Growing Hope: Downtown Ypsilanti Farmers Market/title> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-15" /> <meta name="Description" content="Growing Hope, a non-profit organization initiating and supporting community gardens in Southeast Michiganof Ypsilanti Michigan" /> <meta name="KeyWords" content="Growing Hope, community garden, community gardening, farmers market, farmer's market, farmers' market, food security, school garden, school gardening, garden empowerment and education, youth garden, youth gardening, Ypsilanti Michigan, Washtenaw County Michigan" /> <script type="text/javascript"> // This is your call to flickrshow // The parameters are photoset ID, ID of target and colour // Repeat this call to have multiple flickrshows on a page fs1 = new flickrShow("72157602460558682", "fsDemo", "green"); </script> <style type="text/css"> @import "../styles/nsplus.css"; </style> <script type="text/javascript" src="../scripts/rollovers.js" > </script> </head> <body onload="preloadDetails('cp-2people');"> <div class="logo"> <a href="../index.shtml"><img src="../images/logo.jpg" alt="Growing Hope logo" border="0" /></a> </div> <div class="headera"> <img src="../images/headera.jpg" alt="" /> </div> <div class="headerb"> <img src="../images/headerb.jpg" alt="" /> </div> <div class="topnav"> <b><a class="subnavbutton" href="/projects/index.shtml"></b> </div> <div class="mainnav"> <ul> <li class="navbutton"><a href="/index.shtml">Home</a></li> <li class="navbutton"><a href="/about/index.shtml">About Us</a></li> <li class="navbutton"><a href="/projects/index.shtml">Our Programs</a></li> <li class="navbutton"><a href="/partners/index.shtml">Our Partners</a></li> <li class="navbutton"><a href="/helpusgrow/index.shtml">Donate</a></li> <li class="navbutton"><a href="/helpusgrow/volunteer.shtml">Volunteer</a></li> <li class="navbutton"><a href="/calendar/index.shtml">Calendar</a></li> <li class="navbutton"><a href="/blog.html">Blog</a></li> <li class="navbutton"><a href="/blog.html">Press & Publications</a></li> <li class="navbutton"><a href="/links/index.shtml">Links &<br />Resources</a></li> <li class="navbutton"><a href="/getintouch/index.shtml">Get in Touch</a></li> <li><span class="smaller">© 2004 Growing Hope<br /> non-profit web hosting<br /> by <a class="redacorn" href="http://www.redacorn.org/web-hosting.html" target="_blank">Red Acorn</a></span></li> </ul>  </div> <div class="mainbody"> <a href="http://www.guidestar.org/partners/networkforgood/donate.jsp?ein=74-3091845" target="_blank"><img class="topright" src="../images/donatenowlogo3.gif" alt="donate now" title="donate now" border="0" /></a> <div class="pagetitle"> <h2>Downtown Ypsilanti Farmers' Market</h2> </div> <div class="maincontent"> <div class="fulltext"> <h3></h3> The Downtown Ypsilanti Farmers Market opened in June 2006 based on a Community Needs Assessment conducted by the Ypsilanti Health Coalition. Today, it operates as a collaboration among community organizations, health clinics, civic institutions, and local residents. An Executive Committee, the decision-making body for the farmers market, is comprised of members from Growing Hope (who manages the market and employs the market manager), Washtenaw County Public Health, MSU Extension, and the Ypsilanti Food Co-op. They are informed by a Community Advisory Board, whose participation includes members from Hope Clinic, City of Ypsilanti, Neighborhood Health Clinic, WIC, downtown business merchants, as well as market vendors, local parents, and community residents. <p> We love that both our vendors and customers come from diverse age, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds. Many seniors from adjacent senior apartments are our most regular customers, but when you visit you'll see folks of all ages eager for the fresh food and social interaction the market provides. <strong>We're now recruiting vendors for 2008, and we'd like you to come!</strong> If you're a farmer, backyard gardener, greenhouse grower, or community gardener, we want you to be a vendor with us! We also appreciate vendors of baked goods or prepared foods if they are produced in a certified kitchen. Crafters and musicians are also invited. Our booth fees are affordable at $7/day (discount for the whole season). In May-June, before the Michigan harvests are pouring in, we allow vendors to sell non-Michigan produce, as long as it's the type Michigan has later in the season. Here's a <a href="..files/MichiganAvailability.pdf">handy guide</a> of Michigan produce. Once July hits, our state is abounding in fresh produce, and vendors may not sell any produce grown outside of the state. At any time during the market season, you'll see all produce labeled as to where it comes from, and if the vendor grew it his or herself or is selling for a fellow farmer. Community organization are also welcome to sign up for a free both once or on an ongoing basis to do outreach or conduct health screenings.</p> <p> Our Farmers Market runs on <strong>Tuesdays from May through October from 2-6 p.m</strong>. The market typically features about 17 vendors, selling produce, meats, crafts, and baked goods. The market is located in the southwest corner of the Downtown Ypsilanti Key Bank parking lot, one mile north of I-94 exit 183, just off of Michigan and Hamilton. In 2006, there were 5291 customer visits; that number leaped to 8532 in 2007. This is a 61% increase from the first to second season! In 2008, we aim to increase the number of people who visit the market throughout the season by increasing product selection, holding more special events, and conducting outreach to EBT participants. We are very pleased to see a huge increase in sales from 06 to a 07. The difference between the two seasons is $6990, representing a 32% increase. This is truly a mark of success for the farmers market and we do anticipate further increases in sales in 2008.</p> <p> <strong>Food Assistance Program Participation</strong><br /> The Downtown Ypsilanti Farmers Market participates in WIC Project FRESH, Senior Project FRESH, and Washtenaw County Public Health Departments Prescription for Health Program. These programs provide coupons so that low-income families and seniors are able to access fresh produce in an affordable way. We were the 3rd farmers market in the state to offer customers the option to use their EBT/Bridge card, which is the electronic form of food stamps, through a wireless machine handled by the Ypsilanti Food Co-op. </p> <p> Participation in these programs not only helps to increase food security in downtown Ypsilanti, but also increases revenue for our vendors. The market is a win-win for local agriculture, small entrepreneurs, the downtown business district, and residents of the Ypsilanti area!</p> <p><strong>Whats New in 2008</strong><br /> Excited for our third season of the market, in 2008 well be focusing both on cultivating additional vendors, including organic growers, non-traditional market gardeners, and youth vendorsas well as increasing the awareness of EBT and other non-cash payment methods that help people become more food secure through greater access to fresh, healthy food. </p> <p> Well also be introducing a new market currency in the form of wooden tokens that will be used for EBT and credit card transactions, Prescription for Health, and as a Market Buck coupon. Curious about this new market money looks, or interested in buying Market Buck coupons as giveaways? Get in touch! <strong>See you at Market on Tuesdays, starting in May!</strong></p> <ul> <li>2008 Vendor Recruitment Letter (<a href="../files/08FMVendorRecruitmentLetter.pdf">Pdf</a><a>)</a></li> <li><a>Application for 2008 Downtown Ypsilanti Farmers' Market vendors (</a><a href="../files/GHFarmersMarketApp2008.pdf">Pdf</a><a>)/(</a><a href="../files/GHFarmersMarketApp2008.doc">Word doc</a>). Vendor EBT/Credit Card Contract (<a href="../files/08FMVendorEBT_CreditAgrmnt.doc">Word doc</a>)</li> <li>Market Fact Sheet (<a href="../files/08FM_FactSheet.pdf">Pdf</a>)(warning-- this is a big file) </ul> <p><strong>Take a look at the market!</strong> Here are a just a few of our favorite shots from 2006-2007. There may also be a few pics thrown in from our booth at the Westside Farmers' Market in front of Zingerman's Roadhouse in Ann Arbor, where we participated weekly as a vendor in 2007.<br /> <iframe src="http://www.flickr.com/slideShow/index.gne?set_id=72157600776345732&" align="middle" frameborder="0" height="500" scrolling="no" width="580"></iframe></p></li></ul></div> <div class="bottomnav"> <a href="/index.shtml">home</a> | <a href="/about/index.shtml">about us</a> | <a href="/projects/index.shtml">our projects</a> | <a href="/partners/index.shtml">our partners</a> | <a href="/helpusgrow/index.shtml">help us grow</a> | <a href="/viewgardens/index.shtml">view the gardens</a> | <a href="/links/index.shtml">our links & resources</a> | <a href="/calendar/index.shtml">calendar</a> | <a href="/calendar/blogs.shtml">news & announcements</a> || <a href="/getintouch/index.shtml">get in touch</a> </div> </div> </div> </body> </html>