APRIL 25, 2012
been a loyal attendee of the Walled Lake market since it’s genesis in 2002. “It’s a homey market — just the way a farmer’s market should be — and offers a wide array of items,” Hatfield said. “We’ve been coming since the beginning because it’s a close radius to our customer base.” Springbrook Farms owns a 13acre farm in Howell and a greenhouse in Farmington. It’s been in the business since 1932. “We’re an old Oakland County grower — there are very few of us left, as most come from Romeo, Armada and a few from Ann Arbor,”
including the rare Mountain Fresh tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, squash, corn, green beans, potatoes, onions, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and cucumbers. Apart from flats of perennials/annuals, hanging bushes, and porch pots, premier roses will be available for purchase. “We grow a lot of rosebushes and are the only one who produces in the area,” Hatfield said. Springbrook is renowned for growing highly coveted roses such as David Austin, Knock Outs, and Floribundas varieties. Another rare find are the
Hand-crafted soaps (above) are among the many items that can be purchased at the Milford Farmers’ Market, which will be held on Thursday afternoons from 3 to 8 p.m. beginning on May 10 and running through Oct. 18. Twenty-eight vendors are expected on opening day. (Photo submitted by Kelley Kirchner/Milford Farmers’ Market)
Hatfield said. Both John and and his brother, Rick, are horticulturists who pride themselves in their hands-on and knowledge-based approach. “We don’t use pesticides and don’t believe in using animal manure because of the risk of salmonella — that could run into bacterial problems,” Hatfield explained. Instead, they use a scientific approach to grow their crops and monitor their soil closely. “We use a cultivator every two weeks to work the weeds up — it’s very labor-intensive,” Hatfield said. “We know when our plants need calcium or the soil needs a change in acidity because we have the capability to test them. “We also have sweet water in our aquifers to help with maturing the crops, and that is very rare among farmers,” he said. Springbrook Farms will be showcasing a wide range of produce and flora at this year’s farmer’s market,
Traverse City Benjamin Twig cherries that Springbrook Farms has exclusive rights to sell in lower Michigan. Other cherry products sold will include jams/jellies and vinaigrettes. WIXOM Wixom will be rolling out its fourth annual Farmers Market on May 24 from 3 to 7 p.m. at Sibley Park on Pontiac Trail, directly across from City Hall. From that time forward, the market will be held every Thursday until Oct. 4 from 3 to 7 p.m., with summer concerts immediately following. The Wixom Farmers Market debuted in 2009 at the corner of Old Wixom Road and Pontiac Trail as a community service, but was relocated two years ago due to parking constraints. Since its inception, the market has progressively grown. “We get a steady crowd of people because we tie in with Wixom theme nights and the concerts,” said Wixom Parks and Recreation
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Director Deanna Magee. “We’re marketing it as activities here on Thursdays and the whole idea is to patronize the businesses and participate in downtown activities.” This year Magee said she anticipates about 20 vendors doing business at the city’s market. Only 15 have signed up so far, but it’s early yet, she said. “We have quite a few new vendors this year and we’re really trying to recruit more because more is better,” Magee said. “We want to progressively grow the market and keep it where there’s a diverse selection of items — something for everyone.” This year vendors will set up camp showcasing flowers, fresh fruits and veggies, honey, eggs, cheese, meats, breads, jams and jellies, pottery, candles, jewelry, woodworks, garden decor, soaps, iron works, photography, and more. “To encourage economic growth in Michigan, we favor vendors that produce in Michigan,” Magee said. There will be kids activities available at the market, such as arts, crafts, and inflatables. In addition, cooking demonstrations are planned and master gardeners from the Michigan State University Extension will be on site weekly. For more information on the Wixom Farmers Market, visit wixomparksandrec.com and click on the Farmers Market link. WHITE LAKE The White Lake Farmer’s Market will be entering into its second year of operation this May. The market will be open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. from Saturday, May 5 to Oct. 6. Huron Valley Recreation and Community Education, in conjunction with White Lake Township, hosts the market at the Huron Valley Lakeland High School campus off of Bogie Lake Road. The market showcases a variety of vendors and features fruits and vegetables, baked goods, plants, yard and garden materials, and candy, as well as hand-made crafts. Current vendors for 2012 include those from the lakes area, as well as Novi and Hartland. The rental of vendor space is restricted to those whose principal production site is within 200 miles of the White Lake Farmer’s Market location. The booth fee is $16 per week for one space, while renting a space the day of the market is $21 per day per space on a first-come-first-serve basis. PAGE 11 ❯ ❯ ❯ ❯
SPECIAL REPORT
This year the vendor list has expanded. New to the market this season is Keith Swan with Swan’s Farm of Commerce Township, who will be selling fresh produce; Bonnie George, who will be selling homemade pot holders and aprons for garden and kitchen use; and Randy Lipman’s Mystic Kettle, a purveyor of kettle corn. Mystic Kettle is based in Huntington Woods. Lipman and her husband run the fledgling business that was launched only a year ago. “We heard the Walled Lake Farmer’s Market is wonderful and we want the opportunity to position ourselves throughout different communities,” Lipman said. Mystic Kettle’s all-natural, Michigan-grown and Michigan-made gourmet kettle corn is both slightly sweet and salty, a snacker’s dream. “Our kettle corn is unique — we use mushroom-style kernels that pop rounder,” Lipman said. “When the kernels are placed in hot oil, we add the sugar that caramelizes and the salt binds to the surface. After popping we filter out the unpopped kernels and crumbs so you get a nice bag full of corn.” Mystic Kettle’s primary goal is to sell a product that its customers enjoy in the local area, and giving a portion of its proceeds to charitable causes. “We do a lot of work with fund-raisers like the Berkley Instrumental boosters and the ‘Pink Fund’ for breast cancer survivors who have financial hardships,” Lipman said. “Our motto is ‘Don’t Settle for any Kettle — Mystic Kettle.’” To date, there are 30 vendors purchasing a booth at the market, a slight increase from last year. Hospitality House will make a special showing in mid-July to man a booth in order to glean donations for the not-for-profit organization that serves area households in need. Market shoppers can choose from a range of products and produce, including perennials/annuals; honey; Great Harvest bread/cookies; knives, cutlery, and garden tools; leather goods; baked goods; jams/jellies (some sugar-free); homemade soaps and bath products; aromatic oils; hot dogs; kettle corn; homemade taco chips; homemade salsa and barbecue sauces; birdhouses; aprons/bibs; garden decor; and solar lights. Vendors hail from anywhere between Farmington Hills and Belleville, from Howell to Armada. “VanHoutte Farms is a long-standing vendor and very popular, so is Springbrook Farms,” Joyce said. John Hatfield, the farmer’s market coordinator for Springbrook Farms, said the Michigan-based company has
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