East Lansing Farmers’ Market Celebrates Ten Years at June 3 Opening

Photo: Pooh Stevenson of Owosso Organics

The East Lansing Farmers’ Market (ELFM) will be celebrating its tenth birthday when it opens for the season on June 3 with a special ringing of the “market bell” by East Lansing Mayor Mark Meadows.

The Market will run every Sunday from 10-2:00 p.m., from June 3 through October 28 in Valley Court Park. This year, you’ll find vendors both familiar and unfamiliar, and, as always, a focus on locally grown and made products as reflected in the tagline “100% Homegrown Makes Us Different.”

“Some of the new vendors this year are Sanctuary Pizza, GCC Organics and Steffey Farm” Said ELFM Manager Karla Forrest-Hewitt. “We are excited about all of them because they all bring something unique and wonderful to the market. GCC Organics is a small farm located in Central Michigan that serves Central Michigan and surrounding areas with local, wholesome products such as pastured, organic chicken, beef, turkey, and eggs. Steffey Farm is a longstanding, family-run farm, which is becoming rare these days. They will be serving up wonderful cheeses.”

Sanctuary Pizza, "brings farms, people and food together into one, delicious whole," said owner Sarah Zwickle.

Joining the new vendors will be older East Lansing Farmer’s Market staples such as Titus Farm, Fire and Rice, El Burrito Mexicano, and Jenny’s Sweets and Treats.

“Our Market committee meets and reviews applicants each year.” Forrest-Hewitt said. “The committee members are a combination of vendors, East Lansing residents and City staff. Each individual on the committee has great insight on how the market runs as well as expertise on the different markets in the area. As a committee, we look very closely at what each vendor brings to the Market. We also try to ensure that vendors have a competitive advantage in that there are not too many of the same products offered at the Market. We also look at attendance, customer service and presentation when choosing vendors. The goal is to maintain a quality market with products that are homegrown or made in Michigan.”

Attendees of this year’s market may notice there’s no shortage of locally roasted craft coffee, with a roster that includes Rustbelt Roasters, The 517 Coffee Company out of Lansing, and Simpatico Coffee from Holland.

According to Forrest-Hewitt, the coffee vendors will rotate.

“We have had at least one coffee vendor for the past several years; however, they may not have been at the Market every weekend.” Forrest-Hewitt said. “In recent years, we have had a rotation with two different coffee vendors. This year was the first year that all three coffee vendors applied to be at Market, so the committee decided to offer them rotating Sundays because they have all spent time at the Market in previous years and all have something unique to offer.”

Since the Farmers’ Market’s inception in 2009, it’s evolved to include everything from yoga to musicians performing live music. Among these changes are those to the physical site.

“The site was improved a few years ago which included resurfacing the parking lot and building the open-air live music gazebo.” Forrest-Hewitt said. “There is a new park sign that was installed a few years ago as well, designating the park as the home of the Market. A few years after the Farmers’ Market opened down in the park, the Double Up Food Bucks and SNAP/Bridge card programs were added. The selection from vendors has varied from year to year, but in all of the good ways, the Market has stayed the same and has become a valued, Sunday morning tradition for many in the community.”

Along with all the vendors, music, and food, there’s another new feature of this year’s market Forrest-Hewitt is excited about.

“This year we will have a unity project that will bring our community together to celebrate diversity and openness.” Forrest-Hewitt said. “It is a project sponsored by the East Lansing Arts Commission that will be happening at the Market on June 10. In addition, we have other special events on select market days.”

At the June 3 opening, free, reusable shopping bags will be given to the first 150 customers. In addition, there will be other birthday surprises and giveaways. Music will be provided by Pooh Stevenson from 10-12, and by students from the MSU College of Music Suzuki Program from 12:00-2:00 p.m.

More information about the East Lansing Farmers’ Market is available here.