The 61st Street Farmers Market encourages you to think about how the foods you feed yourself and your family make you feel. This week, as you shop at the 61st Street Farmers Market, you will find so much to nourish, enrich, and add meaning and pleasure! Here are some of this Saturday's offerings—including an unusual and fun chef demonstration, in which you will play an important role!

• Growing Power, Mike & Clare's Farm, and River Valley Ranch will be bringing a variety of organically and sustainably grown squashes (Butternut, Acorn, Spaghetti), greens (collards, kale, turnips), spinach, salad mix, sprouts, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, beets, mushrooms, garlic, onions.... Also, River Valley will be bringing some of their Grow-Your-Own mushrooms kits. They are great fun and educational for the whole family!
• Lucky Duck Farm will be back with Bok choi, stir-fry mix, pea shoots, daikon radishes, carrots, winter melons, shishito and Thai chili peppers, as well as chicken eggs and duck eggs. FYI, their eggs are outstanding!
• It is apple, raspberry and cider season at Mick Klug Farm! Get your Honey Crisps and Goldens while they are at the height of their freshness and taste.
• Reserve your Mint Creek Farm organic, pasture-raised Thanksgiving turkey, for pickup at the 61st Street Indoor Farmers Market on November 17.
• In addition to her top-of-the-line pasture-raised pork products, Kim of Faith's Farm also produces REAL soaps, lotions and lip balms, made from her own pure lard and local bees wax. If you have not yet tried them, you will be surprised at how really well REAL soaps and lip balms work!
• If you are looking for a warm after-school treat, Brown Sugar Bakery, a local south side business, will be selling a variety of fruit cobblers. Pop one in the oven and make your kids think that you are the best mom or dad on the planet!
• In addition to their usual lineup of fabulous croissants, coffee cake, chocolate financiers, and fruit tarts, Penny Pastry will be bringing Empire Apple Crisp!
• Mother Butter's Popcorn will be at the Market, this week featuring their amazing Caramel Pumpkin Spice popcorn. Also, Mother Butter's savory popcorns are excellent as accompaniments to your pre-dinner glass of wine or beer. Ask Tim about which popcorns go best with the wines or beers you like.
• This week, Spice! will be preparing Chorizo Tacos (home style chorizo, cilantro, onion), Butternut Squash Tacos (with cilantro), Chicken Tacos (with spiced crema, salsa verde), and Breakfast Tacos (egg, grilled peppers, cotija cheese).
• From 9am-12pm, at the Chef Demo tents, Washburne Culinary Institute students will be participating in the first ever 61^st Street Farmers Market Chef Throwdown! One team will be preparing a menu of herb-crusted roasted chicken, sweet potato mash, cranberry chutney, and roasted beet cups stuffed with seared apples, blue cheese, and candied walnuts.  The other team will be preparing collard green spring rolls with dipping sauce and apple/cranberry/raisin chicken salad.  Watch them shop, chop and cook, cheer them on, and taste their dishes! Your vote will decide the winner! They'll start shopping and cooking at 9am and will be ready to present the dishes at 11am.

See you at the Market!