From Acorn Farmers’ Market & Café: More than just local produce

Acorn honey

Kapnick nut butters

Acorn eggs: photos courtesy of Laura Wohlgemuth

This letter is written to the community on behalf of the Acorn Farmers Market & Café, by Meghan Berry, the Acorn Market Manager. It is part of a series of articles submitted by the Acorn Board of Directors, to promote the Patronicity drive supporting the new market in Manchester. As of Monday morning, the drive has $26,415 pledged toward its $50,000 goal (a little over 52%).

By Meghan Berry, Acorn Market Manager

What comes to mind when you think of the farmers market or shopping for local food? Perhaps a table piled high with bunches of kale, beets, and carrots, or a freezer stocked with freshly processed beef. At Acorn Farmers’ Market, we know that there is so much more to local food, and we want this store to continue as a destination to find local food products of all sorts.

This week, the Acorn crowdfunding campaign reaches its halfway point, and we are a little over half-way to our fundraising goal. If the campaign raises $50,000, Acorn will achieve a matching grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and embark on a renovation of the store space. The fully equipped market will be filled with local products and become a year-round grocery destination.

In addition to fresh local produce and frozen meat, some of the varied products on Acorn’s shelves include honey, maple syrup, duck and chicken eggs, jam, spices, bread and other baked goods, popcorn, soaps and body care products and even locally roasted coffee beans! For many years the Manchester Farmers Market hosted a wonderful variety of food and craft vendors to create a diverse and exciting market. Now, Acorn Farmers’ Market and Cafe is continuing that legacy by creating a year round, six-day-a week-space for vendors to sell on consignment. In our consignment model, vendors own the products on the shelf and keep 75% of the purchase price. This is a great rate of return for small business owners, some of whom are just getting their product to market for the first time.

At the temporary market running three days a week this summer, Acorn sells goods from ten different grocery and dry good producers. When we are able to install more displays and open more days each week, this number will continue to grow. One of our regular vendors is The Lakehouse Bakery, based in Chelsea. Keegan Rodgers delivers his fresh bread, pastries, and cookies twice a week. To complete your breakfast, we have fresh roasted coffee from Tom Atkinson of DawnBreaker Coffee in Chelsea and a whole range of jams from Gaskill Family Farm in Milan.

If you want to tackle your own baking projects, we work with Megan Goldenburg at Saline’s Macon Creek Malt House to stock various cornmeal and flours. Many of Megan’s products are milled from Michigan-grown grain at family-owned Janie’s Mill in northern Illinois–creating a sustainable regional grain economy! Acorn completes your shopping list with extra fresh duck and chicken eggs from farms in Tecumseh, Britton, and Tipton, plus local raw honey and pure Michigan maple syrup.

Local food processing of all sorts, including milling, baking, and canning, is vitally important to a self-sufficient and healthy community. Acorn will play a central role in building a network of viable small food processors and businesses that enriches the Manchester community. Having such a market available may even encourage new producers to get started for the first time, bringing new energy to our local food economy and tasty treats to customers!

Find out more about Acorn and donate to the crowdfunding campaign at patronicity.com/acorn. Thank you for your support!

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.