Thanks to Our Supporters!

We want to give a special thanks to all of our supporters in the Chicagoland community.  Without the continued effort and support of all of our members, sponsors and fellow Chicago and food enthusiasts, we wouldn’t be able to do the work that we do over these past years.  So here are the shout outs!

Our favorite food bank award goes to Greater Chicago Food Repository, which has been doing Gods work for many years serving the Chicago area with food pantry and hunger outreach service.  A hub of more than 700 food pantries in the area, and part of the Feeding America network of food depositories, they provide an extremely necessary service, especially in these tough economic times.

Greater Chicago Food Repository on Google Maps

Our favorite transportation provider award goes to Chicago Party Bus Pros, who have been consummate professionals whenever we have dealt with them.  They have been very friendly as providing prompt service and very generous when it comes to our non-profit activities.  They certainly give all party bus and limo companies a good name.

Chicago Party Bus Pros on Google Maps

Our favorite business and tech supporter award goes to 1871, an entrepreneurship and tech educational facility that also works to incubate businesses and startups in Chicago.  We like to support all of our fellow Chicago businesses and feel that these types of solutions are necessary to inspire growth and innovation.

1871 on Google Maps

Our favorite cooking class and culinary education award goes to The Chopping Block, which provides expert courses in cooking, wine selection, as well as corporate events, and event “boot camp” style courses that take you through a large amount of information in a short period of time.  We think a perfect combination with our fresh food is the ability to cook it quickly and efficiently, so shout out to The Chopping Block for doing this good work!

The Chopping Block on Google Maps

 

“The Hatchery” is Latest Chicago Food Business Incubator to Launch

On April 18, 2023 a new business incubator focused on the food and business industry launched in Chicago. It is called “The Hatchery” and is a non profit business supported by industry titans like Kellog’s. It’s the latest in a long line and tradition of Chicagoland food innovation. Former incubators include “familyfarmed“, which is about to celebrate more than 20 years in the industry and 10 years of its Good Food Financing and Innovation Conference.

The companies mission states that it “removes barriers of growth [to the food industry] and creates good jobs in the City of Chicago”.  It’s true that the food industry is a major employers, especially for those without higher education, and support for the food industry can help spawn those jobs.

Read more about The Hatchery and the history of Chicago’s food business innovations at Forbes, or Hatchery’s website. If you have any questions about The Hatchery, how you can participate or support, email info@thehatcherychicago.org.

Grand Opening - Saturday, December 12, 2023

The Dill Pickle Food Co-op Grand Opening is on Saturday, December 12th. All are welcome to help celebrate the big occasion.

Grand Opening
Schedule of Events

11:30 AM | Parade Preparations
Calling all members and friends of all ages! We’ll be making signs, painting faces, and preparing for our big parade.

1:00 PM | Kick-off Parade
Our Pickle Parade launches from the Logan Square Library at 1pm for a magnificent march (it will last about 15 minutes, because it’s December!). With your helpful voices and other instruments of noise, we’ll be cheering and marching all the way to our wonderful new co-op grocery store!

1:15 PM | Ribbon-Cutting
Once the parade arrives at the store, all members are invited to help cut the the ribbon. Bring your own scissors!

*All Day* | Food-Tasting
Want to taste something from the Co-op’s opening grocery stock? We’ll have different vendors at the store to sample products throughout the day.

9:00 PM | After-Party
After the store doors close, join us for an after-party at 9pm at WeeGee’s, a bar located at 3659 West Armitage Ave.

A community-owned grocery store in Logan Square, Chicago

Chicago’s Grocery Co-op
Grocery co-ops are found in cities and towns all over America, from New York City to Minneapolis, MN to Champaign, IL.  And now thanks to a collective effort of neighbors and friends, the Logan Square community has put Chicago on that list.  With convenient hours for both daily essentials and specialties, the Dill Pickle Food Co-op is a full-service grocery store for fresh, local, and organic food.  It offers one of the largest bulk grocery sections in the city.



Logan Square

Located at 3039 W. Fullerton, the Dill Pickle is easily accessible via the 74-Fullerton bus or the California Blue line train station.  The Co-op also supports cyclists with two bike racks in front of the store.  The Logan Square Library is directly across Fullerton Ave-inviting you to pick a recipe from a cookbook and walk across the street for ingredients.



Community-owned

Dill Pickle Food Co-op is owned and governed by a community of food lovers.  As a consumer-cooperative, the Dill Pickle is democratically controlled by the members who shop there.  Anyone can become a member, and the store is open for shopping to members and non-members alike.  The Co-op’s commitment to fresh, local, and organic food is met with affordability in mind.  New customers will find the Co-op to be an informed grocer that connects with local food producers.  From farms to kitchens, healthy food practices will be supported.

 

 

How to Ensure Clean Water for Cooking in Your House

Water quality is a growing crisis throughout the world, and has been so throughout many years.  Thankfully the United States has largely not had such crises, but that is beginning to change.  From the infamous drought problems of Southern California, to the tragic water quality issues of Flint, Michigan, access to clean and sanitary drinking water is becoming more and more of a concern.

So how can you be sure the water coming into your home and going into your food and bodies is clean?  We go through a few different areas of consideration in the article below.

Check Your Local Authorities

State and Local departments of health are very good at letting people know the water quality for their location.  Generally tap water is fine to drink, but the defintition of “fine” to a health professional versus to a regular person might differ.  While it won’t be a health concern, you might also want to take extra precautions, perhaps due to an underlying illness or perhaps simply due to personal preference.

Water Advisories

If there has been an event or crisis that impacts drinking water quality, the state or local authorities will issue a water advisory.  These can range from a “Boil Water Advisory”, which means you’ll have to boil any drinking water for a set period of time, all the way to a “Do Not Drink” or even a “Do Not Use” water advisory.  Imagine how bad it must get if you can’t even wash your hands with the water, yikes!

Emergency Water Preparadness

The CDC also provides a great guide on how to insure a clean water supply in emergencies.  We won’t cover these extreme examples in this guide, which is meant for day-to-day clean water practices within the home.

Inexpensive Option - Basic Pitcher or Faucet Filters

Even when water is sanitary to drink and use, it may still contain additives like chlorine, fluoride, and dissolved solids in picks up from the pipe systems and the environment.

Personally, I can tell when I’m drinking tap water.  I can taste the difference, and I think its because of these additional additives and environmental factors. However, I know that in a pinch I can drink the tap and it will be fine for me, it’s just a matter of taste.

So how can we take some extra steps to know our water is clean from contaminants and dissolved solids at home?

A quick pass through a basic pitcher water filter or faucet-attached water filter helps to remove some dissolved solids and keeps the water tasting much fresher and cleaner.

More Expensive Plan - Whole House Water Filters

If you require a more comprehensive solution to your homes water concerns, you might want to start at the source.  Whole house water filtration systems are integrated into your homes water intake, and filter all the water going into your pipes.

These water filter systems sometimes take on more concerns then just drinking water quality.  Many people deal with “hard water”, i.e. the presence of calcium and other minerals that can cause build up and make using soap less efficient.  “Water softeners” help remove those minerals and make the water a bit better to deal with.

Of course these filters can also deal with water quality through systems like as “reverse osmosis” systems.  While this RO technology isn’t limited to whole system systems (they also have portable reverse osmosis systems), its one of the key methodologies that is made use of in all types of large and small scale water filtration systems.

 

 

What To Look For In Chicago Party Bus Companies?

If you are throwing a party, Chicago is the best place to do it. But one or two people always have to take the boring responsibility of being responsible drivers. Because when you think about it, there are so many great venues to visit. And why limit yourself to one venue when you can check out three or four?

Not only does your entire guest list get to participate in the celebrations, but you can party as you make the drive between party locations. And if you choose between the best Chicago party bus companies, you guarantee that everyone will remember the celebration for years to come. So, what are you looking for in the best party bus company?

Can The Bus Company Accommodate Your Guests?

Not all Chicago party bus companies have the same fleet options. In other words, if you plan on transporting a crowd, you require numbers and size. Can the company make the necessary buses available when you need them? And how many people can a single bus take?

Does The Bus Company Have A Good Reputation?

Always pay attention to the reputation of the party bus company you ultimately choose. Things like reviews can be very helpful when you need to decide between services. Even though these types of services are not as expensive as you would think, it is not always wise to settle for the cheapest possible party bus company around.

What Will Everything Cost?

Finally, you want to compare the costs before making a final decision. As mentioned, digging deep for the most affordable party bus company can end up in one big disaster. But that does not mean you should be exploited as the client. There are quality party bus companies available in the Chicago area if you look in the right places.