Illinois at Cahokia Rice, then we’ll work our way north to Central Illinois where we’ll visit Funks Grove Heritage Fruits & Grains and Silver Tree Beer & Spirits, and then move into Northern Illinois to complete our artisan grain journey at Breslin Farms.

Discover Amazing Farm Finds in 2024 with Community Supported Agriculture

Community supported agriculture, or more commonly referred to as a CSA, is growing in popularity as a means for receiving a subscription to farm products throughout the growing season. However, across Illinois, there are CSAs that include some amazing farm finds spanning beyond produce that you don’t want to miss out on in 2024.

Four ways to beef up (pun intended) your shopping list to include more pasture raised meats

As we start a new year, you may be thinking of additional ways that you can eat a more healthful diet while supporting your local food economy. One way to do this is to eat more pasture raised meats. In this month’s blog post, we offer up four ways to beef up (pun intended) your shopping list to include more pasture raised meats.

Homemade Holiday Gift Guide: 6 local food gifts that taste like home and support small businesses

A tasty homemade food gift is the present everyone loves. Thanks to the Illinois Home-to-Market Act, and Buy Fresh Buy Local Illinois’ online directory, it's easier than ever to find and purchase delicious products to present to family and friends as unique gifts.

Time to gobble up locally raised Thanksgiving turkeys

Thanksgiving turkey is one of the hardiest traditions for many Americans, so much so that the holiday long ago was dubbed as “Turkey Day.” Its place in American culture is enshrined in Norman Rockwell’s famous painting of the hosts presenting…

Hope Rises in Cairo Around New Food Co-Op

October is National Co-op Month. To celebrate, we share the uplifting story of Rise Community Market in Cairo, located at the southern tip of Illinois. A food co-op is a grocery store that’s owned and managed by people who shop…

August is THE month to visit a local farm market

This year’s National Farmers Market Week is August 6-12, and Illinois Farmers Market Association (ILFMA) joins markets from across the country in celebrating the positive impacts farmers markets have. Farmers markets provide access to delicious, nutritious locally produced food, support…

Savor the Seasons with Farm to Table Restaurants

Over the past few decades, chefs and restaurateurs in locations throughout the state have also been serving diners with fresh, delicious, sustainably produced vegetables, fruit and produce from farms close to home. In this article, Buy Fresh Buy Local Illinois…

‘Whey’ Cool: A Look at Two Sustainable Illinois Dairies

June is National Dairy Month, and our Buy Fresh Buy Local Illinois article highlights two of our state’s outstanding sustainable dairy farms: Marcoot Jersey Creamery in Greenville and Kilgus Farmstead in Fairbury. No two farms are exactly alike. So if…