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Opening Day June 6th 8am, Vendor Profile: Dexter Garden Club, Compost Tea Recipe
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Dexter Farmers Market

Weekly Newsletter #11

 
 
 
 

June 5, 2020

Sat 8am-1pm / Tues 2pm-6pm
3233 Alpine St, Dexter, MI 48130
(Vol. 1 Issue 11)


Announcement: The Tuesday market is suspended at this time. We will look into reopening this market day when we have more vendors that are committed to selling during that time.

***


The Market is Opening Sat, June 6 at 8am!!

   At our opening tomorrow, things will feel quite different from the environment we have been cultivating over the years! Many of the measures we will be taking are familiar from the expectations at your regular indoor grocery store;
  • Please only send one person from your household to shop,
  • wear a mask
  • wash your hands at our provided hand washing station (we also have hand sanitizer in the dispensers in the center of the market).
  • Sadly, one of the most important messages we will be sending is: please do not linger.
  • We will be allowing 20 customers into the market at a time, so please come with a patient mind, in case there will be a wait. We also ask that you shop quickly to make space for the next customer.
  • The market is fenced and the traffic flow will be one-way running North to South. Please enter at the gate closest to the library and exit toward Main st. Don't worry, there will be plenty of signs to let you know what to do.
  • You will see very little product out on the tables, which will be missing any fabric decorations, but rest assured that we will have lots to sell you.
  • Remember that the vendor is an expert in their field. Now is a great time to ask them to pick for you! Please only touch what you will buy.

For the time being, we will not have any of our lovely crafters onsite for sales. We encourage you to continue to support them! They are happy to sell beautiful jewelry and paper crafts to you by mail or safe pick up. Please contact the Market Manager for assistance.

***


SNAP, PEBT, Double Up Food Bucks
WIC Project Fresh and Senior Project Fresh

    Many residents have needed to sign up for food assistance benefits during the pandemic and we are happy to welcome you to the Dexter Farmers Market! Don't be shy to have us walk you through anything you need to know to get healthy food on your table, utilizing your Bridge or PEBT card, or Project Fresh coupons. (Please note: if your child(ren) qualify for free lunch at school, you should receive a PEBT card automatically.)

    The DFM has secured a Double Up Food Bucks grant, which matches customers charges on their cards. For example, if you have been provided a PEBT card recently, you can come to the market and charge $30 with the market manager and receive wooden tokens that can be spent on approved items with any qualifying vendor (they will have signs on their booths indicating what forms of payment they take).
    In addition to those tokens, Double Up Food Bucks will match you $30 (for this example) for the charge you made on the EBT card.  DUFB will match any amount you charge your SNAP/PEBT card (unlimited!) in $2 increment aluminum tokens. These are free of charge, but can only be spent on fresh fruits and veggies. This means your SNAP tokens can be saved for:

    • Fruits and vegetables;
      • Meat, poultry, and fish;
        • Dairy products;
          • Breads and cereals;
            • Other foods such as snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages;
              • Seeds and plants, which produce food for the household to eat.




                ***

                Bike Medic

                   The Bike Medic will be servicing your bikes for free like every year, but this season they will be at a different location: Scio Community Church, 1293 N Zeeb Road. Bill and company will be following safe contact; you must set up an appointment for service. You can get in contact with them through their Facebook page here.



                ***


                Vendors
                    This is where you will find the list of our vendors and what they offer, to be updated every week. Click the links to go to each vendors website and find ordering info.

                Two Dogs Farms - perennials, annuals, veggie starts, berries, fruit, veggies, maple syrup and jellies and jams from Ray Sowers. And coming soon: Scottish Highlander grass fed Beef!!

                Paper Cup Coffee Co - Isaac brings the freshest, fire-roasted coffee by the cup, whole bean and ground; plus hand-dipped chocolate cake donuts and date balls. Follow his Facebook here.

                Hoppy Soaps - Stephanie fills the market with the fresh smells of bar soaps, bath bombs, shower fizzies, deodorant, lip balm, body butter, and herbal sachets. Some of these products are even made from her home-brewed beer! Follow her on Facebook here.

                Shagbark Knoll
                - Henry has gorgeous asparagus, beans, beets, tomatoes, apples, plums, basil plants, and Zephyr squash.

                NOKA Homestead - Noelle has a breath taking array of produce. From radishes to greens to potatoes, all grown with respect and care for the earth and its creatures! They have a variety of CSA boxes this year, please visit their site to sign up for their wait-list. Follow their Facebook here. Sign up for their newsletter here to hear how they can bring you fresh produce this year regardless of market open date.

                Owl Hollow Bakery - Anne will have delicious pies, breads, baked goods, granola, Amaizin' popcorn, free range eggs, maple syrup, and pure Greek olive oil.


                Shoreline Wild Salmon - wild, Alaskan, hook-and-line caught salmon. King and Coho Salmon sold frozen in vacuum sealed packages. Smoked Coho Salmon sold in shelf stable jars. Marie and her dad, Mark handle the fish with the utmost care, all the way from the fishing vessels in Southeast Alaska to the farmers market in Dexter! Look for them in May, August, September and October.

                MaryAnn Simpkins - one of our founding members brings produce, baked goods, sewn and crocheted housewares, nuts, soaps, eggs, honey, too much to name! Please keep an eye here for her earliest harvests, there will be lettuce soon!

                Jeff Peters - Jeff is a market staple in his 11th year at the DFM. He brings breathtaking cut flowers like Cosmos, Sunflowers, Zinnias, Cockscomb, and a rainbow of lilies. He will also have leeks, storage onions, kohlrabi and tomatillos.

                My Serenity, Creations by Rachel - lovely bath, body and home goods, soy candles, natural deodorants and bath bars.

                Manchester Blooms Flower Farm - Amy grows beautiful bouquets, arrangements, and buckets of freshly cut, locally grown annuals. Some of the bright beauties offered include: Cosmos, Zinnias, Sunflowers, Allium, Poppies, Daisies and many other wildflowers. This year, Amy will also be offering a wide selection of herbs,edible flowers and beneficial plants. Online ordering begins in July.

                Herb 'N Beans - Steve has artisan crafted coffee, tea, locally grown hemp flower and oil, and freeze-dried fruits and veggies.

                Judy Welsh - charming hand cut cards, framed beach glass, driftwood art and notebooks.

                Sweet and Salty Cookie Co - Jeff is back with the best cookies! Chocolate chip, double dip chocolate chip, M&M, peanut butter, snicker doodle chip, butterscotch, Special Dark, Reese's, sea salt caramel, dark chocolate pecan, maple oatmeal raisin, pecan raisin, milk chocolate raisin, molasses, caramel apple crisp, gluten-friendly chocolate chip and gluten-friendly dark chocolate pecan.


                Paper Bead Elegance - Karen makes the most fascinating jewelry - from paper! Barrets and earrings; durable and gorgeous artisan statement pieces.

                BB's Beauty Organics - Brittney puts a new twist on bath products. She makes body sprays and rooms sprays, plus shaving cream, sugar scrubs and foot scrubs.

                Specialty Tea Products (STEAP)
                - Samantha has a variety of loose leaf teas and blends. Visit her website to sign up for a subscription!


                Skalski Farm in Hamburg - John and Rochelle will be back this year! Their vegetable, fruit, and start plants are grown using organic methods. They will have larger, more mature vegetable, herb and flower starts sold in individual pots. Teaser: they will have strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and sweet corn!!

                Ski's Sausage Co - this is Dan's first year, but he's a local from Pinckney! He offers a large variety of sausages; traditional Polish kielbasa and cheddar, jalapeno cheddar and traditional bratwurst.

                Ruhlig's Produce - Janelle and Matthew come from the long time Dexter farming family, Ruhlig. After a few years off, they will be returning in July, to bring corn, beans, greens, squash, tomatoes, peppers and more!

                Jacob's Fresh Farm Shares - chicken and duck eggs, as well as a wide variety of veggies and fruit grown with natural methods from heritage and non-GMO seed. They have several different types of CSAs depending on your family's needs, including boxes that have bakery and coffee items included.


                New Vendors Added Every Week!

                Vendor Profile: Dexter Garden Club


                The members of the Dexter Garden Club are passionate about plants! They are made up of dedicated volunteers that have a wide spectrum of interests ranging from vegetables and flowers, to butterfly and native gardens. Their members' backgrounds range from beginners to Master Gardeners. Meetings are the 2nd Tuesday of each month from September through June.
                During meetings, they enjoy social time from 6:30-7:00pm, when meetings begin. Unless otherwise noted, meetings are held at St. Andrew's Church Fellowship Hall, 7610 Ann Arbor St, Dexter MI. Parking is located on 4th St or at the Historical Museum.

                Major activities of the club include:
                •     Educational speakers and workshops
                •     Field trips to Midwest gardens
                •     Educational outreach to local preschoolers
                •     Scholarships for Dexter High School graduating seniors
                •     Grants to local organizations involved in horticultural education and therapy
                •     Gardening books and magazine subscriptions donated to the Dexter Library
                •     Scholarships to the Master Gardener and Rain Gardener programs
                •     Plant and maintain three local public gardens
                •     Annual Plant Sale and Dexter Green Day to fund club activities and community projects

                Because of the Stay at Home order, this year the Garden Club's Flower sale was canceled. Luckily, they are able to bring many of their plants to the market this year! They will be selling lovingly raised perennials and house plants on our first market day of the year starting on June 6th at 8am.

                If you are looking to pre-shop, this is a list of plants coming from the Garden Club (most will be sold at $6 or under): *indicates pollinator favorites
                • Ajuga - Chocolate chip
                • Bleeding hearts
                • Celadine wood poppies
                • Christmas cactus
                • Citronella Geranium
                • Coral bell - Red flower
                • Coreopsis - Crazy cayenne - "Sizzle & Spice series"
                • *Corn Flower - Pink
                • Corydalis - Rue
                • Curly willow
                • *Dahlias - Amerera 18-20", Arabian Night 18-20", Purple & white 18-20"
                • *Daylilies - Diddley Daddy (Dusty rose, gold throat); Heavenly Dragon fire (Red orange, green throat); Moroccan Sapphire - (Purple & yellow); Prime time (Red); Rich Uncle (Red), Webster girls (Dark purple, light purple, yellow throat)
                • Geraniums - Fireworks (red) - 12-14", Hot pink - 12-14", Lavender - 12-14", Red - 12-14", Salmon - 12-14", Wild
                • Ginger - Canadian wild
                • Grass - Karl Forester
                • Hostas - Fortunei, Halycon, Hayden Sunset, Honey Bell, Mouse Ears, Praying hands, Simboldi Elegans
                • Jade plant - dwarf
                • Lamium Galeobdolon - "Yellow Archangel"
                • Lysimachia Punctata - "Outback sunset" (Red w/ yellow flower)
                • Northern sea oats
                • Peony - White
                • Prickly pear cactus - Eastern
                • Redbud saplings
                • *Sedum - Angelina, Autumn Joy, Blue spruce, Ella coombs, Nu Voo, Variegated
                • Spider plant - Green, Variegated - Hanging basket
                • Turtleheads - Pink


                Would you like to join the Garden Club? They are excited to have you, no matter your skill level! For more info, contact Cindy Sedlak, csedlak@justassociates.com


                Upcoming Events

                At this time, the DFM anticipates opening on June 6th. We are following data and consulting with the Washtenaw County Health Department on the best format for our sales floor. Please be patient and know that we are working hard to provide free entertainment and educational events to Dexter as soon as is possible. Events will resume when all threat of community spread has been addressed.


                *This recipe is NOT for human consumption!!*
                Home Gardeners
                :

                Compost Tea Recipe

                This week we bring you a way of making homemade, environmentally friendly "Miracle-Gro" from Noelle Dronen at NOKA Homestead:


                "Equal parts garden project and science experiment, compost teas are a great way to get nutrients to your plants quickly.  They're super easy to make, and we've found that our peppers and tomatoes love them. You can create teas by adding water to already prepared compost.  We've been making our own with wild plants, whose roots are so much better at drawing up nutrients than their domesticated counterparts.  We especially like stinging nettle and Comfrey. 
                We harvest these plants, then submerge them in water in a 5 gallon bucket (half plants/half water) for two weeks.  Some aeration is important, so we make sure to stir them every day or so. 
                Pro tip: this brew stinks!  Keep it our of your home and away from common spaces.  After 2 weeks, we strain out the solids, dilute our mixture to about 20%, then pour it at the base of our tomatoes and peppers. 
                It's best to do this feeding before the plants are in flower.  We start the brew right after planting our tomatoes, then apply it 2 weeks in, and definitely notice a quick jump in growth. Try it out!"