WSU farmers market returns, goes weekly starting June 3

Wayne State University's weekly farmers market will kick off June 3, and will run every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. through October 28. It is situated on Cass Avenue, in front of Prentis Hall across the street from the Detroit Public Library.

Wayne State's Wednesday Farmers Market will feature farmers from Detroit -- including the Grown in Detroit Cooperative coordinated by the Garden Resource Program, Vandalia Gardens, Earthworks Urban Farm and the D-Town Farm run by the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network -- and the surrounding metropolitan region, including one farmer from Ontario, Canada. Avalon International Breads will also maintain a stall.

The Wayne State Wednesday Farmers Market is authorized to accept the Michigan Bridge Card, a debit card, in which federal food stamp dollars are deposited so that participating low-income households can purchase food. The food stamp program -- now called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP -- is offered at the market in partnership with the Eastern Market Corporation. The market will also accept the Wayne State One Card.

SEED Wayne is working to also be able to redeem the state's Project Fresh and Senior Project Fresh coupons. These programs help pregnant women, children and senior citizens have access to Michigan-produced fruits and vegetables sold at farmers markets.

The farmers market is a project of SEED Wayne, a program that also runs the Warrior Demonstration Garden; the St. Andrew's Allotment Garden; Cafeteria Composting, in which kitchen wastes at the McGregor Memorial Conference Center and campus cafeterias are composted; a 4,000-square-foot passive solar greenhouse at the Capuchin Soup Kitchen for year-round vegetable production; and Healthy Corner Stores, in which corner stores in the near-Eastside neighborhood around Capuchin Soup Kitchen are being assessed to increase access to healthy foods in the community.

Learn more about SEED's mission in this video clip from last year's market from Model D TV editor/producer Tom Hendrickson.