Local and Seasonal Food Resources
General
Amish Farmers
Produce, meat, dairy, and bakery products from Amish farms in Indiana, Illinois and Michigan
Rolling Meadows
Bright Farms Rochelle, IL
Salad greens grown locally available in several stores including Marianos, Pick n Save, Walmart, Whole Foods.
Bushel and Pecks
Located in Beloit WI offers local food products and goods, including frozen soups made with local ingredients and is also a restaurant/coffee shop.
Forty Acres Fresh Market
A startup grocer specializing in selling high quality fresh produce at an everyday low price. Founded in response to the lack of fresh food options on Chicago’s West Side, we currently operate as a mobile grocery store and host pop-up markets in underserved communities.
Gotham Greens, Chicago, IL
Located in Pullman neighborhood in the far south side of Chicago (in other states as well), creating jobs, overcoming food desert issues and providing fresh local greens, some herbs (through hydroponic rooftop greenhouse) all year long. Available in many stores including Jewel Osco, Target, Whole Foods, Jewel Osco.
Heritage Prairie Farms, Elburn, IL
Offers their own honey and eggs as well as seasonal products from several area farms.
Inn Serendipity Farm, Browntown, WI
A wide selection of organically-grown fresh seasonal vegetables and fruits, custom harvested and delivered to Monroe customers for free. Produce includes summer squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, spinach, collard greens, Swiss chard, muskmelons, garlic, winter squash and many other fresh items. On farm pick up is also possible with prior notice. Email: john@innserendipity.com farmhouse landline (no text): 608-329-7056
Organic Valley, Midwest
Organic, local dairy products and eggs with compassionate animal care, sustainable energy sources and widely available in Wisconsin and Illinois in grocery stores.
Rishi Tea, Milwaukee, WI
Organic tea sourced from ethical and ecologically sustainable tea gardens and processed in Milwaukee, WI.
Rustic Road Farm, Elburn, IL
Organic, sustainable approach. Sells various products at their farm store and also at the Wheaton and Aurora farmers markets.
The Irie Cup is a family inspired, owned, and operated company, run by husband-and-wife team Joseph and LaShanda Lewis. Their three growing children often lend a hand, too. Currently, an online store offering responsibly sourced loose tea, but fundraising to open a brick and mortar store in Huntley, IL.
Trogg’s Hollow CSA and Market Farm, Poplar Grove, IL
A family farm employing methods beyond organic, truly chemical-free. Sell produce and eggs from their own farm as well as products from a few other partners in the Midwest. In addition to the CSA, they are part of the Huntley farmer’s market.
Local Wisconsin Cheese Companies
There are many, of course!
Here are some brands: Emmi Roth, Klondike (including Odyssey Feta Cheese), Sartori, BelGioioso, Bleu Mont Dairy, Carr Valley, Cesar’s Cheese, Chalet Cheese Co-op, Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery, Hidden Springs Creamery, Hook’s Cheese Company, Inc.
Goat Cheese
Prairie Fruits Farm located in Champaign Il is family owned and makes a line of fresh goat cheeses.
Uplands Cheese
Located in Dodgeville WI, Uplands Cheese has won many awards for their Pleasant Ridge Reserve and Rush Creek Reserve cheeses.
Local Coffee Roasters
Local Coffee Roasters in Chicago 38 are listed in this article:
Local Coffee Roasters in Wisconsin
This article has a list of 56 local coffee roasters in Wisconsin. You can read about their philosophies and practices for sourcing coffee, too.
More local coffee roasters:
I Have a Bean
Based in Wheaton, Illinois, I Have a Bean is committed to providing training and employment for citizen returning from prison. They use top-rated coffee and wait until customers order to roast the coffee for exceptional freshness.
Stores Which Have Readily Identified Local Food Products:
Local Foods in Chicago, only sells products sourced within 350 miles of Chicago.
Pick n Save, Monroe WI has an organic section, have to read label to see what’s local
Whole Foods (various locations)
Willie St. Coop, Madison, WI (purple labels on local products)
Woodmans Food Market, Aurora, IL (has some local products in season)
Local Farmers Markets (local not necessarily organic)
Check your own locality
Local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)
(Usually require a subscription for the whole summer).
Angelic Organics is a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm supplying vegetables to Chicagoland since 1990. They also offer summer camp (day and overnight) for children featuring lessons in ecology, organic and regenerative agreiculture and raising goats.
King’s Hill Farm, Mineral Point, WI
Here’s a site on which you can search for a CSA near you.
Canned Water
Open Water based in Chicago is offering canned water to help reduce single use plastic bottles. They are carbon neutral certified, give 1% for the planet, plus female and LBGT owned.
Chocolate
Katherine Anne is another female owned business located in Chicago.
Vosges Chocolate, is a female owned business located in Chicago. Available at Whole Foods.
Fresh Pasta (Conventional/Gluten Free) and sauces
RP’s Pasta Company
Based in Madison, PR’s pasta makes fresh pasta and sauces. Available in Woodmans, Whole Foods, Will St Coop & Metcalf’s Market.
Frozen Foods
Path of Life is based in Naperville Il and offers a line of Gluten Free and Non-GMO certified frozen grain blends.
Kombucha
Arize, Chicago, IL
Forage, Madison, WI
Nessalla, Madison, Wi
Lacto-fermented foods
Based in Ann Arbor, The Brinery makes a line of Lacto-fermented vegetables. Available @ Whole Foods.
Pickles!!!
Suckerpunch Pickles is based in Chicago and makes Gluten Free and Non-GMO pickles without High Fructose Corn Syrup.
Preserves and Syrups
Quince & Apple is a family owned business based in Madison that creates amazing Preserves & Syrups.
Regenerative/Organic
Green Fire Farm
Eggs, meat, poultry. Monticello Wisconsin, regenerative/organic method.
Riemer Family Farm
Eggs, meat, poultry. Broadhead Wisconsin, regenerative/organic production method. They ship frozen food products.