Come on down and get twice as much healthy food for your money!

Aug19

The Southeast Farmers Market is one of five Grand Rapids area farmers’ markets participating in the Double Up Food Bucks program. Double Up Food Bucks is sort of like a having a $20 BOGO―buy one get one free—coupon. When shoppers use their SNAP Bridge Cards to shop for food at the farmers’ market, the amount of money that they spend is matched with Double Up Food Bucks bonus tokens—up to $20 each time they visit the market.

The women of Our Kitchen Table are ready and waiting to provide farmers’ market shoppers with the Double Up Food Bucks tokens. In fact, we are hoping more shoppers will start taking advantage of the program. We have hundreds of tokens left and it’s already half way through the farmers’ market season. Please! Come on down and get twice as much healthy food for your money!

The tokens are good for purchasing any Michigan-grown fruits and vegetables. Since all of the food sold at the Southeast Area Farmer’s’ Market is locally grown, you can buy any of the produce that our vendors are selling.

Eating more fruits and vegetables can help you lose weight, stay fit and reduce your risk for many chronic diseases. Did you know that eating fruits and vegetables may even lessen the frequency and severity of asthma attacks?

Besides, fruits and vegetables taste great – especially when you get them fresh and in season. Best of all, our neighbors can now stretch their food dollars and get even more fresh Michigan-grown produce when they shop either Southeast Area Farmers’ market location:

Double Up Food Bucks are also available at the Fulton Street Farmers’ Market, Plainfield Farmers’ Market, Douglas D. Hunting YMCA Farmers’ Market and the Sparta Farmers’ Market.

SEAFM Outdoor Food Gardening Classes

Aug11

Aug. 12 Backyard Edibles

Is it a weed—or something for supper? Master Gardener Roberta Roberta Rossi and market manager Yvonne Woodard will teach about the edible plants growing all around us.

Aug. 26 DIY Organic fertilizers and pest control

Learn how to brew compost tea and mix up other non-toxic alternatives to fertilizer and pesticides for your garden (also available at www.369bugs.com). Bring your own spray bottles so you can bring some home.

Classes take place from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Southeast Area Farmers’ Market /Gerald R Ford Middle School market location, 851 Madison Ave. SE, south of Franklin Street.

4th Annual EASTOWNFOOD GARDEN TOUR

Aug9

4th Annual EASTOWNFOOD GARDEN TOUR
6 – 8 p.m. Tuesday Aug. 16 Meet outside of Eastown Community Association at 5:45,
415 Ethel SE (just south of Wealthy Street),

View Eastown’s food gardens, discuss food issues and connect with neighborhood gardeners! We’ll conclude with delicious samples of tasty garden foods at our last stop.

The 1- to 2-mile walking tour stops at 8 to 10 diverse gardens!

While you’re on the tour, you’ll have opportunity to:

• Sign up for free food buying club.
• Bring mercury thermometers, used household batteries and CFL light bulbs
for recycling.

If you are interested in starting and/or maintaining your own food garden, OKT can assist. We loved to show it off on the food garden tour next year!

For information, contact oktable1@gmail.com or 616-719-9779
Tour will be canceled and rescheduled if weather is inclement (rain or heat alert).

flyer attached

Supported by W.K. Kellogg Foundation
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OKT_Garden_Tours_2011_2 OKT_Garden_Tours_2011_2

Southeast Area Farmers’ Market Grand Opening (Pictures)

Jul28

At Gerald R Ford Middle School

We’re Looking for New and Experienced Gardeners!

Jun7

We’re Looking for New and Experienced Gardeners!

Would you like to grow good foods in your yard? On your deck? With your neighbors?

OKT has the resources you need to get started.

Organic Starter Plants
Soil Testing & Compost
Garden Coaches
Tips to help you be successful

OKT provides these gardening resources for free if you are pregnant, have small children, are in need or have family members with diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma or lead poisoning.

To sign up, email oktable1@gmail.com or call OKT’s Community Liaison at 616-570-0218

For information, visit http://www.OKTjustice.org

at 616-570-0218

For information, visit http://www.OKTjustice.org

Last Chance! Organic Heirloom Food Plants!

Jun7

Last Chance! Organic Heirloom Food Plants!

We’re cleaning out the greenhouse. These are the last times we will have plants available at donation prices.

· Gerald R Ford Middle School Farmer’s Market , 5 – 7 p.m. Weds. June 8 & 15
· Southeast Area Farmers Market Garfield Park, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Because these are heirloom plants, you can save seeds from them to grow new food plants for years to come.

Southeast Farmers’ Market New Locations!

May20

Southeast Farmers’ Market New Locations!!

Saturdays
Garfield Park
9:00 am to 1:00 pm
334 Burton St SE

Wednesday
Gerald R Ford Middle School
5:00pm-7:00pm
851 Madison Avenue SE

We proudly accept EBT/SNAP Benefits
Opening day May 21st

[The 2011 Southeast Farmers Market is sponsored by a partnership between Greater Grand Rapids Food Systems Council, Kent County Health Department and Our Kitchen Table]

Our Kitchen Table receives grant to expand local food security projects

Jan18

article pulled from: http://griid.org/2011/01/19/our-kitchen-table-receives-grant-to-expand-local-food-security-projects/

JANUARY 19, 2011

by stelleslootmaker

A local grass roots nonprofit working for environmental justice and urban food security, Our Kitchen Table (OKT) has received a $360,000 grant “to strengthen the capacity of southeast urban neighborhood residents in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to address food and environmental health disparities impacting vulnerable children, families, and individuals by creating resident owned gardens and managed Healthy Food Demonstration Sites.” The grant will extend over a three-year period with the goal of neighborhood residents taking over the work for themselves.

OKT has been addressing environmental justice and food security issues in the Grand Rapids area for the past several years. The grant will expand their

Urban gardeners learn about compost at one of OKT’s “Steps to Growing Healthy Urban Food Gardens” workshops last summer.

programs to many more area residents with the hope of making a real and lasting impact on people’s health in Grand Rapids’ urban neighborhoods.

OKT’s objectives for the grant funded project include planting and maintaining 100 neighborhood-based food gardens. OKT focuses on helping individuals and families plant those gardens in their own spaces. Education and training components will teach adults and children how healthy foods help manage both diet related illnesses (diabetes, heart disease and obesity) and environmental health issues (asthma and lead poisoning).

Twenty trained community Urban Fellows/Peer Educators will teach even more community members about food self-reliance, food security and having access to a nutritional neighborhood-based food system. Other objectives include establishing resident owned and managed Healthy Food demonstration sites and training both adults and children how to safely address environmental hazards associated with food gardening.

The project will focus on four Grand Rapids neighborhoods: Eastown, Baxter, SECA and Garfield Park. These neighborhoods have been identified as being at highest risk for food insecurity as well as environmental health issues, including lead poisoning.

In 2010, OKT offered the Grand Rapids community many educational and gardening opportunities including a food summit, food garden walking and bicycle tours and a series on healthy urban food gardening.

Anyone interested in starting a food garden or engaging with the program can contact Lisa Oliver King for more information at lisak1@aol.com.