By Sue Moore
Hungry for some fresh asparagus, rhubarb, maybe salad greens? It’s been seven and a half months since the Vicksburg Farmers’ Market closed for the season. It will be back in business each Friday of the week, beginning May 18 and going until the end of September, according to co-market manager Carol Meyer-Niedzwiecki.
It will be several weeks into operation before strawberries and other ripe fruits and vegetables become available at the market, she noted. For now, there will be beef, pork, lamb, eggs, honey, maple syrup, butter, cheese, gelato, bread, cookies, soaps and natural skin creams, just to name a few items available.
The market sits in the heart of the Vicksburg Historic Village alongside N. Richardson Street and will be open from 2 to 6 p.m. with food truck vendors providing delicious take-home meals or prepared food just to eat at the market.
Music offered by the Kalamazoo Folk Life Society will kick things off the first week and for most weeks after that. Their special brand of entertainment helps to energize all those folks looking to purchase fresh and wholesome fruits and vegetables. Their appearances each week are underwritten by the Main Street Pub and arranged by June Kucks, Vicksburg’s resident musician from the Society.
Over 35 vendors have signed up for the 2018 market with some old faithfuls and some new, largely unknown vendors. The market is embarking on its ninth year in Vicksburg and fourth year in the specially built community pavilion. It has a new split rail fence built around the east and south side by the Vicksburg Lions Club to further indicate parking places for customers, including handicap spaces.
The first Friday of the month from June through September will include a “Makers” group of vendors who sell crafts and homemade items. “The plan is to offer food demos on these first Fridays, much like we did with Creekside Grille and Kalamazoo Valley Community College’s culinary institute in 2017,” Meyer-Niedzwiecki said.
The market board is composed of local volunteers who help to grow the market each year. They are Bret Green, president; Kay Anderson, secretary; Kim Klein, treasurer; trustees John Kern, Joe Oswalt, Bob Smith, Rob Peterson, Kurt Wiley and Sheila Buitenhuis. The website is vicksburgfarmersmarket.com.