When: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Where: MLK Jr. Park, Fuller & Franklin SE
We accept SNAP and more!
MLK Jr. Park is under construction bit that’s not stopping us from bringing fresh local produce, cottage foods, and other fabulous fare to you on Saturday as scheduled. Please park on the street and patronize these fabulous vendors!
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.
Our Kitchen Table’s mission for the Southeast Area Farmers Market is to increase access to healthy foods in Grand Rapids’ southeast neighborhoods, where food apartheid is apparent. To accomplish that goal, we have brought on a new farmer as a vendor and, and we’re partnering with both New City Farm and The Grand Rapids Food Co-op.
To help us celebrate our opening day, the Grand Rapids Fire Department is deploying a firetruck to MLK Jr. Park during the market. Youngsters (and the rest of us) will be able to look inside and see it up close!
In addition to vending fresh produce, the Food Co-op will also host an information table and inviting patrons to join this a community-owned grocery that will be established soon. The cost for a lifetime household membership is:
Scholarships are available by request for people who can’t afford either.
All members receive the same benefits: one vote per household for who sits on the co-op board; member-only deal days; and profit sharing when store is profitable. A Supportive Business Program may also provide members discounts at participating businesses and educational opportunities.
Free Planting Event
1 – 3 p.m. Sunday June 23
MLK Park, 900 Fuller SE 49506
In collaboration with OKT, the Grand Rapids Food Co-op is hosting a free Planting Event facilitated by Reynalda Jones, a fellow Co-op owner. The event will explore:
Each participant will plant seeds in a flowerpot (provided) to take home and enjoy.
A licensed clinical social worker practicing through her own business, A Solution B, Jones has over a decade of experience in the co-occurring, mental health field. She specializes in working with women experiencing stress, anxiety, and PTSD. She utilizes traditional talk therapy with a fusion of evidence-based holistic care to promote emotional wellness and whole-body wellness. Her goal is to educate others to actively prevent burnout before it is overwhelming for the body and mind. From May to October, her services also incorporate therapeutic gardening and clients have the opportunity to engage in therapy sessions, cultivate mindfulness skills, learn about nutrition, prioritize mental health, and much more.
You may have visited with people from the Grand Rapids Food Co-op Initiative at the Southeast Area Farmers’ Market last fall. Here’s a brief video they have put together. For more information, visit http://www.grfoodcoop.com/.
Now you can order bulk whole foods and pay with your Bridge Card!
OKT’s Collective Whole Foods Purchase Group is placing an order with Country Life Natural Foods on Jan. 18. If you’d like to add high quality, whole foods to your meal planning strategy this winter, here is your opportunity. A supplier to food co-ops throughout the Midwest, Country Life offers a wide variety of bulk whole foods, everything from (bean) soup (mix) to nuts – and more. View the catalog here.
Simply make a list of the items you want to order and email it to Christina Flier, our Southeast Area Farmers’ Market manager. You can pay for your order when you pick it up on Jan. 28 at the Garfield Park Lodge, 334 Burton St. SE, Grand Rapids 49507.
Here are all of the 2016 order and pick up dates:
As a pilot program of its Food Diversity Project and the Southeast Area Farmers’ Market, Our Kitchen Table began offering market patrons the opportunity to order bulk whole foods from Country Life Natural Foods, a supplier to food co-ops throughout the Midwest. The numbers are in and the first order was a success! “We had a total of seven households order. The families ordered combined total purchases of $650.60,” says Christina Flier, manager of the Southeast Area Farmers’ Market. “Four of them will be utilizing their food subsidies to purchase through the market, partnered with their Double Up Food Bucks. These families have just increased their pantries, will be able to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, and create wholesome meals for their families while supporting their community and maximizing their benefits. It’s a win – win for everyone.”
Our Kitchen Table 