Season’s Greetings Lansing-area Food Enthusiasts, Activists, and Eaters,

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We have come to the end of yet another year, one that has had its share of agricultural successes and setbacks.  And despite the remarkable enthusiasm and ability of Lansing’s food/farming community, we are still far from where we might be in this thriving Midwestern city with respect to building a sustainable, equitable, locally-supported and valued, food system.

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If this sounds a bit despondent, it is.  But(!) we do know that if we work collectively, we can vastly accelerate the creation of a green culture and economy in the Lansing area.  

Season’s Greetings Lansing-area Food Enthusiasts, Activists, and Eaters,

 

As the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, we transition to a season of indoor farm markets, apple harvest festivals, and all things pumpkin—jack-o-lantern carving, pies, and an assortment of beverages. A lot of people believe that farmers take a rest in the fall once they have harvested their fall crops and put their beds to rest. However, this is not the case. Were you aware that most of the urban farmers in Lansing continue growing and producing throughout the fall and winter?  For example, Magnolia Avenue Farms continues to process fruits and roots such as hibiscus, burdock, and valerian for the apothecary. Ancona Farms continues to offer a variety of jelly and jams. Highwater Farms tends to their bees and their micro-greens. 

 

Just two weeks ago, we hosted a farmers’ market on the west side of Lansing at the Union Missionary Baptist Church (UMBC). We posted a notice about the market on the Westside Lansing Facebook page and received several questions from the community regarding the availability of produce since the market was late in the season. However, there was an array of micro-greens, pastries, meats, eggs, pumpkins, apples, honey, maple syrup, and squash, and several vendors sold out. Everyone was pleased. Now, LUFP is working with UMBC to make a Westside Farmers Market a reality for 2023 and beyond. 

 

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