Farmers market returns to southeast side on Thursdays

The Southeast Area Farmers Market is back in business, operating on Thursdays between 1pm and 6pm at the corner of Franklin and Fuller – just west of Martin Luther King Park – until mid October. The market will celebrate its grand opening on July 20 with various family-friendly events.

Started in 2003, the market ran for three years before organizers took a year off to rethink location, attract more farmers and secure more community partners. The West Michigan Environmental Action Council has partnered with the Kent County Health Department and Devine Grace Church to give this year’s market a stronger community connection.

All produce hails from local farms, including the Visser Farm, Ham Family Farm, Martha Meza’s farm and Frozen Creek Farm. Some of the many types of produce available include: sweet corn, beets, broccoli, carrots, cherries, cucumbers, lettuce, onions, peas, potatoes, radishes, raspberries, spinach, squash, tomatoes, turnips and zucchini.

Last week’s event attracted about 100 people, a number that’s sure to increase as word spreads. In previous years, the market attracted about 170 people each week and earned local farmers about $8,000 throughout the season.

Organizers stress the environmental, health and aesthetic benefits that local farmers markets bring to communities. The average food item in the US travels some 1,500 miles to the plate, burning up fossil fuels and taking on taste-zapping preservatives. Or, consumers can opt for veggies grown about 30 miles away and picked fresh.

Source: Tom Cary, West Michigan Environmental Action Council