Farmers Market considers extending market year round & partnering with Veggie Mobile

submitted by Ruth VanBogelen, Manchester Farmers Market Committee

Manchester hosts a Farmers Market on Thursdays May through Oct from 3:30-7 pm at ChiBro Park. The market has vendors selling local produce, meat (beef, chicken, Alaskan Salmon, pork), eggs, honey, syrup, baked goods and crafts. Last year the gross sales were just under $40,000 and we counted 21,000 customers at the 25 markets. 

The Farmers Market Committee (a committee of the Village of Manchester) met last Wednesday to explore how we might lessen the food desert status in Manchester. First, we would support another grocery store to come to Manchester; the Argus Farm Stop model and Food Coops (e.g., Food Revolution), and really any other business that will sell food in Manchester. However, we had two ideas that might be relatively easy to implement – one of which could also be implemented relatively quickly. 

Veggie Mobile Model

ProMedica Veggie Mobile

If you’ve driven through Tecumseh, Adrian or other communities around Lenawee County, you may have noticed a small refrigerated truck adorned with some colorful produce and the words ‘Veggie Mobile.’ This vehicle does not take fruits and vegetables to grocery stores; it takes them to the people. Run by Promedica, the Veggie Mobile sells produce at various senior centers, municipal centers, hospitals, schools and parks around Lenawee County. They have eight different communities (several stops in Adrian and Tecumseh) to visit over the course of a week, usually making five or six hour-long stops at each location. They purchase produce locally, which includes purchasing from six local farmers throughout the growing season. The Veggie Mobile is set up to provide lower income individuals access to fresh local produce also because the van accepts EBT, WIC Project Fresh, Senior Project Fresh, and Double Up Food Bucks. Of course, they also accept cash so anyone can buy produce. The van sells the produce at cost to keep costs manageable for potential customers. Obviously, this model would require a little more time to get going, but grants are available from the Michigan Fitness Foundation, Michigan Health Endowment Fund, and sales of their produce cover some of the cost of the program. In Washtenaw County, it is possible we could partner with St. Joseph Mercy and/or Michigan Medicine to provide two full time employees and cover vehicle expenses. 

Farmers Market Plus Pre-ordering

The quickest model to implement is to offer pre-orders for the Farmers Market. The farmers market manager (or a volunteer) would create a list of what vendors say will be available at the market each week. Customers would order (on paper at the market, or online), would pre-pay, and then pick up their order at a designated location. During May – October, the location would be the Farmers Market (with potentially an alternative day, and/or time?) and of course, customers could buy other items directly from the vendors. Pre-orders really help the vendors because they know what to bring to the market. During November through April, there would be another indoor location where farmers, bakers, etc. would drop off pre-ordered items and the customer would pick it up (hours would be established that would work for customers). The Farmers Market offers weekly healthy recipes using produce in season, so could also offer a Farmers Market box which includes items needed to prepare these recipes. 

Let us know what you think about these two models. Comments on Facebook are very helpful or email comments to 48158food@gmail.com. 

For as little as $1 a month, you can keep Manchester-focused news coverage alive.

by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.