OKT will show you how!
| With funding assistance from Trinity Health, OKT will share successful container gardening strategies for fall and spring food gardens in these free ongoing workshops. Supplies provided! |
Thank you, community partners!
Sept. 6 community partner: Grand Rapids Pit Bull Alliance
Community partners are a big part of the Southeast Area Farmers Market. In August, some of those partners gave 100 backpacks away to school kids and offered a free yoga class. Past partners have included the Grand Rapids Public Library, Healthy Homes, Grand Rapids Fire Department, and Planned Parenthood. In October, we are looking forward to co-hosting the Friends of Grand Rapids Parks Pumpkin Party. Community partners are always welcome at the market. If your organization would like to share information and resources this month or next, email SEAFM@OKTjustice.org.
Our Sept. 6 community partner is the Grand Rapids Pit Bull Alliance. Look at all they have to offer! Stop by and chat with them if your dog has any needs, such as pet food, veterinary care, vaccines, behavior training, or rehoming.
While you’re at the market, be sure to stock up on fresh local produce from New City farm and other vendors! The market warmly welcomes SNAP and other food assistance programs.
The market takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Joe Taylor Park.
This Saturday July 26, come visit the Southeast Area Farmers’ Market for a wide variety of local produce, cottage kitchen foods, personal care items, crafts and ready-to-eat foods. The market accepts most food assistance programs. New City Farm, a program of New City Neighbors, is this year’s market produce anchor. You’ll love their fresh, chemical-free produce!
Here are the 2025 market dates:
August 9 & 23
September 6 & 20
October 4 & 18
Nov. 1 & 15
The 2025 market is a collaboration among OKT, New City Farm, and Baxter Community Center.
Who: Healthy Homes
Where: Southeast Area Farmers Market @ Joe Taylor Park
When: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday July 12
Healthy Homes will be at the Southeast Area Farmers Market this Saturday, July 12. Do you live in Grand Rapids’ 3rd ward and still connected to a lead water service line? Stop by for a free lead-reducing water kit from Healthy Homes. These kits are for residents of Grand Rapids’ 3rd ward who are still connected to a lead water service line.
A community-based nonprofit focused on reducing home environmental hazards in Kent County, Healthy Homes serves families and individuals with programming, education, and community conversations. Its vision is that all children grow up in safe and healthy homes. Healthy Homes helps reduce home hazards like:
The Southeast Area Farmers’ Market provides a wide variety of local produce, cottage kitchen foods, personal care items, crafts and ready-to-eat foods. Our vendors are primarily women of color, home growers and residents of OKT’s targeted neighborhoods. In addition to providing access to healthy food, the market hosts meal preparation activities, workshops and guests from community organizations. The market accepts most food assistance programs.
Welcome produce anchor New City Farm
New City Farm, a program of New City Neighbors, empowers youth through hands-on learning. The Farm grows on over four acres across three locations: a one-acre urban farm at 1115 Leonard St. NE; as partners with Grand Valley State University’s sustainability department on the Allendale campus; and two leased two acres at Plainsong Farm & Ministry in Rockford, MI. New City Farm will sell their fresh local produce at every Southeast Area Farmers Market this season. Produce not sold will be donated to Baxter Community Center’s Marketplace.
Welcome Baxter Community Center
OKT is thrilled to welcome Baxter Community Center as a partner in this year’s Southeast Area Farmers Market. Over the years, OKT has collaborated with Baxter on community events, bulk food orders, and healthy eating and cooking classes. In addition other its Marketplace, Baxter offers medical and dental services, a Child Development Center, and youth and adult programming.
Welcome Vendors!
If you would like to become a vendor, email SEAFM@OKTjustice.org for a Vendor Application Packet.
Welcome Community Organizations!
Schedule a date to table at the market and share your resources with our patrons.
The Southeast Farmers Market is managed by Our Kitchen Table. Contact market manager Belinda Hendersen at SEAFM@OKTjustice.org.
Saturday Nov. 2 will be the last time the Southeast Area Farmers Market will meet during 2024. Stop by to stock up on local produce for canning or freezing — or to enjoy one more taste of fresh. And our non-food vendors have some lovely products that make perfect gifts, if you want to get a jumpstart on the holidays.
The Grand Rapids Public Library Mobile Library will be at the market from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Sign up for a library card, check out books and movies, access free WiFi, and more!
Look for the yellow market tents! The Southeast Area Farmers Market provides a wide variety of local produce, cottage kitchen foods, personal care items, crafts and ready-to-eat foods. Our vendors are primarily women of color, home growers and residents of OKT’s targeted neighborhoods. In addition to providing access to healthy food, the market hosts meal preparation activities, workshops and guests from community organizations.
Are you looking for a smaller, slow paced, friendly space to buy your fresh local Michigan produce? Stop by the Southeast Area Farmers Market this month, Aug. 10 and Aug. 24 at MLK Park from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Special events this month: Aug. 10, Friends of Grand Rapids Parks Tree Identification Tour, 12 – 2 p.m.; Aug. 24, Fried Green Tomato Festival.
When: 12 – 2 p.m. Sat. August 10
What: Learn what kinds of trees are growing in the park and how they benefit you.
Where: Meet in the park by the market tents.
(West parking lot off Fuller Ave.) MAP
Join a Friends of Grand Rapids Parks certified arborist for a tree identification walk at the next Southeast Area Farmers Market, 12 – 2 p.m. August 10. You will learn how to identify different trees and their benefits!
This event is free, and all ages are welcome. Register here so Friends has an idea of how many people to expect. However, market patrons can join the tour without registering.
Two Grand Rapids sites offer basketball, video game tournaments, movie screenings, college nights and more.
The City of Grand Rapids is excited to announce “It Takes a Village” – a new, collaborative, and community-supported summer youth violence prevention program. This pilot initiative provides recreational, creative, and educational opportunities for youth to help them stay constructively engaged. “It Takes a Village” kicked off last week at LifeQuest Urban Outreach and Alger Middle School. Coordinated by the City’s Office of Oversight and Public Accountability (OPA), the program aims to lower violent crime among youth in Grand Rapids by providing positive activities during the summer weekend evenings.
Through August 31, LifeQuest, Grand Rapids Urban League, Grand Rapids Public Schools and Grand Valley State University (GVSU) are offering programming to Grand Rapids youth (ages 12 to 17) on Fridays and Saturdays during summer weekend evenings.
Participants can choose between two sites offering specialized programming to suit a variety of teen interests. Pre-registration is not required.
NightQuest
NightQuest at LifeQuest, 1050 Fisk Rd. SE, offers expanded 5 on 5 basketball, dunk contests, a DJ, food, and guest speakers. This site runs 6 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday August 2 & 3, 9 & 10, 16 & 17, and 23 & 24.
CityVibes
CityVibes at Alger Middle School, 921 Alger St. SE, offers video game tournaments, board game nights, movie screenings, art and music workshops, and college nights. The Grand Rapids Urban League will run this site weekend nights through August 31. Cure Violence personnel will provide engaging programming. GVSU personnel will also host college nights at this location. This site runs 6 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday Friday and Saturday August 2 & 3, 9 & 10, 16 & 17, 23 & 24, and 30 & 31.
“As the name suggests, it certainly “Takes a Village” to put such a program together,” City Manager Mark Washington said. “I am thankful for the collaboration with community partner organizations that have arranged for transportation through Dean Transporation, provision of security and safety screening mechanisms, serving of nutritious food and beverages, and most importantly, recruiting of kids and promoting events.
“Collectively, we will make a difference in advancing the City of Grand Rapids’ objective to ensure that all people feel safe, and are safe at all times, throughout our community. Please encourage the young people in your life to participate in our NightQuest or CityVibes “It Takes a Village” programing. I believe these summer events will encourage our youth to socialize and interact with their peers, friends, and neighbors in a safe and encouraging environment.”
Brandon Davis, director of oversight and public accountability, said this summer youth violence prevention programming stemmed the community’s urgent response to early summer youth violence in our city. “These incidents happened after 8 p.m. highlighting the need for evening programming,” he said.
“I thank our partners for coming along with us to brainstorm ways we could provide teens with structured, positive, evening activities this summer. Our ‘It Takes a Village’ program borrows on best practices from seven similarly sized Midwestern cities where such summer initiatives led to reduced violent crime rates, all made possible by robust community collaboration. This OPA-coordinated effort complements other existing efforts, such as our City’s youth curfew ordinance, programming sponsored by the Safe Alliances for Everyone (S.A.F.E.) Task Force, Cure Violence, GRow1000, Parks and Recreation programing and camps, financial support from the Grand Rapids Police Department for the Boys and Girls Club and the OnBase Baseball program to name a few.”
Participants are required to undergo security screening prior to entry. No backpacks are allowed.
Our Kitchen Table 