![Aurora Harris]()
Kami Pothukuchi, Ph.D.
Special to The Michigan Citizen
On Oct. 29, a typically chilly fall day, the Wayne State University Farmers Market had our season’s last market, 22 weeks after its June start. Friends from the university, nearby institutions and the neighborhood, stopped by to savor the market’s offerings one last time, and bid au revoir to their favorite vendors.
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![Aurora Harris]()
Customer Aurora Harris considers greens at the Grown in Detroit stall. PHOTO COURTESY KAMI POTHUKUCHI[/caption]
Among the sentiments shared by customers that day were: “Thank you for being here. You make the neighborhood so great!” “I am glad that students participated and wish them success in the future.” “Because of you, we eat good, feel good and do good!” “Thank you for the delicious eats and friendly atmosphere!” “The BEST thing about Wednesdays!” “The WSU Market tastes as good as it looks.” And, “A wonderful contribution to WSU and Midtown!”
Customer surveys also showed that market shoppers most value the market’s convenient location along with the affordability, freshness, and local-ness of the products sold. They also appreciate the social atmosphere, and friendly staff, volunteers, and vendors.
Beginning in 2008 with two pilot test days, the WSU Farmers Market completed its seventh season this year. This year’s market averaged weekly attendance of about 850 customers, each spending $10-12, thereby putting more than $205,000 into the hands of local growers and other food vendors.
More than $9,000 in Bridge Card and matching Double-up Food Bucks (DUFB) sales were also registered at the market. Readers may recall that DUFB match Bridge Card spending in farmers markets, dollar-for-dollar, up to $20 per card, per day. DUFB may be spent exclusively on Michigan-grown fruits and vegetables.
Both, overall sales as well as Bridge Card sales are down since their peak in 2010. There are several possible reasons for this. The economy in metro Detroit has improved, which means that individuals who may have shopped at the market previously are employed and therefore have less time to participate in a weekday market. They may also eat out more and prepare less food at home as a result.
Too, Eastern Market’s Tuesday Market, which opened in 2011, has caused noticeable shifts in shopping patterns of neighborhood residents — most especially seniors — who used to shop at the WSU Farmers Market.
Finally, Midtown also has more grocery and lunchtime options with the opening of the Whole Foods store.
Incentives to eat fruits and vegetables
The market offered the Student Advantage program, in which eligible students get $10 in vouchers in exchange for $5 in cash. Vouchers may be used exclusively to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and food-bearing transplants.
[caption id="attachment_15356" align="alignright" width="300" class=" "]
![Doris Beery and Janet Seevers who staff the D-Town stall, offer friendly smiles and sage wisdom along with fresh produce. PHOTO COURTESY KAMI POTHUKUCHI]()
Doris Beery and Janet Seevers who staff the D-Town stall, offer friendly smiles and sage wisdom along with fresh produce. PHOTO COURTESY KAMI POTHUKUCHI[/caption]
Piloted in 2013, Student Advantage put nearly $10,000 in the hands of produce growers, increasing their revenues 15 to 25 percent, and brought nearly 500 additional customers to the market, including 167 who were new this year.
The program has shown to improve diets. In a survey conducted last year, 80 percent of respondents report they bought more fruits and vegetables, and 69 percent bought more varieties of produce. Nearly one in four (24 percent) also reported cooking more at home, 43 percent ate more fruits and vegetables themselves or shared with friends, 15 percent tried new fruits and vegetables, and 16 percent ate less junk food.
Thus, Student Advantage constitutes a win-win-win: for students in increased budgets for fresh produce; for produce vendors in increased revenues; and for the market, more new customers and increased spending per customer.
New partnerships
This year, we extended the market in a few small ways. One, we partnered with Brother Nature in April to offer a Spring Salad Market for five weeks prior to the start of the WSU Farmers Market in June. Staff and faculty paid $25 in advance, and came by SEED Wayne’s offices weekly to pick up their salads.
[caption id="attachment_15357" align="alignleft" width="300"]
![Chef Mike Schram leads a demo for seniors in the Community in Season project sponsored by Gleaners Community Food Bank. PHOTO COURTESY KAMI POTHUKUCHI]()
Chef Mike Schram leads a demo for seniors in the Community in Season project sponsored by Gleaners Community Food Bank. PHOTO COURTESY KAMI POTHUKUCHI[/caption]
Two, we partnered with the Community in Season project offered by Gleaner’s Community Food Bank. In the eight-week-long project, older adults from residential centers in three Detroit neighborhoods were bused to the market. They were given $10 in “market bucks” to spend on fresh fruits and vegetables. They also benefited from chef’s demos and nutrition workshops offered through the project.
Finally, the market also partnered with Aramark, the university’s food service contractor, whose chefs offered monthly lunchtime demos of seasonal recipes assembled from the market’s offerings.
In sum, the Wayne State University Farmers Market helps the university advance its urban mission. It offers students engaged-learning and leadership opportunities, and helps enliven the neighborhood. It also increases access to fresh, affordable foods; grows the incomes of farmers and local food producers; and cultivates appreciation of the local food system. We look forward to seeing you at the market in 2015!
Kami Pothukuchi is associate professor of urban planning and director of SEED Wayne at Wayne State University.
Customer Aurora Harris considers greens at the Grown in Detroit stall. PHOTO COURTESY KAMI POTHUKUCHI[/caption]
Among the sentiments shared by customers that day were: “Thank you for being here. You make the neighborhood so great!” “I am glad that students participated and wish them success in the future.” “Because of you, we eat good, feel good and do good!” “Thank you for the delicious eats and friendly atmosphere!” “The BEST thing about Wednesdays!” “The WSU Market tastes as good as it looks.” And, “A wonderful contribution to WSU and Midtown!”
Customer surveys also showed that market shoppers most value the market’s convenient location along with the affordability, freshness, and local-ness of the products sold. They also appreciate the social atmosphere, and friendly staff, volunteers, and vendors.
Beginning in 2008 with two pilot test days, the WSU Farmers Market completed its seventh season this year. This year’s market averaged weekly attendance of about 850 customers, each spending $10-12, thereby putting more than $205,000 into the hands of local growers and other food vendors.
More than $9,000 in Bridge Card and matching Double-up Food Bucks (DUFB) sales were also registered at the market. Readers may recall that DUFB match Bridge Card spending in farmers markets, dollar-for-dollar, up to $20 per card, per day. DUFB may be spent exclusively on Michigan-grown fruits and vegetables.
Both, overall sales as well as Bridge Card sales are down since their peak in 2010. There are several possible reasons for this. The economy in metro Detroit has improved, which means that individuals who may have shopped at the market previously are employed and therefore have less time to participate in a weekday market. They may also eat out more and prepare less food at home as a result.
Too, Eastern Market’s Tuesday Market, which opened in 2011, has caused noticeable shifts in shopping patterns of neighborhood residents — most especially seniors — who used to shop at the WSU Farmers Market.
Finally, Midtown also has more grocery and lunchtime options with the opening of the Whole Foods store.
Incentives to eat fruits and vegetables
The market offered the Student Advantage program, in which eligible students get $10 in vouchers in exchange for $5 in cash. Vouchers may be used exclusively to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and food-bearing transplants.
[caption id="attachment_15356" align="alignright" width="300" class=" "]
Doris Beery and Janet Seevers who staff the D-Town stall, offer friendly smiles and sage wisdom along with fresh produce. PHOTO COURTESY KAMI POTHUKUCHI[/caption]
Piloted in 2013, Student Advantage put nearly $10,000 in the hands of produce growers, increasing their revenues 15 to 25 percent, and brought nearly 500 additional customers to the market, including 167 who were new this year.
The program has shown to improve diets. In a survey conducted last year, 80 percent of respondents report they bought more fruits and vegetables, and 69 percent bought more varieties of produce. Nearly one in four (24 percent) also reported cooking more at home, 43 percent ate more fruits and vegetables themselves or shared with friends, 15 percent tried new fruits and vegetables, and 16 percent ate less junk food.
Thus, Student Advantage constitutes a win-win-win: for students in increased budgets for fresh produce; for produce vendors in increased revenues; and for the market, more new customers and increased spending per customer.
New partnerships
This year, we extended the market in a few small ways. One, we partnered with Brother Nature in April to offer a Spring Salad Market for five weeks prior to the start of the WSU Farmers Market in June. Staff and faculty paid $25 in advance, and came by SEED Wayne’s offices weekly to pick up their salads.
[caption id="attachment_15357" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Chef Mike Schram leads a demo for seniors in the Community in Season project sponsored by Gleaners Community Food Bank. PHOTO COURTESY KAMI POTHUKUCHI[/caption]
Two, we partnered with the Community in Season project offered by Gleaner’s Community Food Bank. In the eight-week-long project, older adults from residential centers in three Detroit neighborhoods were bused to the market. They were given $10 in “market bucks” to spend on fresh fruits and vegetables. They also benefited from chef’s demos and nutrition workshops offered through the project.
Finally, the market also partnered with Aramark, the university’s food service contractor, whose chefs offered monthly lunchtime demos of seasonal recipes assembled from the market’s offerings.
In sum, the Wayne State University Farmers Market helps the university advance its urban mission. It offers students engaged-learning and leadership opportunities, and helps enliven the neighborhood. It also increases access to fresh, affordable foods; grows the incomes of farmers and local food producers; and cultivates appreciation of the local food system. We look forward to seeing you at the market in 2015!
Kami Pothukuchi is associate professor of urban planning and director of SEED Wayne at Wayne State University.