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Southeast Area Farmers’ Market at LINC Saturday

Oct11

20190824_110954Southeast Area Farmers’ Market

  • 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturdays
  • Oct. 12, 19, Nov. 2 & 9 at
    LINC parking lot, Madison Ave.
    just north of Hall St. SE 49507
  • Oct. 26 at MLK Jr. Park,
    900 Fuller Ave. SE 49506

Only five weeks remain to shop at the Southeast Area Farmers’ Market! On Saturday Oct. 12, the market meets at LINC. The harvest is abundant and it’s a great time to but fresh local veggies to freeze or can for the winter months ahead.

Community partner, United Healthcare, is sending its Kent County community outreach coordinator, Molly Carpenter, to share information on accessing free benefits if you have Medicare and/or Medicaid.

Grand Rapids Food Co-op hosts Jon Steinman, author of Grocery Story

Sep30

unnamedTuesday, October 22 7-9 pm
DGRI Conference Room, 29 Pearl St. NW.
Admission is free

Grand Rapids Food Co-op is hosting Jon Steinman, author of Grocery Story, an in depth exploration of cooperative grocery stores and how they differ from the commercial sector. Jon will be offering an engaging presentation with time for discussion, book signing.

Who Owns Your Grocery Store?
New book about consumer-owned grocery stores pulls back the curtain on the grocery giants. Food has become ground-zero in our efforts to increase awareness of how our choices impact the world. Yet while we have begun to transform our communities and dinner plates, the most authoritative strand of the food web has received surprisingly little attention: the grocery store―the epicenter of our food-gathering ritual.

unnamedThrough penetrating analysis and inspiring stories and examples of American and Canadian food co-ops, Grocery Story makes a compelling case for the transformation of the grocery store aisles as the emerging frontier in the local and good food movements. Author Jon Steinman:

  • Deconstructs the food retail sector and the shadows cast by corporate giants
  • Makes the case for food co-ops as an alternative
  • Shows how co-ops spur the creation of local food-based economies and enhance low-income food access.

Grocery Story is for everyone who eats. Whether you strive to eat more local and sustainable food, or are in support of community economic development, Grocery Story will leave you hungry to join the food co-op movement in your own community.

Jon Steinman is the producer and host of the internationally syndicated radio show and podcast Deconstructing Dinner (2006-2010) and of Deconstructing Dinner: Reconstructing our Food System – a television and web series currently streaming online. Jon was an elected director from 2006-2016 of the Kootenay Co-op – Canada’s largest independent retail consumer food co-op, serving as Board President from 2014-2016. He lives in Nelson, British Columbia. www.deconstructingdinner.com

OKT will present at “Rise Up & Drawdown” statewide conference on climate change solutions

Sep16

Rise-Up-DrawdownLet’s Rise Up & Drawdown Carbon in Michigan

From 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.  September 25, the Michigan Community will come together at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids to offer local solutions and opportunities for engagement on the important subject of climate change. The stakes have never been higher and will require action at every scale and across every sector.

Participants will begin the day learning from our state and local government leaders who will confirm the direction of the mitten state followed by a keynote presentation from Paul Hawken, who is shifting the larger global conversation on climate change from “doom and gloom” to a sense of opportunity, possibility, and hope for the future.

Next, the focus will engage in local solutions. Would you like to support policy advancement? Perhaps you’d like to advance clean energy? Or maybe you’d like to learn how we can reduce food waste? Increase mass transit?  Build and operate sustainable buildings? There will be something for everyone.

Finally participants will be encouraged to act locally. The solutions to climate change exist and are economically viable.  Human beings have a history of solving complex problems and we will rise to the challenge.  The cost of inaction is catastrophic and no change is too small. We are in this together and together we will prevail creating a socially just world focused on human health, security and prosperity.

OKT’s Lisa Oliver-King will take part in a panel discussion focusing on our Program for Growth along with colleagues Winona Bynum, Detroit Food Systems Council; Phil Jones, lead chef, Make Food, Not Waste; and Daniel Todd, director, Make Food Not Waste. Carissa Patrone, West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum, will moderate the panel.

Ticket prices vary, with a $25 Advancing Equity ticket available for community members.

Grand Rapids Public Library Storytime at Southeast Area Farmers’ Market

Sep10

GrpLJoin staff from the Grand Rapids Public Library for a very special story time at the Southeast Area Farmer’s Market every Saturday starting Sept. 14 from 12 – 3 p.m! They will read stories, sing songs, have activities, and information on library programs. Come celebrate!

The Southeast Area Farmer’s Market meets from 11 a,m, to 4 p.m. at:

  • LINC, 1167 Madison Ave just north of Hall St. on Sept. 14 and 21, Oct. 5, 12 and 19; and Nov. 2 and 9.
  • MLK Jr Park on Sept 28  and Oct. 26.

Free tickets for the GR Symphony

Sep4

The Grand Rapids Symphony will be celebrating their 90th season this year. Any client receiving assistance from DHHS is eligible for a Scorecard. Cardholders are entitled to four complimentary tickets to more than 20 different Symphony events! Last year, the Symphony provided 4,112 tickets to Scorecard members!

If you are interested, contact Colene Johnson, Community Resource Coordinator, Kent Co. DHHS at Johnsonc18@michigan.gov

 

Get fresh produce for your Labor Day cookout at the Southeast Area Farmers’ Market

Aug29
Kids FOod BAsket.jpg

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Southeast Area Farmers’ Market
Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
8-31-2019 at LINC parking lot
Madison Ave. just north of Hall Street SE.

Kids Food Basket is joining the Southeast Area Farmers’ Market this Saturday as a vendor. Their melons, tomatoes, and sunflowers will be a wonderful complement to the fresh Michigan produce our other vendors will on hand.

For more convenient access to rest room facilities, the market will meet at LINC most weekends through November. See exact dates and locations below.

2019 yard sign

Urban Foraging Workshop at Farmers’ Market Saturday

Aug21

 

0912151148Urban Foraging
Noon to 2 p.m. Sat. Aug. 24
Southeast Area Farmers’ Market
MLK Jr. Park, 900 Fuller SE 49506

Did you know that many of the native species we see around us (and label as weeds) once were a prize source of both food and medicine? On Saturday August 24, citizen forester and urban forager, Laura Casaletto, will share how to identify the edible plants growing in your Grand Rapids neighborhoods. She has been using foraging as a means to supplement her family’s food budget for many years.

Stop by to sample Sumac-ade drinks (a delicious pink lemonade substitute) and two types of finger foods made primarily from wild greens including lambs quarters and garden hostas.

seafm-8-3-foraging-1

This Saturday at the Market

Aug16

FB-event-RR-2019-1024x576.pngThe Southeast Area Farmers’ Market is happy to share MLK Jr. Park with the GRAAHI & Urban Core Collective 2019 Rhythm Run on Saturday Aug. 17. Even if you’re not participating in the run or walk, you’ll find lots of fun activities to take part in and resources to benefit from–lots of kids, activities, too!

While you’re there, be sure to shop under the yellow market tents for fresh, local fruits and veggies and delicious cottage kitchen goods. The market is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Run festivities begin at 8 a.m. and run through 11 a.m.

2019 yard sign