Hazel Park Growers and Makers Market, Sundays Through Sept 4

Hazel Park Growers and Makers Market, Sundays Through Sept 4
(Leigh McLaughlin, July 10, 2016)

Hazel Park, MI – About a year ago Hazel Park resident Jennifer Jackson got a bunch of folks together who wanted to build a Farmers Market for Hazel Park. Working with city manager Ed Klobucher and assistant city manager Jeffrey Campbell,work began towards its creation. A market board was created. The members are: Jennifer and Jared Jackson, Leigh McLaughlin, Rich Parisi, and Renee Patterson, all Hazel Park residents. The driving force behind creating the market was not only supporting Michigan farmers, but feeding the people in Hazel Park and the surrounding community good, healthy food.

Jennifer Jackson and Leigh McLaughlin attended and became certified Farmer Market Managers through MIFMA (MI Farmer’s Market Association). It is a program run through an MSU extension in Jackson, MI. They had no idea there was as much to running a market as there is. It is not as simple as inviting people to set up some tables to create a market. There are a myriad of rules and regulations, and practices put forth by the state to keep markets safe.

The market sells Michigan grown produce and cottage food products. Fun activities for the kids are also being planned. One achievement the Market Board is especially proud of is the USDA approval to accept SNAP. This means customers who use bridge cards will be able to use them to buy fresh produce at the market. Looking ahead to the future, the Double Up Food Bucks program will allow those same customers to double their buying power and put even more good, healthy produce on their tables. The announcement of the start of this program is pending, however. Stay tuned!

The market is open on Sundays from 10am-2pm, June 19th through September 4th, but taking a break August 28th for the Hazel Park Art Fair. It is being held in Green Acres Park behind the Recreation Center at Woodward Heights and Lennox, which is the Ferndale-Hazel Park border. This is a large,

shady park with bathrooms and a pavilion for folks to sit and visit. It will be run by your market managers, Jennifer Jackson and Leigh McLaughlin, along with a wonderful host of homegrown volunteers.

Vendors, it’s not too late! Contact us through facebook if you are interested in being a vendor at the market. Do you run a food truck? We have lots of room for you too!

Visit us on facebook! https://m.facebook.com/hazelparkgrowersandmakersmarket/

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