On my very first day here in Ann Arbor as a student, I visited the famous Zingerman’s Delicatessen with my friends and on my way, I saw this huge crowd of people carrying bags filled with flowers, fresh tomatoes, boxes of berries, eggs. I wasn’t sure of what was happening. Being inquisitive and eager to explore my new hometown, I reckoned that we check out what all the fuss was about. As we walked towards the crowd, I read this huge board with Ann Arbor Farmers Market written on it. This was a surprise for me. I had a notion that people in the US, buy groceries only at the grocery stores. I can’t tell you how happy I was to see that something like a farmer’s market existed. It made me nostalgic of my hometown in Nepal, where I would go to the farmers market early in the morning with my mother. I really enjoy farmers markets as they reconnect communities to their food system. Every produce has a story behind it, and the farmers connect us to it.
Ann Arbor Farmers Market is an iconic establishment which celebrated its 100th birthday last year in 2019. It dates back to just after World War I, when farmers would line up in front of the courthouse and sell their goods. The government was eventually able to buy a lumberyard in 1941 moving the goods. Some farmers have been here for generations. Today the farmers market has grown and even has solar panels to power it. It is located in the heart of Ann Arbor in the Kerrytown district which is very close to Zingerman's delicatessen and downtown Ann Arbor. It is a producer only market which makes it special and means that the farmers grow or make their own products. There are around 130 businesses that sell their products in this market. The market is open year-round on Saturdays from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM and is also open Wednesdays 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM May to December. Even the cold winds in January or the snowstorms of February do not stop this market. It is always very busy with lots of vendors and shoppers alike. At the farmers market we can always find fresh food, fruits, vegetables, eggs, cheese, native plants, artisanal yogurt, baked goods, fresh-picked vegetables, slow-roasted coffee beans, fermented sauerkraut and Sriracha, cut flowers, hardwood cutting boards and planters, premier Michigan fruits and nuts, maple syrup and so much more. To make the shopping experience comfortable, there are several parking lots and garages available within walking distance. Apart from shopping, people also enjoy food truck rallies that are typically held the first Wednesday of the month from May through October.
In times of COVID-19 pandemic, to provide customers with limited contact shopping, pre-order sales for curbside or walk-up pick up are also continuing for select vendors with pick-up hours of 7 AM to 12 PM on Wednesdays and Saturdays. One may pre-order directly through a vendor. If you have not been to the farmers market, I highly recommend you check it out because they sell such amazing food and produce which brings the community together and uplifts the local businesses.
Written by Diksha Agrawal
Summer Orientation Peer Advisor
Graduate Student
Nepal
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