Southeast Area Farmers’ Market Canceled Oct. 14

Oct12

13099808_GFor the second week in a row, OKT is canceling the Southeast Area Farmers’ Market. Construction continues to block access to our market site at MLK Jr. Park. We were not informed in advance that construction was to take place. We apologize for not being able to bring you fresh local produce. We are working to make sure the market can take place at MLK Jr. Park or at another location on Oct. 21.

Meanwhile, you might want to shop these markets for your fresh fruits and veggies:

Fulton Street Farmers Market 

  • 1145 Fulton SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
  • 8AM – 3PM, TUE WED FRI & SAT
  • WIC, Project Fresh, SNAP/Bridge Cards, Market FRESH, Double Up Food Bucks & Hoophouses for Health

 

Urban Roots Community Market

  • 1316 Madison Ave. SE 49507
  • 12 – 7PM WED. 9AM – 1PM  SAT
  • WIC, Project Fresh, SNAP/Bridge Cards, Sr. Market FRESH, Double Up Food Bucks

OKT and United Methodist Community House food gardening program experienced successes and challenges

Oct10

UMCH-Logo_with-tagFrom June to September 2017, Our Kitchen Table worked with the United Methodist Community House to plant raised bed food gardens and engage folks of all ages in healthy eating strategies. Program participants included children from the UMCH Child Development Center and summer camp programs as well as adults from its Transitional Living and Seniors program.

OKT designed and built 22 raised beds, filled them with soil and provided organic food plants—fruits, vegetables, herbs and edible flowers. An OKT food garden coach facilitated the programming. The various UMCH programs met at the raised beds to learn about food growing and accessing healthier foods in neighborhood. Many of the adult participants also attended OKT’s food growing series and food justice class—and became patrons of the Southeast Area Farmers’ Market.

The raised beds did resent some challenges. The harvest did not yield the expected amount of food, although enough was picked to use for the food demos and classes held at the garden site. OKT is taking steps to figure out why low amounts of food were produced and amend the situation–and the soil, if needed. In its many years of growing food, OKT has not encountered such low yields before.

Thank you, United Methodist Community House, for this great opportunity to grow justice!

Deadline tomorrow! Place your order for bulk whole foods via OKT

Oct9
  • Country-Life-Natural-Foods-shopping-trip.jpgPlace your whole foods order by 5 p.m. Oct. 10!
  • Pick-up Oct. 21 at Southeast Area Farmers’ Market.

The Southeast Area Farmers’ Market offers its patrons and OKT constituents monthly opportunity to purchase bulk whole foods, e.g. dry beans, whole grain flours, nuts and seeds, pasta, rice and more. Items are ordered from Country Life Natural Foods, a supplier to Michigan food co-ops. View the entire PDF Catalog here. Place your order by email, seafm@OKTjustice.org, or in person at
the market.

As the Southeast Area Farmers’ Market accepts Bridge card/SNAP/EBT,you can use these to buy bulk food items at the market along with fresh, local fruits, vegetables and herbs. The market also offers some bulk foods for direct purchase.

 

“Art at the Market” added festive flair to farmer’s market

Sep18

IMG_1150Along  with local produce, delicious cakes, pickles and chow chow, last Saturday at the Southeast Area Farmers’ Market offered Art at the Market.

Rokhaya Ndao, Motherland Beauties, showcased handmade jewelry, bags, African art and fabrics crafted by women in Senegal, who profit from their sales.  women’s projects in Senegal, West Africa. Fine artists Alma Suarez, Derrick Hollowell and Eddie Kurlowicz shared prints  of paintings and pencil drawings; Alma offered small sculptures depicting Catrinas, figures featured as part of the holiday Dia de los Muertos. Crafters vended jump ropes, scarves and kitchen accessories. Market manager, Yvonne Woodard, was proud to share the children’s book her son, Chris Dudley, illustrated,  “Nyrah’s Bully Friend.”

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

Call for artists!

Sep4

Art at the Market 8x5The Southeast Area Farmers’ Market hosts “Art at the Market” during market hours, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 16 at Martin Luther King Jr. Park, 900 Fuller Ave. SE 49506.  The market invites local fine artists and crafters to stop by and vend at the market with no vendor fee.

Our neighborhoods have many accomplished artists in its midst. Art at The Market will provide them an opportunity to showcase their talents, inspire their neighbors and share any messages that their art expresses. The date was chosen to coincide with Artprize as this event is not always accessible to artists from the Market’s neighborhoods or neighbors living nearby.

The market is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Artists will need to provide their own tables, tents and chairs.