Fun times at the last week’s market!

The Southeast Area Farmers’ Market is off the an exciting start at its new location in MLK Jr. Park, 900 Fuller Ave. SE.  Every Friday from 3 to 7 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., you’ll find a nice selection of local produce from area growers as well as cottage foods — last week that meant kettle corn!

This Friday, the Healthy Homes Coalition will be on hand to share how you can receive free Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Alarms for your home.

It’s the salad days of summer!

• Select some greens from the market– kale, chard, turnip greens, mustard greens, or lettuces.
• Top with strawberries, dried cranberries, nuts, sunflower seeds.
• Add other in-season veggies: tomatoes, cucumbers, summer squashes, etc.
• Top with a quick vinaigrette: 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons vinegar and optional additions: dill, cilantro or fresh garlic (chopped fine); sesame, flax or poppy seeds; a teaspoon of lemon or lime juice; a teaspoon of honey or maple syrup if too tart. Shake in covered jar until vinegar and oil thicken a bit. Shake again before using. 

How to Save Seeds
Monday June 27, 6 to 8 p.m.
Garfield Park Lodge
334 Burton St. SE, Grand Rapids 49507

Did you know that when you grow organic or heirloom varieties in your food garden, you can save the seeds to start new plants the next growing season? In addition to growing your garden budget, growing from saved seeds ensures a produce yield that is more nutritious and tastier.

Also, from a food justice perspective, saving seeds is activism for promoting seed freedom, food sovereignty and standing with Mother Earth and the environment.

Come and learn exactly how to save seeds from all different types of food plants — and help build an alternative to the failing industrial food complex. OKT also has a free hand-out on seed-saving. Download it here.

Did you catch Jermale when he led an OKT Cook, Eat & Talk? Come enjoy his wisdom again!

On Tuesday, Our Kitchen Table is distributing thousands of organic food starter plants to urban gardeners in its residential food growing program. OKT will also make plants available to select community gardens as well as to the Grand Rapids Public Schools’ gardens that are working with the OKT Food Diversity Project.

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Farmer Michael VanderBrug oversaw seed selection, planting and growing at the Blandford Farm greenhouse. OKT has also engaged two youth interns to help with plant distribution and as helpers at the Southeast Area Farmers’ Market:  Zoe VanderBrug, a junior at Grand Rapids Christian High School, and Chamberlain Mathis, a University of Michigan freshman. Chamberlain and Zoe will also be sharing OKT and farmers’ market updates via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Rock the Block June 11!

Headliner: Dead Prez, 5 to 6 p.m.

Kidzone Schedule:

Kids Yoga (Shannon Sadoski & Jessica Gladden)
Session 1: 11:45am – 12:30pm
Session 2: 12:45pm – 1:30pm
Session 3: 1:45pm – 2:30pm
Caricature Drawing (Corey Ruffin)
12:00pm – 3:30pm
Balloon Animals (The Balloon Guy)
1:00pm – 3:00pm
Creative Arts (Grand Rapids Art Museum)
2:45pm – 5:30pm
Literacy Activity (Grand Rapids Public Library)
3:00pm – 5:00pm