What's fresh this week?
Reds, Greens, Yellows! Oh My!
Asparagus Beet Thins
Bok Choy Carrots
Cilantro Chard
Lettuces Mushrooms
Parsley Radishes Rhubarb Sage Spinach Thyme
Seedlings: herbs, flowers, vegetables, and planters
And cheese, breads, honey, jams and baked goods!
Featured recipe:
Rhubarb sauce with sauteed chard
4 TB olive oil
2 pounds rhubarb, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 large onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves minced
salt and pepper
6 or 8 fresh thyme sprigs
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 or 2 bunches chopped greens, like chard
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a deep saucepan. Add rhubarb and onions, stir to coat, then add minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Add thyme sprigs and cook uncovered for about 15-20 minutes, until onions are transparent and starting to carmelize. Stir occasionally. Add chopped greens and stock, then cover. Cook until wilted, just a couple of minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley! Yum!
 Rhubarb is a perennial plant, used similar to fruits but in actuality a vegetable. The stalks range in color from pearly to rosy, the color attractive and the taste tart! Remember to only eat the stalks as the leaves are toxic!
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Also, check out this site for a recipe using home pickled rhubarb, bibb greens, and asparagus! http://www.sippitysup.com/
whiteasparaguspickledrhubarbblog
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Token Bags!
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EBT, Credit Cards, Cash, Project Fresh & Prescription for Health accepted all market days! The first two months of the market we are happy to be giving away free token bags, printed over at VGKids, for all of our first time this year EBT users! Go to the Ypsilanti Food Co-op table to run your card, then spend your colorful wooden tokens with any of our vendors.
We also offer Market Dollars,
available at the Growing Hope booth. These are available to be sold like "gift cards". They are a great way to use as a thank you
gift for someone, to give to your kids as an allowance, chore rewards,
or gift from the tooth fairy, or for use as incentives to your
employees if you own a business! These do a double duty by supporting local farmers & business owners, and helping someone eat and/or shop healthier!
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The Market is ever grateful for volunteers!
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Volunteers are essential to making our market work. Spend time with us in the open air, helping with setup or tear down, talking to newcomers at the market, assisting vendors when needed, and helping us track numbers and needs.  Downtown Farmers' Market:
On Tuesdays volunteers are needed for shifts between 12:30 and 7:00 pm, and include set up, signage, transporting market supplies, helping other vendors, helping seniors cross the street, directing folks to the credit/EBT machine, and counting people at the market.
Volunteers are also needed to do demos, play music, and distribute educational materials.
Do you enjoy sharing skills for making kimchi, sauerkraut, or seasonal recipes? Are you a dancer, hoola hooper, or drummer? We'd love to appreciate your talents!
Choose a shift that works for you and contact Growing Hope at 734-786-8401 to volunteer once or every week! You will be appreciated and get to be with great people, beautiful food, and interesting products!
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Good folks & good food keep this market growing!
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 The first two weeks at the Downtown Farmers' Market has been booming with enthusiasm from you all. We have more vendors joining us as the season goes on, and the first two weeks we saw more visitors then any opening season before. Pictured here are Perry and Leila Mackall. They sell produce and canned goods, and will often be joined by family member Kimberlynn Collins, certified massage therapist.
 Herb seedlings for sale from Tony Scampa's farm. Norris selling his spring flowers. Bijou Beaute and their beautiful aprons.
Would you help us spread the word about the DYFM? Forward this newsletter to a friend! Tell them to click on "Join Our Mailing List" below!
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Featured vendor this week:
Meet Sam Parise from Fairview Farm
interviewed by volunteer Lizzy Bunting
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The second farmers market this past Tuesday was a great turnout, with lots of sun, smiles, customers, and vendors. One vendor in particular was Sam Parise, a local Michigan farmer who has been growing almost all his life. 
Sam is a Master Gardener and has been growing since the 40's. He recently graduated from MSU's master gardener program in 2006 and is fully licensed with the state of Michigan.
Sam's farm out in Fairview, Michigan (just North of Bay City) is called Fairview Farms and is approximately 120 acres. He grows an assortment of vegetables, plants and honey. He cans his own jams and works with a new natural sweetener called Stevia, perfect for all types of diabetics.
Prior to gardening, and aside from his many careers as an entrepreneur, Sam was a teacher for many years and retired from the Royal Oak School District in 1985. Later he got into the honey business because of his son's influence- who has created programs on such for Michigan State University and Indiana University. He continues today teaching lessons on bee growing, and also helps with the Boy Scouts of America by teaching them how to make Blue Bird Boxes.
This past week Sam's tent at the market offered honeys, jams (both sweetened and unsweetened for diabetic customers), rutabagas and fiddle ferns. Sam will continue to offer these and more wonderfully delicious, locally grown and harvested produce and products in the weeks to come. Be looking for his seasonal rhubarb to be available this coming week! He is hoping (as am I) that possibly he will be able to bring over some bees for display in the next coming weeks at the market!
The next time you're at the market, make sure to stop by Sam Parise's tent! He not only offers delicious produce, jams, and honeys but also has great knowledge and experience from his many years of growing, and a friendly face for conversation.
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Events and Dates!
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Erickson Elementary, May 5th, 2009
The students from Erickson Elementary in Ypsilanti joined us on opening day. They shared with us vocal and piano solos, and some great dancing! Director Crystal Davis-Harding was recently awarded the
2008 Michigan Education Excellence Award presented by the Michigan
Association of School Boards. Thanks so much to them for sharing with us their gift of music!
Upcoming Events:
May 19th: (Musician) White Ravens
May 26th: (Musician) Vagrant Symphony
June 2nd: Asparagus Day at the Downtown Ypsilanti Library with the Ypsi Food Co-op; (Musician) Michael Gates
Senior Days!
The market will have four days this summer that will honor and celebrate seniors! We will have special screenings, demonstrations and nutrition information specifically for seniors. These days are June 16th, July 14th & 18th, and August 11th.
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