Crane Dance Farms prepares for downtown markets

Middleville's Crane Dance Farm has long been a staple at the Fulton Street Farmers Market, providing chemical-free pork, beef, lamb, poultry, and eggs. 

This year, the farm will be also be one of the vendors at the new outdoor market shed at the Downtown Market, an opportunity that Crane's Jill Johnson is extremely optimistic about.

"We remain very excited about Fulton Street -- this will be our eleventh year there and it represents about 70 percent of our business," she says. "But the Downtown Market is equally as exciting for us. It's going to be a huge draw for downtown Grand Rapids and for foodies. The downtown market will be focused on Michigan products and there will be no GMOs. That is a huge undertaking."

Besides the two Grand Rapids markets, Crane Dance will have a presence at the Ada Farmer's Market, too. Initially, Johnson and Mary Wills, her partner at Crane Dance, will split up with Wills working the Fulton St. site.

The farm also employs a full-time apprentice and two part-time marketing positions.

To learn more about Crane Dance Farm, you can view their site here.

Source: Jill Johnson, Crane Dance Farm
Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs News Editor