Growing City Farmers Markets

Since 2012, Experimental Station has partnered with the City of Chicago to address the lack of access to healthy food on Chicago’s south and west sides. Labeled ‘food deserts,’ these areas of the city have long struggled to attract grocery store investors. One remedy to this problem was for the City to create farmers markets in food-insecure neighborhoods.

Whether through a supermarket or a farmers market, creating a healthy food oasis in a food desert requires long-term investment and cultivation. 

For more than a decade, the Experimental Station team has worked to cultivate and grow farmers markets in the Austin, Bronzeville, Garfield Park, West Humboldt Park, and Englewood neighborhoods.  Besides accepting Link and offering Link Match at these markets, year after year, the team has done extensive outreach to build relationships between community members and their market.

This year, the Austin Town Hall Farmers Market has especially grown, reaching record vendor participation. With fresh produce and market management now provided by Forty Acres, and with the participation of small local businesses, the Austin market grew to 15 vendors.  

Leading the Experimental Station team, Program Manager Raja Baptiste commented, “Farmers markets play an essential role in the development of healthy communities. Providing a space for local business and healthy food options, Austin Town Hall Farmers Market demonstrated their ability to connect with farmers, vendors, and the community this season.”