Music at Market!

Kathleen Jewel and her friend Linda Hulse will play dulcimer duets from 10-12 at the market this Saturday October 15.

What do you think?

The Market Management Team is thinking about the market for next summer...and beyond! If you have thoughts and ideas, please let us know. We'd love to hear what you would like the Urban Garden Market to look like.

Despite the construction we are open! The senior housing project that has started has taken more of our vacant lot than they were supposed to. Rest assured - the market will be up and running as usual. This is a beignet Saturday! Other good news: With this week of warmth and sunshine there should be lots of produce still available plus pumpkins and gourds for fall decorating. It's another game day so get your apples, ribs, cookies, pickles, breads to munch on during the game. The Market Management Team has already started thinking about the market for next summer. If you have some thoughts and ideas, please let us know. We'd love to hear what you would like the Urban Garden Market to look like.

To market to market... to buy a fat pumpkin! It is squash season and there are LOTS of varieties available at the Urban Garden Market for a limited time only. 4 market days left to enjoy produce and the pleasingly pleasant and polite people of the UGM. Find out more about the market and LaSalle Square at the LaSalle Square Steering Committee meeting Monday, October 3rd at 5:30 at the LaSalle Library. Ideas and plans from Unity Gardens and the UGM are on the agenda.

produce ponderings...

Stop by and visit at the information table to chat - and to fill out a comment card! The Market Management Team would love to hear your ideas on any aspect of the market: produce, atmosphere, hours, entertainment/information...What do you like? What do you wish was at the market?

BTW There is still lots of produce: many varieties of squash are coming on, still sweet corn (but their days are numbered), tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, eggplant, okra, all kinds of peppers (hot and not so hot). Plus, pick up cookies, pastries, pulled pork, BBQ ribs & chicken... Only 6 market days left!

UGM at Latino Health Fair THIS Saturday!

We will have a table at the Latino Health Fair this Sat from 8am - 1pm. Many thanks to our fans/volunteers Maria, Glenda Ray, and Cheryl.
We will give away an apple to everyone who comes to the table. Thanks to Jean Rudolph for getting the apples!

Market News from Saturday

The big plus of the day, says Market Manager Donna, was Phil and Edie Sutton from Purdue Extension. People showed up at 9am sharp ready for a food preservation demonstration after reading the article in Monday's South Bend Tribune. Edie took all their questions and spent a lot of time with them. They came from Osceola and south of SB and all over just for the food preservation information!

Phil is looking forward to developing and starting a series of seminars this winter to promote people using their backyard gardens to earn some extra income by selling at the Urban Garden Market. That's exciting!

Nat'l Farmers Market Fest was Full of Fun!

The atmosphere was that sense of a community gathering. Eating food together will do that! The corn roast was a hit and Jason did an awesome job cooking the corn. "It was the best corn I have ever had," raved market manager Donna. A big thanks to Jean Rudolf for donating the corn.
The exhibitors were great as well. Educational exhibits provided by the St. Joseph County Farm Bureau, St. Joseph County Health Department, and the Unity Gardens; and free Blood pressure and glucose testing by Bendix Family Physicians. Lots of people visited them.
In addition, music by Jack Daly guitar and song) and Kathy Jerrell (dulcimer)was enjoyed by all.
What a great day! A big thanks to all the volunteers who helped serve, run errands, and who provided the big tent.
See you next Saturday at the market!

Great Food and What to do With It

A story about home canning, featured Monday August 22 in the South bend Tribune, asked, "Want to learn more?" The answer can be found at the Urban Garden Market this Saturday, August 27, from 9am-1pm. Edie Sutton, an educator with Purdue Extension, will provide a demonstration on home canning. It's free and fun and delicious. Come find out what to do with market goodies to see you through the winter!
Read the article HERE

NATIONAL FARMERS MARKET WEEK events

This Saturday celebrate National Farmer's Market Week at the Urban Garden Market! Enjoy a corn roast with corn provided by vendor Jean Rudolph (thanks, Jean!) and live music. Yum, yum, fun!

Corn roast, music at Urban Garden Market

Corn roast, music at Urban Garden Market
This Saturday August 13 help us celebrate National Farmers Market Week! There will be a corn roast and music and all your favorite vendors. Celebrate the bounty of summer and your west side source for fresh, local food!

URBAN GARDEN MARKET CELEBRATES NATIONAL FARMERS MARKET WEEK

Corn Roast, Music, Exhibits!

Every day this summer, communities are converging to celebrate a simple miracle: farmers, as stewards of rural America, coming together to share a harvest that’s feeding local families. The result? More viable regional economies; increased access to fresh, nutritious food; and stronger social networks that help keep communities strong.

United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has proclaimed August 7-13, 2011 as National Farmers Market Week. In celebration, the Urban Garden Market is hosting a Corn Roast from 10:00am to 1:00pm. There will also be live music plus exhibitors representing a variety of organizations and interests.

This year marks the 12th annual National Farmers Market Week. Farmers markets are becoming fresh food mainstays for shoppers across all socio-economic, political, and ethnic ranges. Farmers markets bolster local economies, improve community health, and bring diverse groups of people together through a shared social space. Indiana is home to 168 farmers markets up from 140 in 2010. The Government’s Ag Marketing Service lists Indiana in the top ten states with farmers’ market growth.

“One of my favorite parts of the market day is listening as the farmers engage in conversation with their customers, answering their questions, giving ideas on how to fix a particular food that is in season, explaining the difference between white potatoes and red potatoes or describing the flavor of a citrus cucumber or kohlrabi. There is so much interaction between the farmer and the city dweller—a lot of education takes place on any given Saturday,” said Donna Ring, Market Manager

“Farmers markets grow healthy farms, healthy people, and healthy communities” says Stacy Miller, Executive Director of the Farmers Market Coalition. “During a slow economic recovery, farmers markets are stand-out successes in delivering triple bottom line benefits while making entrepreneurship work in communities large and small. During Farmers Market Week, we invite everyone to celebrate their local farmers markets and enjoy fresh local food from America’s most innovative farmers.”

July 23 Market: Something Different!

Instead of music or information featured at the Market, this past Saturday featured the play "The Ox Star." It went over well - there were several who seemed pretty intent on watching it. What we saw was quite good!

Watch for the new "what's at the market today" signs (thanks, Jen!).

A HUGE Thank You to Sherwin-Williams (the one off Bendix at 3210 Nimtz Pky)donated the paint! Find them by clicking here.

We love our vendor community! We welcome John Keefer, who brought corn, peppers, canteloupe and other goodies to market Saturday. he is super friendly and said he was enjoying the customers and the market atmosphere. It was really hot again on Saturday. Thanks to vendors looking out for fellow vendors - Rosemary, Jean, Pat and Wendy all made sure John had water and got in the shade. Thanks, all!

Saturday July 23 @ the UGM

Hot enough for you??? It's to be more of the same on Saturday, but we will be open.
So much produce is ready now -- sweet corn, blueberries, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, green beans, wax beans, all kinds of summer squash, zucchini, kohlrabi (give it a try) ... plus cookies, all kinds of pastries, snow cones, jams, jellies, rib tips, BBQ chicken and pulled pork. (Try putting together Jim's plain (not BBQ) pulled pork, green beans and new potatoes for an easy and tasty meal.)
The special entertainment for tomorrow will be a performance by the Nickel & Dime Theatre of the play "The Ox Star". It is a children's play about selfishness based on a Chinese fairytale. The Nickel & Dime Theatre started in 2007 by Margie Davis who directs and acts in most of their plays. Local talent from kids to adults participate in a range of plays from serious to comedy. They will have one performance at 10:00 am. The play lasts for about 45 minutes.
Bring your own chair and come enjoy the play!

Urban Garden Market ready to open for 2nd full season

Urban Garden Market ready to open for 2nd full season

July Market Update

What a busy day we had Saturday!
Hungry people picking up food throughout the morning. PLUS, the local ABC affiliate channel 57 came and took a lot of footage and interviewed some of the vendors and customers and Donna, the magnificent Market Manager. It was on both the news broadcasts that evening! (look for link coming soon!)

Edie Sutton, nutritionist from Purdue Extension, had two great recipes made with corn and blueberries; one was a salad and one a dessert. They were wonderful!
Phil Sutton was kep busy with customers arriving toting bags of leaves, plants and branches for him to diagnose. It's a good thing that Purdue Extension comes every month! They are both a very handy resource.

Next week (7/23) Nickel and Dime acting troop will perform the play they have been working on. The curtain goes up at 10:00am for a 45 min. play called "The Ox Star". Directed by Margie Davis, it is a children's play about selfishness based on the Chinese fairytale about the Ox Star. It retells the legend of how the ox star bungled a message from the Emperor of All the Heavens and was punished by being sent to earth to become a beast of burden.

Also next week: great food and funa nd friendly conversations! Stop by for a bit of both!

365 Things To Do in South Bend: #43: Urban Garden Market

365 Things To Do in South Bend: #43: Urban Garden Market: "A fortuitous turn while killing time before an airport ticket led me to discover the Urban Garden Market on Bendix Road.  I'm driving along,..."

Summer Samples!

This Saturday sample the season! Edie Sutton from Purdue Extension will be back sharing recipes and samples from our farmers.

Market Manager's Report: July 9

What a fun day we had on Saturday. One of the best (if not the best) market days we've had. Plus the fiddle, bango, guitar music added a festive flavor to the day.

Coming July 9

Saturday at the market: A group of local "Old Time" musicians will be at market from 10-12 with traditional fiddle tunes, blues, and folk. Music and good local food are a great mix! Plus, sweet corn is coming on and should be ready in mid-July...Stay tuned!

Then and Now - yum and fun!

Last week the weather was perfect!
Big sales for Jim's popular pulled pork. The market hosted Edie and Phil Sutton who gazed around the market imagining an Extension office on the west side...!

For SATURDAY, July 2nd
We will have music! David J. Simon, a country-folk artist, is coming between 9:30 and 10:00. Learn more about him and his music by clicking here.

We will have samples! There will also be a nutritionist from Purdue Extension coming with nutrition info and food samples.

PLUS, a new vendor! Come out and welcome Cheryl Osborne (Juste Pour Vous by Cher, who will be there with her gift baskets, sweet tea and snow cones.

Week 2 of 2011

The lot looks wonderful! Thanks to the city for grating and rolling the lot so it's now even and with no ankle-twisting stones.
Another busy market day, with vendors selling greens, flowers, honey, berries, plants and plants and fresh made beignets! A good time was had by all, with lots of visiting and plenty of buying fresh food.
For those of you who weren't there we got rained on a little bit... Just 15 min. before closing it started raining really big drops which usually means the rain shower won't last real long - wrong!!! About 30 seconds later it was like heavenly buckets of water were being poured over us... like literally being under a waterfall the rain was so heavy. (Check out the picture of Rosemary taking shelter in her truck!)Another fun and adventurous day at market!
What will happen this weekend? Stop by, say hi, check it out, and give it a taste!

At Market June 18 (week2)

At market today: Rosemary of Preston Farms, pies from Holiness Church of God, Lynn-Joyce's beignets, Patrick's produce, Pat's plants, Jean Rudolph's produce, Martin's Greenhouse, Wendy's Cookie Hook-Up), Jean Hanrahan's breads, Jim McDermott's B-B-Q & new vendors! See you at the Market!

Market Manager's Report: Opening Day 2011

Great weather and a great turn out for opening day 2011!
Vendors were: Patrick (Patrick's Produce), Pat (plant lady), Wendy (Cookie Hook-Up), Jean Rudolph, Martin's Greenhouse, Jean Hanrahan (breads), & Community Forum for Economic Development.
Market Manager Donna met with a city engineer on Monday to look at the lot who said the city would grate it to level it out. This will get rid of the pooling when it rains, and after they roll it out it will compact the gravel to get rid of the big rocky lumps! Should be done within a week. In other good news for the look and feel of the market, the city will be mowing the grass around the lot for the rest of the summer.
We are looking good and feeling good and eating good!
See you at the Market!

We won a prize!

The Westside Memorial Day Parade committee asked us if to come to the awards meeting Wednesday June 8 (at the VFW 357 on Sample) because the Urban Garden Market won a prize! We got 2nd place in the Open Class division!!!

West Side Memorial Day Parade Kicks off Season

For the second year in a row members of the Urban Garden Market's Management Team participated in the West Side Memorial Day parade. It was hot, but fun! An estimated 10,000-15,000 people came out for the event. Once again, seed packets were handed out (2,000+) with information about the market attached. Once again, we ran out too early!
Many thanks to the volunteers who helped prepare the seed packets, to Unity Gardens for donating them, and to Patrick for bringing out his truck!

"Always in our Hearts"

Once again, the Urban Garden Market will make an appearance in the Memorial Day Parade! The UGM Market Management Team will be growing excitement for a new season ganding out packages of vegetable seeds. Find out what fun market vehicle will accompany us this year!

2011 Days and Times

The Urban Garden Market will operate from June 11 through October 22, 2011 with the hours of 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.