Wayne State University will kick off summer with its weekly Wednesday Farmers Market, offering fresh locally grown vegetables, fruit, herbs, flowers, honey, baked goods, and several hot and cold lunch options.
The market’s ninth season opens June 1 and will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each Wednesday through Oct. 26 at 5401 Cass Avenue. The market will be located in front of the Walter P. Reuther Library of Labor and Urban Affairs again this year due to construction of the Midtown Loop, Phase III, which is planned in front of Prentis Hall this summer.
This year's market will feature familiar growers from Detroit and the metro area, including Brother Nature Produce, D-Town Farm, Van Houtte Farms and Burda’s Berries, as well as new vendors such as Greening of Detroit and Detroit Peppers.
Prepared food vendors such as Midtown's Avalon International Breads and Corktown’s Brooklyn Street Local will also maintain stalls at the market. Russell Street Deli will continue to offer its delectable wraps and soups, while Mystic Kettle will pop corn on site. Sweet Potato Sensations’ cupcakes and ice cream will round out lunch, while returning vendor Drifter Coffee will satisfy a craving for caffeine or a mellow herbal tea experience.
The Wayne State University Farmers Market accepts the Michigan Bridge Card and WIC Project FRESH and Senior Project FRESH coupons. The Bridge Card is part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which helps impoverished households buy food. WIC Project FRESH and Senior Project FRESH are state government-sponsored programs that give new mothers and mothers-to-be, children, and senior citizens access to Michigan-produced fruits and vegetables sold at farmers markets.
“The Wayne State University Farmers Market supports Michigan producers, increasing access to healthy food for people who live and work on and near campus, and creates a social, convivial atmosphere in the heart of Midtown,” said Kami Pothukuchi, SEED Wayne director and faculty member in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning.
To provide additional benefits to low-income households, the market will match Bridge Card spending dollar for dollar, up to $20 per card per day, with Double Up Food Bucks. Double Up Food Bucks may be spent only on Michigan-grown produce and are made possible through a partnership with the Fair Food Network. Students enrolled in classes are given additional incentives to eat more fruits and vegetables through the Student Advantage Project. The project gives students $10 in vouchers in exchange for $5 in cash, with the vouchers to be spent exclusively on fresh produce at the market.
The Wayne State University Farmers Market is a project of SEED Wayne. It is made possible with the help of many campus partners, with special thanks to Wayne State Libraries; Office of Campus Sustainability; the College of Fine, Performing, and Communication Arts; and the Department of Public Safety.
About SEED Wayne
SEED Wayne's mission is to collaboratively build sustainable food systems on the campus of Wayne State University and in Detroit neighborhoods through activities in research, teaching, campus operations and community engagement.
SEED Wayne projects include three campus gardens, the 22-week Wayne State University Farmers Market, a 4,000-square-foot passive solar greenhouse at the Capuchin Soup Kitchen for year-round production of vegetables for the soup kitchen and the Healthy Eats community nutrition project. For more information, visit clas.wayne.edu/seedwayne.