Category Archives: Local Food

Michigan farmers battle invaders as temperatures rise

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Environment, Food, Local Food, ,

By Sarah Atwood
Capital News Service

LANSING – As warmer-than-average growing seasons caused by climate change become more common, they bring new invasive species to Michigan.

Tar spot is a fungus that attacks corn and causes production losses. Credit: Michigan State University

“Insects that like warm weather are finding that Michigan is becoming more and more life-sustaining than ever before,” said Bruno Basso, a professor in Michigan State University’s Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences.

 

And that requires new ways to fight them.

“These invasive species to Michigan are resistant to pesticides that farmers previously relied upon,” Basso said. “So farmers are looking for new ways to improve the ecology of their crops and improve their resistance.”

Identifying the threats

Two new threats are “tar spots,” in corn, and spotted wing drosophila, said Laura Campbell, a senior conservation and regulatory relations specialist at the Michigan Farm Bureau.

Tar spots are raised black dots on the ears of corn caused by a fungus called “phyllachora maydis,” Campbell said. An outbreak in a corn field causes production losses and economic disaster for the farmers.

Spotted wing drosophila is an insect that attacks soft fruits, a big problem for Michigan’s cherry orchards, Campbell said.

 

The female insects lay eggs inside the fruit, causing brown, sunken spots. As the larva eats the fruit it becomes rotten and non-consumable.

Using technology in the fight

Farmers attack new insects with technology, Basso said. Drones can pinpoint where an insect or weed is on their farms. Then they spray the specific area before it worsens.

Another example of emerging technology is the advancement of Enviroweather, a Michigan State -based weather service that can help farmers anticipate threats to their crops,  Campbell said. The site tracks invasion trends, warning farmers ahead of time if pests are headed their way.

“Preventative pesticide spraying is best, because it will deter the invasive insects and weeds from being able to attack the crops,” Campbell said. “This greatly reduces the amount of pesticides needed, which is good for the farmer and the surrounding land and water.”

Scientists are also making advances in the kinds of products used on farms, Basso said. Biodegradable plastic mulch is replacing synthetic mulch that does not decompose. More plant-based pesticides and herbicides are becoming available.

A local perspective from Ada

Heather Anderson, the owner of Green Wagon Farm, in Ada, uses all-natural products to combat insects and weeds on her certified organic farm.

 

Spotted wing drosophila is an insect that lays its eggs on the inside of fruit, like this raspberry, causing it to rot. Credit: University of Minnesota Extension

“We are constantly vigilant for new threats to our crops,” Anderson said. “We don’t do preventative spraying, instead we scout the farm ourselves, and pick weeds by hand.”

At 18 acres, Green Wagon Farm is much smaller than the average U.S. farm size of 211 acres, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Removing weeds by hand becomes more difficult on large farms.

 

“It’d be nice if all farms could be fully biodegradable and have no waste, but sometimes synthetic products are unavoidable,” Basso said.

This is not to say that farmers aren’t looking for more sustainable methods.

“Pesticides are incredibly expensive, and it would be more cost-effective to spray one small area than to have to spray an entire field,” Campbell said. “There’s a notion that farmers want to spray pesticides everywhere, and don’t care about the impacts on the land and water. But the land and water is their livelihood.”

Keeping the lines of communication open

A challenge is the communication between farmers and scientists, Campbell said.

 

Scientists lack the hands-on experience of being a farmer, and this makes it difficult for farmers to trust that their advice is best.

Money is also a big factor, according to Basso.

“Farmers have historically been more conservative when it comes to implementing new practices,” Basso said. “They have a financial risk, because if they change a way of doing something and it doesn’t work out, they lose that money that they would’ve made before.”

But as the weather gets warmer, farmers understand that their practices have to change or they will not be able to survive, Campbell said.

“Farmers want to do the right thing,” Campbell said. “I’ve never met a farmer who said they don’t care when it comes to the environment.”

ABOUT SARAH ATWOOD

Sarah is a junior at Michigan State University double majoring in Social Relations & Policy and Journalism. She is interested in writing about how politics affects local communities and making information accessible for everyone. In her free time, she likes boxing, yoga, and spending time with friends, family, and her dog.

Kids’ Food Basket Farm: Feeding the body and mind

3-bottom, Food, Local Food, Volunteers, West Michigan, , ,

Kids’ Food Basket Headquarters located at 1300 Plymouth Ave. NE, Grand Rapids. (Courtesy, Kids’ Food Basket)



By Cris Greer, WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



It didn’t take long to feel the passion of Kids’ Food Basket Farm Manager Jason Lundberg.

“When I see a child smile at me and say that was the best cucumber they’ve ever eaten, it brings tears to my eyes,” said Lundberg, at the Kids’ Food Basket (KFB) farm he manages at 1300 Plymouth Ave. NE. “This is why I’m here and have been placed in this position at this point in my life.

“I can’t believe I now get to teach kids about all this cool stuff. It has just been magical.”

Breaking down racial barriers

“When kids are telling me I want to be a farmer now, that is huge to me,” Lundberg continued. “The average age of the American farmer is nearly 60, and most of them are white. Only 2 percent of these farmers are of color, and that’s another big reason for what I’m doing.

“We’re here to break down those barriers. The one thing we all have in common is food, and sitting down and breaking bread together is one of the most precious rights we have.”

The Pickerd family farm — 13 total acres

The KFB farm was owned and operated at one time by the family of Don and Eileen Pickerd, who farmed it up until 15 years ago. The land was farmed for well over 100 years; with apple and cherry trees as its mainstay.

Kids’ Food Basket Farm Manager Jason Lundberg picks green beans in early September. (WKTV)

The last remaining property in the city limits zoned for agriculture, KFB purchased the Pickerd farm six years ago. The farm is 13 total acres, including the main building, of which nine are farmed.

“We wanted to continue the tradition of growing food for the community,” Lundberg explained. “It’s pretty special and we want to keep it that way for many, many years to come. This property was going to be turned into a bunch of town homes and the neighborhood association didn’t really like that idea and the opportunity came up for KFB to move in.”

Nearly 139,000 servings of produce have been grown and distributed from the KFB Farm since July 1, 2021.

Lundberg’s deep farming roots

A lifelong farmer from Rockford before working at KFB, Lundberg spent his youth and beyond tending to the family farm, Ingraberg Farms, now Ingraberg Fresh Foods.

Born in Salinas, California, known as the “salad bowl of the world,” Lundberg said his father Dave was immersed in agriculture and saw organic foods picking up steam at the time.

His mom Helen would later inherit a 20-acre parcel of her parents’ farm in Rockford, so they moved from California to Michigan to eventually start Ingraberg Farms.

“I’ve been growing vegetables my whole life, and continued right out of high school doing it full time until Kids’ Food Basket,” said Lundberg, whose dad sold his produce to country clubs and restaurants, including The Bostwick Lake Inn, University Club, The Gilmore Collection, Noto’s and mom and pop businesses as well. 

Farm camp

Every year when school ended for summer break in early June, his dad would have him recruit as many kids as possible to pick produce for him. Lundberg called it Farm Camp. Farmer Dave would make them breakfast and then they’d pick strawberries until it got too hot.

“And then we were turned loose and got to be kids and would bounce on the trampoline, swim in the lake and all that fun stuff. 

“When I eat a fresh Michigan strawberry in June I’m instantly transported back to that time in my life which is one of my more cherished moments. That experience alone taught me why it’s so important for this farm itself.

“Even if I can only get a kid here for an hour, if I can give them a lifelong, lasting experience for that hour, we’ve done our job.”

KFB farm mission

Their goal is creating access to the community of super fresh, nourishing food, focusing on elementary age children, according to Lundberg.

The one thing that has stayed the same is the KFB flagship sack supper; a brown bag meal that goes home with the child after school. Children receive this before getting on the bus, and that’s their supper, consisting of one serving of fruit, vegetables, protein and a healthy snack.

Nearly 1.4 million meals have been provided by KFB since July 1, 2021, amounting to 9,600 meals a day across four west Michigan counties (Ottawa, Allegan, Muskegon and Kent). The meals are packed daily by 300 to 400 volunteers.

School field trips — stomping garlic?

“Last spring, we had hundreds of kids from kindergarten through fifth grade on the farm — our learn team was able to facilitate multiple field trips,” Lundberg said. “The kindergartners would do something like stomping our garlic plants to help them grow bigger, and the third and fourth graders could help us transplant into the field — and they get taste testings all the time.”

Nearly 4,400 students have participated in the KFB nutrition education curriculum since July 1, 2021.

Volunteers of all ages giving back

Husband and wife volunteers Gary and Chris Fraser-Lee are regulars at the KFB farm, often harvesting produce once or twice a week over the summer.


Kids’ Food Basket volunteers Gary and Chris Fraser-Lee worked once or twice a week over the summer at the 13-acre farm at 1300 Plymouth Ave. NE. (WKTV)



Gary began volunteering when he worked in the IT Department at Steelcase and then got his wife hooked as well.

“We started doing food prep and sack suppers inside, and then as soon as the farm opened up began working outside,” said Chris, a retired occupational therapist from the Northeast side of Grand Rapids. “We’re blessed to be able to retire early and we’re just enjoying life and giving back when we can.”

Gary said they enjoy being outside picking while volunteering.

“It’s good to serve the community, and realizing what they do not only with the food bags, but what they supply from the farm here in the food pantries,” Gary explained. “It’s a great community organization.”

Nearly 30 percent of its volunteers are under age 18. Overall, there have been nearly 45,000 volunteer hours since July 1, 2021.


Kids’ Food Basket volunteers processing vegetables. (Courtesy, Kids’ Food Basket)

Corporate volunteers making a dent

While strolling through the fields in September, Lundberg pointed to a group of volunteers from Steelcase picking cherry and grape tomatoes for the sack suppers for school children to take home at night.

“We’re probably going to get well over 100 pounds from them; that turns into 800 servings for 100 children,” Lundberg said. “They pick 100 to 200 pounds of cherry tomatoes every day in our little hour to 2-hour volunteer shifts in the morning. Every week throughout the growing season, we have volunteers from up to three corporate groups like Steelcase, FloRight, Perrigo, Amway, Meijer and MillerKnoll.”

Kids’ Food Basket: The very beginning (Kids’ Food Basket website)

“In 2002, Mary K. Hoodhood received a phone call that changed everything. A local school principal reached out and said students were regularly going into the cafeteria after school in search of food to take home. Mary identified an immediate need. With $3,000 and a handful of volunteers, she committed to providing a solution to childhood hunger in our community.“

Lundberg said Bridget Clark Whitney, president and founding CEO of KFB, had the vision of growing food for their sack suppers.

“She knew the importance of eating super fresh, phytonutrient rich foods that are alive and thriving and putting them directly into our body,” he explained. “We are all about elementary age kids because their bodies are developing and their brains are developing.”


Lundberg said the organization has evolved into so much more than just the access of food to children with its educational component and engagement of people and volunteers.

“They all get to see the full circle … It’s really neat to see how all of it connects, and of course when you get the kids here you get to see it all really come together.”

Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes, and potatoes

The produce that makes the biggest impact on the farm is cherry tomatoes, followed by potatoes and summer squash.

Tomatoes harvested at the Kids’ Food Basket farm. (Courtesy, Kids’ Food Basket)



“It’s tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes,” Lundberg said. “Thousands and thousands of pounds of tomatoes every year, and thousands of pounds of summer squash. And this fall, we had close to 1,000 pounds of onions come out of the field growing in between the apple trees.”

In many ways, a dream come true

Lundberg still pinches himself while working on the KFB farm, admitting that it’s “truly a dream job.”

He has witnessed everything during the school field trips from kids picking and eating kale to their “many, many huge smiles” enjoying the farm while taste testing different produce and learning about things they never knew.

He has even heard some kids say they now want to be farmers when they grow up.

“Our CEO Bridget nailed it; it’s so much more than the food itself.”

Kentwood seeks donations for Little Free Pantry

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Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry, which operates year-round, provides food to community members in need. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)



By WKTV Staff

greer@wktv.org

The City of Kentwood is encouraging local businesses, organizations and community members to gather donations to help replenish the shelves at the Little Free Pantry.

Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry is a free resource that provides food to community members in need. Anyone can give to and take from the pantry, with no questions asked and no application needed.

The pantry operates year-round and has two locations: the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE, and the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE.

Donations needed

The Little Free Pantry has seen an increase in use over the past few years and is in immediate need of donations. Preferred donation items include canned and nonperishable food items and personal care items. A list of suggestions can be found at kentwood.us/LittleFreePantry.

“In the past, the Little Free Pantry has stayed stocked thanks to food drives and donations from our generous community,” said Val Romeo, director of parks and recreation. “We typically see a lot of donations around the holiday season, but there is need all year. 

“We’re urging community members to donate a little earlier than normal this year. Whether it’s a handful of canned goods donated by an individual, an entire food drive put on by a local business or a financial contribution, any donation helps families in our community.”

The pantry has several donation drop-off locations throughout Kentwood. Collection hours and locations are as follows:

  • Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE: Drop off donations 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday. 
  • Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE: Place donations inside the collection bin 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and 7:30 a.m. to noon Friday. 
  • Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE: Place donations inside the collection bin located in the lobby from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. 
  • Kentwood Justice Center, 4740 Walma Ave. SE: Place donations inside the collection bin 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. 
  • Kentwood Public Works, 5068 Breton Ave. SE: Place donations inside the collection bin 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
     

Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry initiative began in 2017 as a Martin Luther King Jr. Day community service project to fill an immediate and local need. A second location was added in 2021.

To make a financial donation or find more information about Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry, visit kentwood.us/LittleFreePantry.

Wyoming to host last 2022 summer market on Friday

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Local Food, Upcoming Events, , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
WKTV Managing Editor
joanne@wktv.org

Wyoming's Summer Market Series concludes this Friday with the last one at Wyoming City Hall.
A customer looks over a flower arrangement from Wyoming-based Periwinkle. (WKTV)

Tomorrow, the City of Wyoming will host its last summer market for the season.

Set to run from 3- 7 p.m. in the parking lot behind Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St., the event will feature food and drink, local artists and vendors, and live music.

“While we’re sad to host our last Summer Market of the series, we’ve been happy to hear positive feedback from vendors, residents and community members,” said Nicole Hofert, the city’s director of planning and economic development. She also added residents should stay tuned for information regarding next year’s Summer Market Series in the City of Wyoming.

The four markets, which were co-hosted by the City of Wyoming and HOM Flats, have been featured in different parts of the city, HOM Flats, Pinery Park, 28th West parking lot and city hall. Friday’s event will be located in the parking lot behind city hall.

Some of the vendors at Friday’s event are:

Food and Drink

Simple Sweet Confections which will feature an array of French macaroons

Sophrona Teas featuring loose leaf, hand-blended teas

Runyon House Roasts featuring air roasted coffees

Thornburg and Company offering a selection of gourmet foods such as fruit preserves, honey, and Michigan maple syrups

Equinox Pastries and Pops featuring cake pops and other goodies

Last Mile Cafe featuring coffees

Smoke N Ash‘s featuring barbecue and other items

Mapocho LLC featuring a selection of sandwiches

Shopping

Motherland Cultural Connections LLC featuring array of African jewelry and apparel

Blk Rose Self-Care offering a variety of self care items such as car scents, room sprays and a selection of oils for face, body and beard

Doterra Essentials of Eden featuring oils for improving health

Periwinkle Flower Company offering arrangements, cut flowers, and seeds

One Love

Isis Ropa tipica featuring clothing, jewelry and other items from Oaxaca, Mexico

Kiwi Custom Creations featuring custom-made logos and designs for a variety of items

Free lunch funding change worries some school officials

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Education, Health, Local Food, ,

By Sarah Atwood
Capital News Service

Michigan school officials are concerned about children going hungry or accumulating lunch debt after Congress recently ended federal funding for free meals for all students.

With the federal pandemic lunch program discontinued, parents must now fill out paperwork for their student to get a free lunch. (pxhere.com)

“Families are still struggling with the economic downturn during the pandemic,” said Thomas Morgan, a communications consultant for the Michigan Education Association (MEA). “It’s not over, and we need to make sure children are taken care of.”

During the pandemic, Congress passed funding to ensure all students got free meals. That ended in  August, although children who would have previously qualified for free or reduced lunches will still be able to get them if their parents fill out paperwork.

Parents must fill out paperwork for free lunches

There have been instances where a parent did not fill out the paperwork, meaning a child could not get the food they need or goes into lunch debt, Morgan said.

Parents have to shift from automatically having access to free meals to having to fill out paperwork to ensure their children get what they need. 

“Since paperwork was not needed for the past couple of years, some parents weren’t aware they had to fill it out for their children to qualify, ” said Tom Freitas, the director of food and nutrition services for Traverse City Public Schools. “There have been issues with not having paperwork in on time, which affects the amount of pre-ordering for meals.”

Trying to keep costs reasonable

Traverse City Public Schools are trying to make sure all children who need free or reduced lunches are able to get them, he said.

“We’re doing our best to serve all our children. Right now, our superintendent is focused on getting donations,” Freitas said.

“We’d never take away food from a child, but we do have policies in place to make sure we get the payment required. After a child is $10 in school lunch debt, the parents are contacted,” he said.

This could be a problem for parents who thought that their child was getting free meals and are suddenly confronted with lunch debt.

Other issues impacting the lunch line

Funding isn’t the only issue affecting free school lunches this fall. A shortage of administrators means delays in processing time for paperwork.

Morgan said, “There’s a lot of paperwork that goes into providing free breakfast and lunch. The federal waivers made sure every kid had a meal automatically, meaning the paperwork wasn’t necessary and so this burden was removed for administration.”

Others say the shift might not be too troublesome for schools.

“I don’t believe schools will necessarily have any real difficulty going back to the way free lunches were processed a few years ago,” said Jennifer Smith, the director of government relations for the Michigan School Board Association. “The waivers did make it easier for school administration, but it’s not as if the infrastructure wasn’t already in place.”

Schools could take it upon themselves to continue to provide free meals for all students, as several districts across the state do.

Grand Rapids Public Schools free breakfast and lunch program

Grand Rapids Public Schools have been providing free breakfast and lunches for all students for seven years.

“I think this has been extremely beneficial for our students,” said Jennifer Laninga, the nutrition services supervisor at Grand Rapids Public Schools. “All of the stigma with free or reduced lunches is eliminated. Students who would otherwise avoid using these services for fear of being judged are now on an equal footing with other students.”

According to Laninga, schools with over 60% of students using free lunch services can apply for Community Eligibility Provision, federally funded through the Department of Agriculture.

However, schools are not guaranteed funding unless over 80% of their students are a part of the free lunch program. A more universal approach would streamline the process and make sure all students have access to free and healthy lunches, Laninga said.

Working to get federal funding for free school meals

Congress is reviewing  the Child Nutrition Reauthorization, said Alex Rossman, the external affairs director at the Michigan League for Public Policy, and there is a possibility that universal access for free lunches could come back.

However, that isn’t likely in an election year, he said. Additional funding would be hard to achieve.

The MEA’s Morgan agreed.

“I don’t believe it’ll go anywhere. It’s not a big priority, even though it should be,” Morgan said.

“It’s incredibly frustrating, especially when you realize that they’re literally taking food away from the kids who need it most.”

Sarah Atwood is a junior at Michigan State University double majoring in Social Relations & Policy and Journalism. She is interested in writing about how politics affects local communities and making information accessible for everyone. In her free time, she likes boxing, yoga, and spending time with friends, family, and her dog.

Food, fun and live music featured at Kentwood Food Truck Festival on Sept. 17

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Local Food, ,
The event will take place on Saturday, Sept. 17 in the parking lot of the Kent District Library. Pictured is last year’s Food Truck Festival. (Courtesy City of Kentwood)

By WKTV Staff

The City of Kentwood and GR8 Food Trucks have again partnered to host a Food Truck Festival with more than 30 vendors to help the community support small businesses and make the most of the remaining summer season.

The event takes place on Saturday, Sept. 17 in the parking lot of the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE. The festival, which runs from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., features 32 food trucks, live music and a beer and wine tent. 

The event, which is free admission, features 32 vendors, live music and a beer and wine tent. (Courtesy City of Kentwood)

“We have a day full of delicious food, great music and fun planned for this Food Truck Festival,” said Val Romeo, Kentwood Parks and Recreation director. “We look forward to celebrating the last few days of summer with this community-favorite event.” 

There will be a wide variety of sweet and savory food options available for purchase. Participating food trucks include:

Live music will start at 11 a.m. with the Decades Band, followed by DJ Snax, Rochelle and the Spoilers and King Possum. A tent featuring local craft beer and wine will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“Kentwood’s Food Truck Festival gives residents a unique opportunity to enjoy great food, build community and support local small businesses, all at one event,” said Alan Tomlinson, president of GR8 Food Trucks. “We encourage community members to come join the fun.” 

The City of Kentwood and GR8 Food Trucks will host a Food Truck Festival with more than 30 vendors on Saturday, Sept. 17. (Courtesy of City of Kentwood)



The event also features a food drive to support Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry. Attendees are encouraged to bring a donation of canned goods to help restock the pantry shelves. A list of suggested donations and more information about the Little Free Pantry is on our website at kentwood.us/LittleFreePantry

This year’s diamond sponsors are Macatawa Bank and NN Mobile Solutions. Entry to the festival is free. The cost for food and beverages varies by vendor.

For the latest event information, visit kentwood.us/FoodTruckFestival.

Kentwood Farmers Market Charcuterie Challenge returns Thursday, Aug. 25

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Local Food, ,

By WKTV Staff

The Kentwood Farmers Market will host its second annual Charcuterie Challenge, a food assembly showdown using only farmers market ingredients, slated for Thursday, Aug. 25.

In the French tradition, charcuterie (pronounced “shahr-ku-tuh-ree”) is the art of preparing and assembling cured meats and meat products. The idea of charcuterie has evolved over the years to include an assortment of meats, cheeses, veggies and other items.

A contestant prepares her board during last year’s Kentwood Farmers Market Charcuterie Challenge. (Courtesy)

Five challengers will receive $25 and 30 minutes to shop the market and assemble a one-of-a-kind charcuterie board using only those purchased ingredients.

The friendly competition will take place during the Farmers Market from 5 to 5:30 p.m. behind Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE, and the boards will remain on display until 7:30 p.m. Marketgoers can watch the competitors build their boards and then vote for their favorite. The winner will receive a gift courtesy of the Kentwood Farmers Market.



“We’re excited to have this fun event return to the Kentwood Farmers Market for a second year,” Market Manager Kristina Colby said. “This is a great way for local competitors to show off their talents and the wonderful food offered at the Farmers Market.

“Attendees can expect another action-packed competition full of creativity and beautiful charcuterie board displays.”

Last year’s Kentwood Farmers Market Charcuterie Challenge, a food assembly showdown using only farmers market ingredients. (Courtesy)

Bowls by Bob will be on-site selling their charcuterie boards and other handmade wood decor items. An additional 20 vendors will be at the market from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. selling staples such as fresh produce, cheese, honey, jam, bread and more. The Sanse Filipino Cuisine food truck also will be on-site.

 

In its eighth season, the Kentwood Farmers Market provides the community weekly opportunities each summer to buy a variety of goods from local vendors. This year’s market is offered every Thursday from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. behind Kentwood City Hall.




In addition to exploring an array of items for purchase, marketgoers can enjoy free classes and other special events tied into the market’s schedule.

Here’s the lineup of activities planned for the remaining market dates:

  • Aug. 25: Charcuterie Challenge 
  • Sept. 1: Kid’s Day – meet and greet with the zoo and crafts 
  • Sept. 15: Bike Day – meet local bike vendors
  • Sept. 22: Fall Equinox Day
  • Sept. 29: Harvest Day – live music from Just Jill from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., pumpkin painting and food preserving demonstrations.

The Kentwood Farmers Market accepts food assistance benefits, including SNAP, Double Up Food Bucks and Senior Project FRESH/Market FRESH.

For more information, visit KentwoodFarmersMarket.com.

With help from friends, local business expands in new direction

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Business, Local Faces, Local Food, Recreation, Restaurants, , , ,

By Sheila McGrath
WKTV Contributing Writer

Malamiah Juice Bar owners, from left, Jermale Eddie, Kris Mathis and Randy Otterbridge pose for a photo at the Studio Park location of Malamiah Juice Bar. The mural behind them features Eddie’s three sons – Malachi, Nehemiah and Josiah. (Supplied)

With a little help from some friends, Jermale Eddie has taken his business, Malamiah Juice Bar, to the next level.

After bringing in two new owners this spring, Malamiah Juice Bar opened its second location on July 11.

 

The new juice bar in the downtown David D. Hunting YMCA, 475 Lake Michigan Drive NW, will serve up made-to-order items like smoothies and bowls, as well as a variety of juices and grab-and-go items. Hours are 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Until now, the business had been operating one retail juice bar and eatery in the downtown Studio Park development, 122 Oakes St. SW, while also distributing their juices to about 20 grocery stores in Grand Rapids, Lansing and Kalamazoo.

But Eddie said he had been thinking over the past couple of years about adding some business partners.

In the beginning, there was two

He started Malamiah Juice bar with his wife, Anissa, in 2013, taking the name for the business from the names of the couple’s three sons – Malachi, Nehemiah and Josiah.

The two operated the business togther for a while, then Eddie became a “solopreneur” after his wife returned to work in a different job, he said.

“I knew at one point that we had taken this business as far as we could by ourselves,” he said. “I had to think about what are the elements that are missing? What do we need? Who do we need to come in to help us get to the next level? We didn’t want to plateau.”

A little help from his friends

Malamiah Juice Bar opened a new location in the downtown YMCA on July 11. Pictured, from left, are owner Jermale Eddie, area manager Adam Smallman, who manages both Malamiah Juice Bar locations, owner Kris Mathis and owner Randy Otterbridge. (Supplied)

That’s where his friends Randy Otterbridge and Kris Mathis came in. Both had backgrounds in marketing, and Eddie had known them for a long time through business connections and community events.

“I knew their business savviness, I knew their care and love for the community and their honesty and integrity, which is big,” Eddie said.

Mathis, the new chief of operations, is a self-described “serial entrepreneur.” He owns Raise a Glass Wine and Beer tours, coaches at SpringGR, and owns Blue Water Lake House, a short term vacation rental.

Otterbridge, the new chief marketing officer, has been teaching entrepreneurship at SpringGR for the past eight years and previously worked in the nonprofit sector for the Grand Rapids Urban League. He said he saw “massive opportunities” in the e-commerce and digital marketing space for the business.

An eye toward the future

In addition to opening more locations, the three are focused on growing the company in terms of the customer experience, the staffing experience and the community experience, Eddie said.

“Those are three areas of importance to us,” Eddie said. “It boils down to having the right systems in place and growing our systems.”

“The other part of our business model at both locations is, who do we take along with us on the journey? How do we support local as a local business? So you’ll find products from local entrepreneurs such as Ferris Coffee and granola bars from Granola Goddess,” Eddie said.

As they look to open more locations, Otterbridge said they’re focused on finding places with good synergy.

“We think about where can we place ourselves that already has foot traffic where we can be of service to the clients there,” he said.

Mathis said they’re also hoping to increase their retail footprint in their existing locations where things are already going well, as well as selling their products in more stores. They have a few other ideas in the works, such as after-hours activities for entrepreneurs, he said.

“If there is anyone interested in working with us in collaboration or partnership, or even opening another location of Malamiah, just reach out to us,” Mathis said. “Send us an email. We’re always open to entertaining ideas and possibly collaborating and seeing where it can take us.”

Malamaiah Juice Bar can be reached at juicy@malamiahjuicebar.com.

Discover Tasty Gyro Coney Island: Your taste buds will thank you

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Food, Local Food, ,
Tasty Gyro Coney Island’s Flint Coney. (WKTV)

By John D. Gonzalez, WKTV Contributing Writer

If you’re headed down 44th Street and Breton Road, you just might miss Tasty Gyro Coney Island, which is tucked away in a strip mall behind Tommy’s Express Car Wash.

It’s truly a “hidden gem,” said Emad Shatara, whose father Sami came out of retirement six years ago to open up this eclectic restaurant known for great gyros and coney dogs.

Tasty Gyro Coney Island. (WKTV)

“We’re the hidden place; we even have a sign in the front window that says, ‘This must be the place,’” Shatara said. 

Best known as one of the original owners of the popular Pita House in Eastown, which opened in 1999, Emad said his dad was working as an Uber driver after selling his interest to his brother Basel about 12 years ago. (Basel still owns and operates the two remaining Pita House restaurants, Emad said.)

“He got bored, so he opened up this place,” Emad said. “Really, he just wanted to cook again, so here he is, cooking, and doing what he wants to do.”

Tasty Gyro Coney Island owners son and father Emad and Sami Shatara. (WKTV)

And what he wants to do is offer an array of flavors, spices and options to make just about anyone who walks through never leave hungry.

“Just don’t hurt yourself,” said one happy customer walking out the door as father and son sat down with WKTV Journal to talk about the menu.





“Anything you can imagine,” Emad said about the diverse offerings.  “Any city, any food. It’s all here. It’s a coney island so we can do whatever we want here.”

An explosion of flavors from all over the world


You will find hot dogs, coney dogs, hamburgers, gyros, traditional Middle Eastern food, and Greek and Mediterranean dishes, too.

Think hummus, Baba Ghanouj and tzatziki sauce.

 

“Everything is made in house,” he said. “Even the garlic sauce.”

And if it’s not on the menu, “we’ll create whatever you want,” Emad said.

The menu is a mix of traditional and not-so-traditional offerings.

Greek Fries, topped with special Greek dressing and feta cheese, is one of many choices at Tasty Gyro Coney Island. (WKTV)

Along with mouthwatering Greek Fries –  French Fries topped with special Greek dressing and feta cheese – you will find other familiar fare such as Chicken or Beef Shawarma (marinated Lebanese style sandwich topped with garlic sauce or hummus and lettuce, tomato, onion and turnips) and Falafel (pita with ground chickpeas mixed with spices and parsley, then deep-fried, with hummus, lettuce, tomato, onion and turnips).



Creativity abounds


But father and son are not afraid to surprise you, too.

Emad said he would recommend two items:

The Tasty Gyro Pita, a blend of seasoned beef and lamb topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, feta and cucumber sauce. (WKTV)

The Tasty Gyro Pita (a blend of seasoned beef and lamb topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, feta and cucumber sauce), and the NYC Chopped Cheese Sandwich (seasoned ground beef sautéed with onions, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and banana peppers on a toasted sub bun). It’s their spinoff of a Philly Cheese Steak.

“It’s the greatest sandwich you will ever have,” Emad said.


And, “if you really want to get crazy,” he said, you have to try their version of Cincinnati-style chili, made popular by the Greek immigrants who started Skyline Chili. They call it Cincinnati Spaghetti.

Cincinnati Spaghetti, one of many dishes offered at the Tasty Gyro Coney Island, located at 2269 44th St. SE, Grand Rapids. (WKTV)

Imagine a generous portion of seasoned ground beef on top of spaghetti, and topped with kidney beans, onions and fine shredded cheddar cheese. When you taste that hint of familiar chocolate flavor you’ll think you’re in Cincinnati.

“You can’t get this anywhere else in Grand Rapids,” Emad said.




As for coney dogs, you’ll find Detroit and Flint style on the menu, as well as traditional Chicago dogs and the New Yorker dog (with chili, sauerkraut, onion, cheddar and mustard). They use Vienna hot dogs in natural casing.

Almost every city covered

“I told you when you come here you go to every city,” said Emad, noting all the styles of coney dogs.

The craziest one may be the Greek Coney. It comes with gyro meat, tzatziki sauce, banana peppers, tomatoes and onions and feta cheese on it, Emad said.

In fact, they also created a Gyro Burger, which they named after a customer, “Yovany.” It is a 1/3 lb. burger topped with gyro slices, lettuce, tomato, onion, feta and tzatziki sauce.

“That thing is a monster,” Emad said.

You could come here every day for six months and try something new each day.

“You got a lot to try,” he said.

IF YOU GO

Tasty Gyro Coney Island

Address: 2269 44th St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49508

Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Call: 616-635-2100

Menu online: tastygyroconeyisland.com

Prices: Gyros are about $11, coney dogs (Flint, Detroit and Greek-style) about $4; platters about $16-$18.

John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

New vegan shop means all can enjoy sweet treat

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Food, Health, Local Business, Local Food, Recreation, , , ,

By Sheila McGrath
WKTV Contributing Writer

Kalene McElveen opened Tasteful Vegan Frozen Desserts, 2265 Porter St. SW, on Memorial Day. (Supplied)

Kalene McElveen has put a new twist on the neighborhood ice cream shop concept.

Tastefull Vegan Frozen Desserts, 2265 Porter St. SW in Wyoming, opened Memorial Day weekend at a site that has long served sweet treats to neighbors in the summertime. Most recently, it was home to Debbie’s Twist and Shake.

But at McElveen’s new shop, the products are all vegan and “Top 8 Free,” meaning there are no allergens like dairy, eggs, gluten, soy, tree nuts, or peanuts in her products. She also steers clear of refined sugars in her treats, opting for natural sweeteners instead. A binder on site lists all the ingredients in each item on the menu.

Families from far and near have been coming to the shop to give their kids with food allergies a true ice cream shop experience.

“The need is greater than I had anticipated,” McElveen said. “People from Muskegon, Holland, and all across the lakeshore are traveling to come to this shop. For parents who have children who aren’t able to do ice cream shops because of cross-contamination issues, this is the very first time their kids can get anything they want off the menu, and everyone can eat together.”

A place to build her business

Although the ice cream shop is new, McElveen has been in business since 2020 creating her Tastefull Vegan desserts. She started out selling freeze pops at the Fulton Street Farmers Market in Grand Rapids. After attending a Black Entrepreneurs Expo at Woodland Mall, she gained additional outlets to sell her products, including Harvest Health Food stores, the Bridge Street Market and Forest Hills Foods.

McElveen was creating her desserts out of a kitchen at the Downtown Market when she saw that the ice cream shop in her neighborhood was for sale.

“I thought it would be nice to be able to make my product right around the corner from our house. Knowing I could also own an ice cream shop in the neighborhood where I live was a double bonus,” she said.

Since the location had always been home to a typical dairy ice cream shop, she worried that neighbors wouldn’t be interested in vegan offerings. But that hasn’t been the case.

A historic spot

According to information provided by the Wyoming History Room, the tradition of serving ice cream from the  2265 Porter St. SW site goes back 50 years.

The Viking Cone Shop was at the Porter location from 1972-1974. (Wyoming Historical Room)

Although it hasn’t continuously served ice cream since then, the bulk of the last 50 years have been devoted to desserts of one kind or another.

The Viking Cone Shop operated at the site from 1972 to 1974, after which the building was vacant until 1976, when Jake’s Donuts moved in.

The building was again vacant in the late 1970s until the Duthler Insurance Company moved in and stayed until the mid 1980s. In 1986, Porter Junction Ice Cream operated there, and in 1990 it became Bill’s Kreamy Cone. In 2008, Porter Street Ice Cream was in operation at the site. Before being purchased recently by Kalene McElveen for her Tastefull Vegan Frozen Desserts shop, Debbie’s Twist and Shake was in the building. 

The current building went up in 1928. The first business in it was Wilson & Chalmers real estate and if you on the north side of the building, you can see the original marker for the 1928 business.

Prior to that, a wooden structure had stood at the site since 1911, serving as both an office and an interurban railroad stop. The building once faced the interurban tracks on the north, but was spun around to face west in 1922.

Response has been positive

The shop is open three evenings a week – Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 3 to 9 p.m. – and in one month, she went through a box of 800 of the spoons she uses for flurries, one of the most popular items on the menu.

Kalene McElveen opened Tasteful Vegan Frozen Desserts, 2265 Porter St. SW, on Memorial Day. (Supplied)

Although people have been asking her to open up every day, she said she’s still learning every weekend, and wants to make sure she can adequately provide enough products before taking that step.

“I don’t want to overcommit myself and underdeliver,” she said.

McElveen said she and her family moved to Wyoming in 2013, and the shop she now owns is the one she took her kids to when they first moved to the neighborhood.

“It’s been kind of nice to be a part of keeping it going,” she said.

Being part of the community

McElveen serves on Wyoming’s Community Development Committee, and she’s proud to bring a business to the city that is the first of its kind in Michigan – a minority woman-owned vegan, allergy-free ice cream shop.

“I enjoy helping make decisions about different events and different organizations that help the city of Wyoming, and now I feel like I’m one of them. And that’s a good feeling,” she said.

Join Kentwood for its annual 4th of July celebration

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Local Food, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , , , ,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

The Fourth of July parade is set for 9:30 a.m. and will start at Crestwood Middle School. (Supplied)

The City of Kentwood has a day filled with activities for all ages planned on Monday, July 4 for its annual Fourth of July Celebration, including a pancake breakfast, 5K race, parade, carnival and fireworks show.

“Celebrating our nation’s independence by participating in Kentwood’s Fourth of July festivities has been a favorite family and community tradition for many decades. People of all ages enjoy these events, from pancakes and parades to 5Ks and fireworks,” Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley said. “Come out and join us for a day filled with festivities when memories are made, and community is strengthened.”

The events will begin with a pancake breakfast at Kentwood Fire Station 1, 4775 Walma Ave SE. The $5-per-person breakfast will be served 7-9:30 a.m. and include pancakes, sausage, juice and coffee. It’s free for ages 5 and younger.

At 7:30 a.m., racers of all ages will gather next door at the Kentwood City Hall parking lot, 4900 Breton Ave. SE, for registration and packet pickup for the NN Mobile Solutions 5K Race & Fun Walk. The chip-timed race will begin at 8:30 a.m., with the start and finish in front of City Hall. Participants will loop through nearby neighborhoods before coming back on the paved East West Trail to finish. For the safety of all participants, roller skates, dogs and bicycles will not be allowed on the course. All participants will receive a finisher medal and shirt for this race. Shirts are only guaranteed for those who register before June 21.

Following the race will be a parade at 9:30 a.m. The parade route will start at Crestwood Middle School, 2674 44th St. SE, travel south on Walma Avenue SE to Breton Avenue SE, then turn west on 52nd Street SE and end at Challenger Elementary School, 2475 52nd St. SE. Organizations who would like to participate in the parade can visit kentwood.us/july4 and fill out the online form to register.

From 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., there will be a carnival behind city hall featuring rides and carnival games. (Supplied)

From 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., there will be a carnival behind City Hall featuring a variety of rides and carnival games for all ages. Individual tickets will cost $1 each. Wristbands will be available for $20. Tickets and wristbands will only be available at the event. The number of tickets required for each attraction will vary.

City Hall will also be the hub for the evening celebration 4-10 p.m., which will include community booths, a beer tent, food trucks and a fireworks show. A variety of bands, including Project 90, The Stone Soul Rhythym Band and Serita’s Black Rose, will take the stage to perform live music leading up to the fireworks show at dusk. The fireworks will be viewable from City Hall and surrounding areas.

A section of Walma Avenue near City Hall from Fire Station #1, 4775 Walma Ave. SE, to the roundabout will be closed all day to allow pedestrians to safely cross the street and take part in the activities. Guests who are parked at the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch can take the roundabout out to Breton Avenue heading north or turn left out of the library’s parking lot onto Breton heading south.

A section of Breton Avenue in front of the library to the roundabout will be closed for the fireworks display. It will close 15 minutes before the show and reopen 30 minutes after the fireworks are done.

Fireworks will be at dusk. (Supplied)

The Kentwood Police Department and volunteers will be on-site to help direct traffic.

The City is seeking volunteers for its Fourth of July Celebration. Individuals who are interested are encouraged to sign up online or call 616-656-5270. More information about Independence Day activities in Kentwood can be found at kentwood.us/july4.

Other area July 4th activities:

July 2

Grand Rapids: Starting at 6 p.m., there will be family-fun activities, games, food, vendors, and live entertainment which will lead up to the firework show at 10:30 p.m.

Gun Lake: Fireworks are scheduled for July 2 with a rain date of July 3. Fireworks began at dark.

July 2 and 3

LMCU Ballpark: The West Michigan Whitecaps will have fireworks for both games against the Fort Wayne Tin Caps. Game times are 6:35 p.m July 2 and 6 p.m. July 3.

July 3

Caledonia: The Caledonia Independence Day Celebration will include a parade at 11 a.m. Fireworks will be at dusk and can be seen from Duncan Lake Middle School, CalPlex, or Holy Family Catholic Church.

July 4

Grandville: The Grandville July 4 Celebration will be include a pancake breakfast, parade with flyover, life music and fireworks at dusk.

Dorr: As usually, the Dorr July 4th Celebration will be the entire weekend, July 2-4 with the the parade and fireworks being on July 4.

For more area July 4th celebrations and activities, visit Experience GR’s website.

Kalamazoo band next up on the Kentwood Summer Concert series

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Local Food, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , , ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

It sounds like a story from an old blues song.

A bunch of students from West Michigan University gather in the basement of a bar, cut their teeth with local players and touring musicians, stay friends, and keep playing nearly 20 years later.

Kalamazoo’s Out of Favor Boys take the state this Thursday for Kentwood Summer Concert series. (Supplied)

“We grew up, musically, hosting blues jams in Kalamazoo,” said Joel Krauss, one of the founding members of the Out of Favor Boys. “We’re rooted in that Chicago-style blues but we also have a lot of influences from rock, old soul and jam bands.”

Those roots of the Kalamazoo blues scene from the late 1990s and early 2000s have served them well. Today the lineup includes four of the original members, who moved to Kalamazoo from the east side of the state to go to school, but stayed here for jobs, their friendships and love of the blues.

The lineup includes: Krauss (vocals and guitars), Tony Sproul (saxophone, vocals), Tim Brouhard (bass), Tommy Ufkus (drums) and Dan Ouellette (guitar), who leads the band on calling out the songs each night.

The Out of Favor Boys perform Thursday (June 23) as part of the Kentwood Summer Music Series on the lawn behind City Hall. The concert is at 7 p.m. Admission is free. (See the lineup below.)

READ: Summer revs up with Kentwood concerts, farmers market combo

All concerts will be live streamed by WKTV Community Media. Watch the events live at: https://www.wktv.org/live25.html. If you miss a show you can watch it here at WKTV On Demand.

This year’s lineup includes

Playing in the basement of Mr. Wonderful’s back in the day (on the southside of Kalamazoo), the band had to rely on each other to learn their craft through “jam sessions,” said Tony Sproul.

“You had to be on your toes as much as possible,” he said, and that became almost “addictive.”

To this day, those jam sessions and knowing how to feed off each other on simple cues and gestures, has become an “accidental strong point” to the band’s longevity.

“For us…there is never a night that you’re bored or say, ‘Oh, I gotta play that song again?’ None of us ever have that moment. It stays fresh all the time.”

Today’s sound is a “mix of soul and funk and blues,” Sproul added.

“It’s danceable with a slight mix of funk and old soul, with a blues foundation that we have had over the years.”

The band has released four CDs of original music.

“I would say that (if you) look at them one at a time you’ll see quite a bit of growth between each of them. We started out really raw and live on our first CD,” Krauss said. 

The group has been together for almost 20 years, having released four CDs of original music. (Supplied)

“We actually recorded the whole thing in one night. And by the time you get to our last CD, which we released in 2017, you can see that we’ve become much more focused on writing solid songs. We’re starting to pull songs together for a new recording, which we’ll start working on later this year.”

Along with playing the clubs, the band has also played big festival stages.

“Community music events are sort of a nice middle ground for us – and we play a lot of these things across southern Michigan and into northern Indiana. People who come to these shows are there to hear music,” Krauss said.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to play our own songs to people who are there to listen. There can be some give and take between the band and the audience when everyone’s paying attention like that. Plus, they’re usually small enough that we have time to meet a lot of people between sets and after the show. We’ve made a lot of great connections and gotten a lot of great gigs from meeting people at shows like these.”

When they perform Thursday in Kentwood, fans can expect them to “play a mix of cover songs and original music.”

You’ll be sure to have a good time with familiar songs by some of their favorite blues artists such as Robert Cray, Tab Benoit, Larry McCray and Tommy Castro, Krauss said.

“We play some classic rock, some blues, some soul and give our crowds lots of opportunities to dance,” he added.

Learn more about the band https://outoffavorboys.com/.

John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Gonzo’s Top 5: Garden tour, the LPGA, and Juneteenth

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Gonzo's Top 5, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Local Food, Recreation, Restaurants, Upcoming Events, , , ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

Most schools are out for the summer, which means families are looking for things to do with the kids. Maybe even things to do with dad, since it’s also Father’s Day on Sunday.

Well, you’re in luck! I have a few ideas – some for kids, some for adults – in my Top 5, which you can find exclusively on WKTV Journal.

5. Beer & Brat Street Festival, Sparta

If you’re up for a little road trip to Sparta, this first-year event looks like a lot of fun. Presented by the Sparta Chamber, the Beer and Brat Street Festival is a two-day street party with games, live music, shopping and – you guessed it, beer and brats! Hours are 4-11 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday. Learn more on the Sparta Chamber Facebook event page.

Heritage Hill Garden Tour will feature 10 private gardens and two organization gardens in this year’s event. (Supplied)

4. Heritage Hill Garden Tour, Grand Rapids

Take a pleasant walk along streets of Heritage Hill where 12 historic homes will open their gardens from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday (June 18).  “From showy displays in front gardens bursting with color to hidden gems waiting behind a home to warmly welcome guests, the possibilities of what a garden can be will inspire you,” according to press material.

On this self-guided tour, some of the gardens you will find include:

  1. President Gerald Ford’s boyhood back yard now filled with statuary and rare plantings.
  2. Wonderland over 40 years in the making that surrounds an enchanting home. 
  3. A serene and elegant backyard setting that includes a complete outdoor kitchen.
  4. A stately brick home perfectly surrounded by beautiful plantings.  
  5. A small but artfully designed garden that makes wise use of every space.
  6. A front yard garden that catches the eye of everyone who passes by.
  7. Free-flowing flower garden on Prospect Avenue that wears new colors for every season.
  8. Formal fountains galore surrounding a home on College Avenue.
  9. Peaceful natural water feature that accents a shade garden. 
  10. A sweet little garden on Paris Avenue.
  11.  Vibrant annuals and perennials at the Voigt House tended by volunteers.
  12.  Formal gardens at the Meyer May House that are reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright’s organic architecture.

Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 on the day of the tour. Tickets are available for presale through midnight on June 17 at heritagehillweb.org.


More:Heritage Hill to host colorful garden tour this Saturday

Asian-Pacific Festival returns to downtown Grand Rapids this weekend. (Supplied)

3. Division Ave Arts & Culture Festival

Speaking of things to do with the family, this is perfect! According to WKTV contributing writer D.A. Reed, the Division Ave. Art & Culture Festival features “food and craft vendors, live music, Pacific Island dancers, interactive art, a colorful dragon parade, fun prize giveaways, and more.” She adds that several local Division Avenue businesses will be participating in the festival, including The Stray, Café Boba, Quest Fitness, and Natural Maya. A portion of 43rd Street will be closed down to accommodate the Festival. It is presented by the Division Avenue Business Association (DABA) and takes place from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday (June 18). Learn more on the Facebook Event page. Or read her story.

READ: Division Avenue hosts first annual festival on June 18

2. Meijer LPGA Classic

The LPGA Tour is back in Belmont for the eighth playing of the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give. All seven previous winners are in the field at Blythefield Country Club, including defending champion Nelly Korda, two-time winner Brooke Henderson and former world No. 1 So Yeon Ryu. In addition, foodies will delight in the new premium hospitality experience offered by J Brewers, is named in honor of the financier who purchased the land where Blythefield now stands. Located on the fourth fairway , J. Brewers will feature more than a 20,000-square-foot pavilion with elevated food and beverage pairings curated and prepared by local and minority-owned restaurants. Daily tickets for access to the J Brewers pavilion cost $75, but gives you front-row views of the on-course action, television viewing areas, great seats and all-you-can-eat access to food and beverage items, featuring local vendors and premium cocktails. General admission tickets are $10 Thursday through Sunday. Kids, ages 17 and under, will receive free admission with a ticketed adult. General admission tickets include general grounds access to the tournament, public viewing area and various Grand Taste viewing and concessions areas located throughout the course. The Golf Channel will show play from 3-6 p.m. Friday-Sunday. All the details of the Meijer LPGA Classic at meijerlpgaclassic.com.

1.Juneteenth Celebration

On June 19 we celebrate Juneteenth, which commemorates the ending of slavery in the United States. But this weekend we celebrate and pay homage to African American freedom with celebrations throughout the area. Experience Grand Rapids has an extensive list, and our friends at WZZM also have a list that includes Muskegon Heights, Holland and virtual events.

A few of note locally:

John Ball Zoo is hosting Juneteenth Fest, which is a community BBQ with live music, food grilling, people dancing, kids playing, people shopping and hanging out. It takes place 2-7 p.m. Saturday (June 18). Admission is free.

Support local Black creatives and vendors at the Baxter Juneteenth Celebration  held June 18 in Joe Taylor Park . It’s all about family, food, fun, education, empowerment and entertainment.

The 2nd annual Justice 4 All Juneteenth Jam is Sunday at Rosa Parks Circle and includes live music, Black-owned food and business vendors, a graffiti art showcase and more. It is sponsored by the city and local African American apparel company Justice 4 All.

The 5th annual Grand Rapids Juneteenth Dundunba  at Dickinson Buffer Park begins with a parade and segues into an afternoon of live entertainment, raffle giveaways and more. June 19.

Enjoy food, fun and entertainment at two Juneteenth “pop-up” events: June 18 at Rosa Parks Circle and June 19  at Martin Luther King Park.

That’s it for now.

As always, I welcome your input and recommendations for events to include in my Top 5 list. If you have something for me to consider, just send me an email at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Have a great, safe weekend.

John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Fulton Street Market to host solstice event on Tuesday

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Food, Local Food, Our Cities, Recreation, Upcoming Events, ,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

The Fulton Street Farmers Market will host a Summer Solstice Celebration! on Tuesday. (Supplied)

The Fulton Street Farmers Market will be hosting its Summer Solstice Celebration! Tuesday, June 21, from 4-8 p.m.

We welcome everyone to come celebrate 100 years of food, farming, art, and community. This event is a non-market event, meaning there are no vendors besides concessions as this is a celebration we want our farmers, food producers, and artisans to attend and enjoy themselves while mingling with each other and the community.

This is a family-friendly event for all ages, featuring a kid’s craft activity hosted by The Monstorium, an artisan market vendor. There will be live music by four musicians throughout the evening who are regular performers at the Saturday markets. Fae Floral are making a flower archway for participants to pose for selfies and group shots to capture the fun of the evening.  There will be beer, seltzer, and cider available for purchase as well as the release of the market’s signature centennial beer the Solstice Sambucus created in collaboration with two market vendors and crafted by Speciation Artisan Ales. The Solstice Sambucus is an elderberry basil Saison.

 

The following concessions will be available during the event: Street Chef Shaw, Los Jalapenos, Agua Fresca, Momma D’s Kitchen, Around Baking Company, Ollie’s Donuts, Any Colour You Like Popsicles, and Tor’s Tonics.

There is no charge to attend the event, and everyone is welcome.  The market is located at 1145 Fulton St E, Grand Rapids. For more information check out the Fulton Street Farmers Market website at: www.fultonstreetmarket.org. 

First Wyoming Summer Market to open on Saturday

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Food, Kids Activities, Local Business, Local Faces, Local Food, Our Cities, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

The first of four Summer Markets will be taking place this Saturday at HŌM Flats at 28 West, 1401 Prairie Parkway SW. The event is from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

At last year’s event, a customer looks over a flower arrangement from Wyoming-based Periwinkle Flor Co. (WKTV)

“We are excited to bring this opportunity back to the city,” said Brianna Peña, communications specialist for the City of Wyoming.

Last year, HŌM Flats had approached the city about hosting a public market, which city officials were also considering. The two groups decided to partner hosting two fall events which met with success.

Building off of that, it was decided to host four markets, all through the same partnership of the City of Wyoming and HŌM Flats.

“It is in preparation for the community to host and establish a consistency for these local markets in Wyoming,” Peña said for the reason of expanding the number of markets to four this year.

One of the goals of city officials is to establish a public market within the city limits. Some discussion has centered on using the northern portion of the Site 36, which the city retained after the sale of the property to Franklin Partners.

At each the markets there will be food trucks and artisan vendors offering an array of items such as handmade clothing, jewelry, keychains, and art.

At this Saturday’s event, the food trucks are Curry in a Hurry, which will be offering food selections form India such as Butter Chicken and Traditional Curry with Rice, and Simply Sweet Confections, which will be featuring a selection of its popular macarons.

Also on Saturday, there will be free ice cream to the first 200 attendees and face painting.

The remaining Summer Markets are set for:

July 16, 10 a.m. – 2 p.,. Pinery Park, 2301 DeHoop Ave. SW

Aug 19, 3-7 p.m., 28 West Parking lot, 1345 28 West Place, (near the former Lindo restaurant)

Sept. 16, 3-7 p.m., Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW

Rare, unique automobiles on display Saturday at Downtown Market

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Local Food, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , , , ,

By WKTV Journal
joanne@wktv.org

Cars & Coffee Grand Rapids returns to the Grand Rapids Downtown Market for the seventh year, hosting the season’s first event on Saturday, June 11, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Cars and Coffee returns to the Grand Rapids Downtown Market on Saturday. (Supplied)

Show cars will be in the Downtown Market parking lot adjacent to Ionia Avenue, and under the covered Market Shed. Spectators can stroll through the impressive array of automobiles from around the region during the event.

Vehicles on display will include sports cars, exotics, tuners, muscle cars and classics.

The Downtown Market will be open from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Saturday for a variety of food and beverage options from Market Hall merchants. Parking is available on-site, and in the nearby McConnell Ave. lot during the event.

Summer revs up with Kentwood concerts, farmers market combo

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Kids Activities, Local Food, Recreation, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects, , , ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

Cabildo performs July 21 at Kentwood Summer Concert Series.

The Kentwood Summer Concert Series is not your typical outdoor community event.

Yes, you get live music, of course, and food trucks are on hand to keep you fed.

But you can also bring your own “adult beverages.”

“That’s one of the things that makes Kentwood a little more unique,” said Laura Barbrick, marketing and events coordinator for the City of Kentwood Parks & Recreation department.

Through a special permit with the local police department, attendees can bring their own alcohol (beer and wine) in a designated area. “It just has to stay in the concert zone,” she added.

Fans of the popular concert series will get to bring those “adult beverages” to the show when the Max Lockwood Band kicks off the series at 7 p.m. June 16 on the lawn behind Kentwood City Hall. Bring your own blankets and lawn chairs.

The weekly series continues on Thursday evenings through Aug. 11. See the schedule below. All will be recorded and aired on WKTV.

Another “unique” aspect of the Kentwood series is an opportunity to check out the local farmers market. About a decade ago the market used to be on Saturdays, but changed to Thursdays in this special partnership.

“We polled our residents and discovered there was a need for a weekday evening market,” Barbrick said.

The Kentwood Farmers Market will be from 4:30 – 7 p.m. Thursdays, right before the concert series. (Supplied)

In 2020 they had a few pop-up markets on Thursday nights, and they were very well attended, she said.

“To continue the momentum,” they decided to have the farmers market on the same day. “It’s a great way to cross-promote both events,” Barbrick added.

“People who attend the concert series might not have known about our Farmers Market before. But now our concertgoers love to shop the market and buy local products before grabbing a seat on the lawn for the show. It really has been a win-win and has helped grow both the market and our concert series.”

The Kentwood Farmers Market takes place next door from 4:30-7 p.m. in the parking lot behind City Hall.

Concerts take place from 7-8:30 p.m. on the lawn behind Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE. Admission is free. A variety of food trucks also will be on hand.

The lineup of bands includes a variety of styles and diversity, which was intentional, Barbrick said.

 

“Typically, in January, we put out a poll on social media asking the community who they want in our lineup,” she said. “We take the results from the poll and go through all the band applications to determine the lineup.

“Diversity is very important to our selection. We serve a very diverse community and want our music selection to represent our residents and culture.”

Crowds can range from 500-1,000 people, depending on the popularity of acts.

But everyone has a great time, she said.

“We’ve received a lot of positive feedback from residents over the years. We have some families that come to every single show,” Barbrick said.

“People love the opportunity to be outdoors and enjoy a free concert. We love it when the crowd is dancing and asking for an encore. It’s very rewarding to see the smiles and hear the applause after each show.”

Parking for shows will be limited at both City Hall and the Library, according to the city’s website. Additional parking is available at the Kentwood Justice Center (4740 Walma SE), Kentwood Public Works (5068 Breton SE), Kentwood Baptist Church (2875 52nd St), and there is street parking in nearby neighborhoods.

Get more information at kentwood.us.

This year’s lineup includes:

All concerts will be live streamed by WKTV Community Media.

Watch the events live at: https://www.wktv.org/live25.html

If you miss a show you can watch it here at WKTV On Demand.

John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Community members invited to shop local at the Kentwood Farmers Market

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Local Food, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , ,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

The Kentwood Farmers Market will return for its eighth season June 16-Sept. 29 with more than 30 local vendors and a variety of special activities.

The market will take place 4:30-7:30 p.m. each Thursday except Sept. 8 behind Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE. With a longer 15-week season and more vendors than ever before, the market will provide opportunities for community members to buy an array of local goods ranging from fresh produce, baked goods, syrup and cheese to fresh-cut flowers, coffee and handmade items all summer long.

In addition to exploring vendor items, there will be food trucks on-site each week offering a range of cuisines for purchase, along with themed nights featuring free activities for marketgoers.

Community members are also invited to attend Kentwood’s Summer Concert Series, which overlaps with the market’s Thursday evening schedule. Free to attend, each concert will take place 7-8:30 p.m. on the lawn behind City Hall.

Here’s the full lineup of the free activities, food trucks and concerts:

  • June 16: Opening day celebration featuring a food demonstration and food samples; El Jalapeño, Kona Ice of Lowell and Patty Matters food trucks;  The Max Lockwood Band concert at 7 p.m. 
  • June 23: Falafel Truck, Kool Breze and Sanse Filipino Cuisine food trucks; Out of Favor Boys concert at 7 p.m. 
  • June 30: Mapocho, Patty Matters and Taste of Toya’s World food trucks; The Soul Syndicate concert at 7 p.m.
  • July 7: Dog Days of Summer featuring dog vendors, pet portraits, a dog walk and dog adoptions; Taste of Toya’s World food truck
  • July 14: Falafel Truck, Kool Breze and Mapocho food trucks; Par-llo Connectionconcert at 7 p.m.
  • July 21: Dune Buggy, Kona Ice and Sanse Filipino Cuisine food trucks; Cabildoconcert at 7 p.m. 
  • July 28: El Jalapeño, Kool Breze and Mapocho; Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestraconcert at 7 p.m.
  • Aug. 4: El Jalapeño, Patty Matters and Taste of Toya’s World food trucks; The Moxie Strings concert at 7 p.m.
  • Aug. 11: National Farmers Market Week celebration featuring a food demonstration and food samples; Falafel Truck, Kona Ice, Sanse Filipino Cuisine and Taste of Toya’s World food trucks; Brena concert at 7 p.m.
  • Aug. 18: Back to School Night featuring a student showcase of local musicians; Patty Matters food truck.
  • Aug. 25: Charcuterie Challenge, a food assembly showdown using only farmers market ingredients; Sanse Filipino Cuisine food truck.
  • Sept. 1: Kid’s Day featuring a meet and greet with animals from the John Ball Zoo, crafts  and more; Kool Breze food truck.
  • Sept. 15: Bike Day featuring bike vendors and demonstrations; Falafel Truck.
  • Sept. 22: Fall Equinox Day Dune Buggy food truck.
  • Sept. 29: Harvest Day featuring pumpkin painting and food preserving demonstrations; El Jalapeño food truck; Just Jill music performance 4:30-5:30 p.m.

“We are looking forward to welcoming community members back to the Kentwood Farmers Market for another great season offering a robust lineup of vendors and special activities,” Market Manager Kristina Colby said. “All are invited to join us for fun outdoors connecting with and supporting our local farmers and vendors.”

The Kentwood Farmers Market accepts food assistance benefits, including SNAP, Double Up Food Bucks and Senior Project FRESH/Market FRESH.

Community members can stay up to date on special market events and seasonal items by following the Kentwood Farmers Market on Facebook.

There are still a few spots available for vendors. Those who are interested can apply to be a vendor at KentwoodFarmersMarket.com. The cost is $10 per day or $75 for the full season.

In addition to visiting the market, individuals who want to support the market can become a Friend of the Kentwood Farmers Market sponsor or volunteer to assist with market setup, the information booth, special events and more.

Additional information about the Kentwood Farmers Market, including a vendor application, is available at KentwoodFarmersMarket.com.

Gonzo’s Top 5: Festival, food trucks, and lots of music

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Gonzo's Top 5, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Local Food, Recreation, , , , ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

It’s Festival weekend!

And I’m so excited for the return of Festival of the Arts in downtown Grand Rapids. It’s one of the first major events I experienced when I moved to the area more than 30 years ago, and it showed me that West Michigan cares about the arts, and its children.

Plus, the food is great!

Obviously Festival will make it into my Top 5, which you can find exclusively on WKTV Journal.

What else makes my list? Read on.

Gonzo’s Top 5

Sunday Night Funnies’ Kingpin of Comedy starts June 5. (Courtesy)

5. Sunday Night Funnies – Spectrum Entertainment Complex

The return of the “Kingpin of Comedy” stand-up comedy competition begins Sunday, June 5, at the Spectrum Entertainment Complex. It will continue all summer (and fall), with the finals on Oct. 9. The winner of the competition will win $500 in cash, a Kingpin bowling pin trophy, a customized bowling shirt, and the opportunity to close at the Sunday Night Funnies LaughFest show in 2023. A presentation is planned with the mayor of Wyoming declaring the winner as “the funniest person in town.” Additional prizes also will be awarded from the Spectrum Entertainment Complex, Craig’s Cruisers, the Listening Room and Gilda’s Club’s LaughFest. At this weekend’s show, doors open at 7:30 p.m., followed by the show at 8:30 p.m.  Admission is free. The Spectrum Entertainment Complex is located at 5656 Clyde Park Ave. SW, in Wyoming. More details on the Sunday Night Funnies Facebook page.

Saladino Smise will be part at the Kentwood Food Truck. (supplied)

4. Kick-Off to Summer Food Truck Festival

It’s a beautiful weekend to experience 30 food trucks, live music, a beer tent and more at this year’s Food Truck Festival in Kentwood. Hours are 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday (June 4)  at Kentwood City Hall and the Kent District Library – Richard L. Root/Kentwood Branch at 4950 Breton Rd. SE.

 

SCHEDULE
11:00am – 8:00pm  Food Trucks serving and Beer Tent open
11:00am-12:30pm  Downtown Authority
12:30 – 2:30pm  DJ Snax
2:30 – 4:00pm  MOLLY
4:00 – 6:00pm  DJ Snax
6:00 – 8:00pm  Azz-Izz Band

More details at https://www.kentwood.us/events_detail_T53_R88.php

Home Free performs June 5. (Supplied)

3. Concerts

Festival of the Arts is not the only thing going on this weekend in downtown Grand Rapids. Rock band Modest Mouse (“Float On”) performs at 7 p.m. Friday (June 3) at GLC Live at 20 Monroe. A few tickets remain starting at $50 general admission. More details at concerts.livenation.com. Also, American country a cappella group Home Free performs at 8 p.m. Sunday (June 5) at DeVos Performance Hall. The group competed in and won the fourth season of “The Sing-Off” on NBC-TV in 2013. Ticket information at devosperformancehall.com.

pxhere.com

2. Camp Greensky Music Festival 

It’s back! America’s favorite Bluegrass music festival led by Michigan’s own Greensky Bluegrass returns with a great lineup. Performances continue today and Saturday (June 3-4) at Shagbark Farm in Caledonia. The schedule includes:

FRIDAY

  • Dave Bruzza—12:30-1:30 p.m.
  • Luke Winslow King—2-3 p.m.
  • Wayword Sons—3:30-4:30 p.m.
    Peter Rowan—5-6:15 p.m.
  • Sammy Rae & the Friends—6:45-8:15 p.m.
  • Greensky Bluegrass—8:45-11:45 p.m.

SATURDAY

  • phoffman—12:30-1:30 p.m.
  • Jon Stickley Trio—1:45-2:45 p.m.
  • TK & the Holy Know Nothings—3-4 p.m.
  • Steve Kimock and Friends—4:35-5:45 p.m.
  • Little Feat—6:15-8:15 p.m.
  • Greensky Bluegrass—8:45-11:45 p.m.

More information at campgreensky.com.

1.Festival of the Arts

It’s known as one of the largest all-volunteer festivals in the country. And it’s a huge part of West Michigan culture. If you’re new to the area, this is the place to be for local acts such as youth ballet and rock bands to local charities raising money through ethnic food booths. It takes up several stages and food booths spread out on downtown streets to make it happen. Festival of the Arts has been known to bring in as many as 300,000 people over the course of three days (June 3-5). This year should be a return to those big crowds. Enjoy. More information at https://festivalgr.org/.

That’s it for now.

As always, I welcome your input and recommendations for events to include in my Top 5 list. If you have something for me to consider, just send me an email at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Have a great, safe weekend.

John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

They’re back! Food truck season starts this weekend

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Gonzo's Top 5, Local Entertainment, Local Food, Recreation, Restaurants, , ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

Kool Breze is part of the kick off to Food Truck season in West Michigan, which begins with tonight’s first of Food Truck Fridays at Riverside Park in Grand Rapids. (supplied)

Variety. Aromas. Excitement.

Food trucks and festivals make the perfect match, just like mustard on a hot dog. (Let’s not talk about ketchup.)

Food truck owners in 2022 are more than county fair concessionaires, offering fries, hot dogs and cotton candy. Today foodies will find gourmet pretzels, mouthwatering BBQ, burritos, pizza, and on and on.

What’s not to love?

“People like variety. People love to meet and greet and grab a bite to eat,” said Steven McGhee of the Kool Breze food truck with a menu of slushies, soft serve ice cream and a variety of decadent desserts.

Kool Breze is part of the kick off to Food Truck season in West Michigan, which begins with tonight’s first of Food Truck Fridays at Riverside Park in Grand Rapids. The series will continue every Friday night through Sept. 2.

See WKTV’s list below of local Food Truck events. Know more? Email me: michigangonzo@gmail.com.

On Sunday, the Grand Rapids Food Truck Association (GRFTA) partnered with Downtown Grand Rapids, GR8 Food Trucks and others to put together Roll’N Out Food Truck Festival, a fourth-year event making its debut at Calder Plaza. It runs from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday, May 22.

Waffle Nachos! Get them this Friday at GR8 Food Truck Fridays and Roll’N Out Food Truck Festival at Calder Plaza.Taste Buds- Kitchen Connects, LLC (John D. Gonzalez)

It will be a grand celebration, said organizers, because food trucks are so much fun.

“ Food trucks are a culture,” said Rock Dandeneau, owner of Pressed In Time Food Truck and president of GRFTA.

“Many large cities have grown the street food scene into a start or incubator for brick and mortar. It is a way to test out foods and concepts. It also is a great way to start a small business and understand the logistics of running a business.”

Overall, he said “food trucks are artistic in nature from its concept, menu offerings and even art designs on the trucks.”

GRFTA, which formed in 2016, is a great resource for those who want to get into the business or just find out where to find food trucks all over the area.

“(We) formed to improve business conditions for food trucks, promote the economic contributions of  the food truck industry to the region,” said Lauren D’Angelo, Vice President, GRFTA.

“We also try to provide educational resources to food trucks and we provide a mechanism of education and exchange information between food truck owners.”

In fact, they have worked with MSU extension to put together a food truck startup course, which is now available online.

Each Food Truck has a story, too.

Take Saladino Smoke, a BBQ food truck owned by Mike and Katie Saladino, for example.

Saladino Smise will be part of the May 22 Roll ‘N Out Food Truck Fest. (supplied)

In order to spend more time with their two boys (Joey and Anthony) during those busy school years, they started cooking for their teammates and families before games and matches.

“One thing led to another and we ended up running the high school concession stands for a number of years,” they said.

It became a full time job for the family.

“We both lost our jobs during the pandemic and thankfully our food truck business saved us,” Katie said.

They BBQ the “old school way” – low and slow with traditional wood fired pits and grills, using oak, cherry, apple and mesquite woods.

”We are family driven and committed to delivering the best quality, fun filled event for you,” they said.

Some popular food truck gatherings:

Food Truck Friday, May 20 (thru Sept. 2), Riverside Park in Grand Rapids; https://www.facebook.com/GR8FoodTruckFridays/

It’s the 6th season of Food Truck Fridays at Riverside Park, north of downtown Grand Rapids. You can see the event from the road. It is located by the Guild St. entrance. This grassroots event has continued to thrive year after year. It offers a great blend of fan favorites as well as plenty of new food trucks for everyone to try. Organizers also have increased the amount of offerings to help with lines and will have a larger footprint to provide more social distancing.

New features include a Frequent Fridays Card that will offer you the chance to win prizes based on how many FTF you frequent.

Roll’N Out Food Truck Festival, May 22 (11am-8pm) Calder Plaza in Grand Rapids; https://www.facebook.com/events/1124456104989269

The Grand Rapids Food Truck Association (GRFTA), will host the 4th annual Roll’N Out Food Truck Fest on Sunday, May 22nd on Ottawa Avenue and Calder Plaza. Up to 38 food trucks and trailers will participate, making the event one of Grand Rapids’ largest food truck rallys.

In addition to the food trucks lining both sides of Ottawa Avenue , the 4th annual Roll’N Out Food Truck Fest will feature:

• Picnic space in Calder Plaza (bring a blanket to enjoy food truck fare and music!)

• Food Truck Certificate Giveaways leading up to the event.

• Entertainment from the Calder Plaza stage.

• Community Partner areas providing complimentary family-friendly activities.

• Live entertainment throughout the day!

Lovies Food Truck at Horrocks, May 28; Horrocks Market Tavern in Kentwood;

Live, Laugh, Lovies! Grand Rapids Diner on wheels will be parking in the Beer Garden at Horrocks.

 

Food Truck Summer Series, June 1; 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Viewing Park at G.R. Ford Airport;

June’s featured trucks are Bigfoot Burger, Kool Breze, El Jalapeno, Kosher Falafel and Saladino Smoke. Expect tasty food and airplane viewing.

Kentwood Food Truck Festival, June 4 and Sept. 17; 11am-8pm, Kentwood City Hall;

Back for its 5th year, located on the campus of Kentwood City Hall and the Kent District Library – Richard L. Root/Kentwood Branch. Kentwood’s Food Truck Festival is one of West Michigan’s largest food truck events. It features 20-30 different food trucks and live music all day, as well as a beer tent featuring many local favorites.

Los Jalapenos is a food trailer serving authentic Mexican cuisine. Will be at Roll’N Out Food Truck Festival (supplied)

Food Truck Frenzy!  June 9, July 14, Aug. 11, Sept. 8, Sparta’s Town Square in Sparta;

Thursdays on the Square is hosting Food Truck Frenzy. The Facebook page plans to update the food trucks coming, their menus and other details like live bands and more.

Bridge Street Market; Fridays, June 10-Sept. 2, 11 a.m.- 2 p.m.

Food trucks take over the West Side with the help of Stockbridge Business Association and the Bridge St. Market. The corner lot of Bridge St and Stocking/Lexington Ave will play host to four food trucks every Friday beginning June 10.

John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Gonzo’s Top 5: Food trucks, carnival, barbecue and beer

Entertainment, Gonzo's Top 5, Local Entertainment, Local Food, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , , ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

Happy Food Truck weekend!

Two major events are planning for local foodies who love a good food truck.

Today begins Food Truck Friday at Riverside Park, and then Sunday is the first time Calder Plaza in downtown Grand Rapids will host Roll’N Out Food Truck Festival.

Both of those events make it into my Top 5, which you can find exclusively on WKTV Journal. What else is going on this weekend? Read on!

Gonzo’s Top 5

5. LMCU Ballpark Carnival

Nothing says summer like a carnival. Our friends at Skerbeck Entertainment Group always do a great job. You’ll find one today through Sunday at LMCU Ballpark in Comstock Park. More details by clicking here. By the way, don’t forget that the Whitecaps are in action, too. Play ball! More details at whitecapsbaseball.com.

Waffle Nachos! Get them this Friday at GR8 Food Truck Fridays and Roll’N Out Food Truck Festival at Calder Plaza.Taste Buds- Kitchen Connects, LLC (John D. Gonzalez)

4. Food Trucks

As I mentioned, it’s a busy weekend for food truck lovers as two major events take place.

Food Truck Fridays, 5-9 p.m. this summer beginning May 20 through Sept. 2 at Riverside Park in Grand Rapids features anywhere from 12-17 trucks each week. In its 6th season on the north side of Grand Rapids you can expect some of the area’s best-loved food trucks, as well as new ones, too. New this year is a Frequent Fridays Card that will offer you the chance to win prizes based on how many FTF you frequent. More details at https://www.facebook.com/GR8FoodTruckFridays/.

Roll’N Out Food Truck Festival, 11 a.m.- 8 p.m. Sunday (May 22) at Calder Plaza in Grand Rapids, will feature up to 38 food trucks and trailers, making the event one of Grand Rapids’ largest food truck rallys. Music, entertainment, giveaways and a picnic area (bring your blankets) will make this event a lot of fun. More details at https://www.facebook.com/events/1124456104989269.

3. Van Andel Arena

Two events are planned. More info on both shows at www.vanandelarena.com.

WWE Smackdown is at 7:45 p.m. Friday (May 20). Raw Tag Team Champions RK Bro take on Smackdown Tag Team Champions The Usos, in a Tag Team Title Unification Match. Of course, that’s just the highlight. It’s always a full card of entertainment.

All Star Legends of Hip Hop, with Juvenile, Scarface, Trina, MJG, Eightball, Trick Daddy, and DJ Quik, perform at 8 p.m. Saturday (May 21). It’s time to go Old School!

2. ALEgan Beer BBQ and Blues Fest

Looking for a beer and blues festival this weekend? The ALEgan Beer and Blues Fest features five BBQ vendors and live blues music from 2-7 p.m. Saturday (May 21) at the Allegan County Fairgrounds. Tickets are $45, which gives you 15 tickets for 4 oz. beer samples and five tickets for food samples. All festival attendees must be 21 or older to enter. More info at https://aleganbeerbbqandbluesfest.rsvpify.com/.

The breweries:

  • Tantrick Brewing Co. (Allegan, MI)
  • Schaendorf Brewing Co (featured in a Collaboration Brew with Tantrick Brewing Co.)
  • Waypost (Fennville)
  • OpenRoad Brewery (Wayland)
  • Rusty Rocket (Pullman)
  • Paw Paw Brewing Co. (Paw Paw)
  • Burzurk Brewing Company (Grand Haven)
  • Murray St. Brewing (Mattawan)
  • Presidential Brewing (Portage)
  • One Well Brewery (Kalamazoo)
  • Bier Distillery (Comstock Park)
  • Distant Whistle (Vicksburg)
  • Handmap Brewing (Battle Creek)
  • Three Blondes (South Haven)
  • Final Gravity (Decatur)
  • Harbor Light (South Haven)

Amy Sherman, John Sinkevics, and John Gonzalez. (John Gonzalez)

1.Local Spins Fest

Have you had a chance to attend one of the shows this week to celebrate the 10th anniversary of LocalSpins.com? We did a story on founder John Sinkevics earlier this week on WKTV Journal with a list of his shows and a special Local Spinsation Ale at Rockford Brewing Company.

READ: A leap of faith started music source Local Spins, which marks its 10th anniversary

Show on tap this weekend: 

  • FRIDAY, MAY 20 (Early Show) – Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill: Blues Night with Jake Kershaw and Hank Mowery & The Hawktones, 7 p.m., $10, tickets available online here.
  •  FRIDAY, MAY 20 (Late Show) – The Intersection: Desmond Jones and The Legal Immigrants at Elevation, 9 p.m., $10, tickets on sale now at sectionlive.com.
  • SATURDAY, MAY 21 – LOCAL SPINS FEST AT STUDIO PARK (Downtown Grand Rapids)

2 p.m. – Doors open

3 p.m. – DJ SuperDre

4 p.m. – Cabildo

5 p.m. – Hannah Rose Graves

6 p.m. – Full Cord

7 p.m. – Public Access (wsg Emilee Petersmark of The Crane Wives)

8:30 p.m. – The Accidentals

Refreshments, merchandise and sponsor booths will be part of the event. General admission tickets are$20 and on sale now at listeningroomgr.com.

That’s it for now.

As always, I welcome your input and recommendations for events to include in my Top 5 list. If you have something for me to consider, just send me an email at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Have a great, safe weekend.

John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Burton Heights Business Association celebrates Mexican heritage with sauce competition

3-bottom, Food, Local Food, Recreation, Restaurants, , ,

WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

West Michigan foodies looking for an authentic taste of Mexico can enjoy the “Olé to Molé” festival on Saturday and Sunday, May 21 and 22.

A variety of local restaurants will offer their own twist on a sauce sometimes called “Mexico’s national dish.” Participants can sample each restaurant’s offering by visiting one, a few, or all of the locations between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. each day, then vote for their favorite using a provided QR code. Pricing and availability of samples varies by location.

Molé is a sauce traditional to Mexican cuisine that typically includes a variety of chili peppers, nuts, and spices. It is often served as an accompaniment or marinade for chicken or other meats.

The nine restaurants participating in the multi-site event are all located along the South Division corridor between Hall Street and 28thStreet. They include:

  • Agave Sports Lounge, 2053 Division Ave South
  • El Globo, 2019 Division Ave South
  • Las Rocas, 2106 Division Ave South
  • La Vencedora, 1961 Division Ave South
  • Los Dos Amigos, 1642 Division Ave South
  • Mi Tierra, 2300 Division Ave South
  • Restaurante Cancún, 2140 Division Ave South
  • Tacos Yanga, 1338 Division Ave South
  • Tres Mangos, 2023 Division Ave South

Parking is available in the City of Grand Rapids Burton Heights lot, located just behind El Globo and Tres Mangos on the west side of Division Avenue, south of Burton. Easy transportation for the event up and down Division Avenue is available on The Rapid’s Silver Line or Route 1.

Funding for the festival comes from the Burton Heights Business Association, the Grand Rapids Office of Special Events, and the Grand Rapids Office of Equity & Inclusion.

Questions about the event may be directed to Angelica Velásquez, president of the Burton Heights Business Association, atlacasadelacobija@gmail.com or 616.617.4400. Media inquiries may be directed to Jon Shaner at The Salvation Army Kroc Center, jon.shaner@usc.salvationarmy.org or 616.401.9835.

Feeding America West Michigan launches new campaign with $2 million gift from Meijer

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Food, Going Local, Health, Local Business, Local Food, , ,
An artist’s rendering of the new Feeding America West Michigan facility at 3070 Shaffer Avenue, SE Kentwood.

By Cris Greer 
greer@wktv.org

Shortly after his organization received a significant $2 million donation from Meijer on Tuesday, Kenneth Estelle called it a beyond-expectations commitment.

“The amount of the gift is amazing,” said Estelle, president and CEO of Feeding America West Michigan. “We are not an organization that typically gets a million dollar donation or gift, so having a $2 million gift from Meijer was more than amazing.

Feeding America West Michigan President and CEO Kenneth Estelle speaks at his organization’s advancement campaign event at its new facility Tuesday in Kentwood. (WKTV)

“It really showed that we have a significant partner that believes in what we’re doing and is willing to put some significant money where the belief is.”

The $6 million advancement campaign, Nourish Tomorrow, was developed to move the food bank’s headquarters and distribution center from Comstock Park to 3070 Shaffer Avenue, SE in Kentwood. 

 

Challenges worsened by the pandemic, and a continuing effort to provide more equitable service in all its 40 counties, pushed the food bank’s current Comstock Park facility to operate beyond its capacity.   

Ultimately, this facility will enable the food bank to nearly double its food distribution to nourish more Michigan residents. 

“Meijer has supported our work for more than 30 years,” Estelle said. “They provide millions of pounds of food, donate semi-trucks and give generous financial gifts like this one.”

The campaign has raised $4.7 million over the last several months — 78 percent of its goal. To date, nearly 100 local donors, businesses and area foundations have supported the campaign, including the large gift from Meijer.  

Meijer President and CEO Rick Keyes speaks at a Feeding America West Michigan event Tuesday. (WKTV)

“We’ve been partners with Feeding America West Michigan for over 30 years, and you just see the impact and the need that’s in our community,” said Rick Keyes, president and CEO of Meijer. “The impact that they’re able to make is really incredible, so we look for partners like them. Hunger relief is at the core of some of the work we do in the community.”

Serving local families in need since 1981, Feeding America West Michigan reclaims millions of meals worth of safe, surplus food from various sources. With the help of countless volunteers, the food bank sorts, stores and distributes this food through a network of more than 700 partners to fill hundreds of thousands of neighbors’ plates instead of landfills.

The food bank’s service area consists of 40 of Michigan’s 83 counties from the Indiana border north through the Upper Peninsula. For more information, visit FeedWM.org or call 616-784-3250.

UofM Health West Farmer’s Market set to open tomorrow

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By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

About 35 vendors will be on hand tomorrow selling fruit, meat, cheeses, and other handmade items. (Supplied)

The University of Michigan Health-West Farmer’s Market is set to open for the season tomorrow, continuing to serve the community with fresh produce and products, while supporting local farms and small business owners.

When the market opens for the season, 35 vendors will be on-site at the hospital’s Wyoming campus selling local fresh fruits and vegetables, meats and cheeses, baked goods, plants and more. Artisan vendors will be selling handmade items including clothing and home décor.

“We are looking forward to another great season at the market,” said the hospital’s Head of Community Outreach Michelle Rademacher. “A fun new addition we have this year are local musicians who will be performing over the lunch hour.”

Another addition to this year’s market is the return of Kids Day. After a two-year hiatus due to COVID- 19, Kids Day is back on June 16. The first 250 kids to arrive at the information table will receive a free gift. There will also be activities including a scavenger hunt, crafts, yard games, a traveling zoo and more.

On average, the University of Michigan Health-West Farmer’s Market sees nearly 1,300 people daily during the peak season. As in past years, the market will continue to accept EBT, P-EBT, Double Up Food Bucks, WIC, Senior Project Fresh coupons as well as cash and most major credit cards.

The market opens Thursday, May 12 and runs each Thursday through early October. Hours are 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. For more information visit www.umhealthwest.org.

A Wyoming wedding vendor, like others in the industry, struggle to keep up with demand

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Food, Hard News, Local Business, Local Food, Recreation, Restaurants, , , , ,

By Lindsay M. McCoy
Capital News Service

LANSING – “We’ve been in business for 37 years, and this is definitely the craziest season we have ever seen,” said Kevin Humphrey.

While there have been more requests to book Adeline Leigh’s services than in an average year, the company had to reduce the number of weddings booked this year to deal with worker shortages. (Supplied)

Humphrey is the office manager for Adeline Leigh Catering, a Wyoming business located at 1132 Chicago Dr. SW, that prepares food for hundreds of weddings each year.

Across the state, vendors like florists and caterers are preparing for a frantic 2022 season as the number of weddings is up 15% nationally from normal, according to Wedding Report data.

While there have been more requests to book Adeline Leigh’s services than in an average year, the company had to reduce the number of weddings booked this year to deal with worker shortages.

“We actually cut back to mediate labor issues,” said Humphrey.

Humphrey said the business is also ensuring employees’ time-off requests are honored to keep workers on board.

Adeline Leigh has booked approximately 300 weddings for the upcoming months, about 100 fewer than in 2019.

“There was a point where we were turning down 15 events a day, and not everyone was so understanding,” Humphrey said.

Kalin Sheick, the owner of Sweetwater Floral in Petoskey, said she expects a busier-than-normal season in the months ahead.

Sweetwater will provide floral arrangements for about 100 weddings this year across the state, which is an “immense jump” compared with previous years, said Sheick.

“We will usually average around 65 or 70 a year,” she said. “We only stopped at 100 because of staffing. We could have booked way more than that.”

Sheick said the store has hired additional staff to help tackle the increase, and it is training its employees to focus on taking care of themselves to prepare for the looming, long busy season.

“We know that we need extra help and need to support them as best as possible,” Sheick said.

Other problems vendors are preparing for are supply chain delays and a shortage of products.

“We’re feeling the impact of delay, just like every other industry,” she said. “Stuff that used to be easy to get – vases, hard goods and supplies – there’s a delay and you need to be patient.”

 

Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, many large flower farms shut down, causing a smaller supply of flowers, said Sheick.

When it comes to food, Adeline Leigh Catering has had to remove only a couple of items from its menu due to supply issues. (Supplied)

“It really squeezes the amount of product you’re able to get. But at the end of the day, there’s a flower shortage because there’s more weddings happening than ever before,” she said.

When it comes to food, Humphrey said it was lucky that his catering business had to remove only a couple of items from its menu.

The time and effort put into ordering supplies has greatly increased as well. What used to be an hour-long project for Humphrey now can take up to an entire work day, he said.

“We order from many suppliers, and it used to be ‘they’ve got the best price, we’ll go there.’ Now you have to find whoever has it,” Humphrey said.

Another change vendors are seeing is a growing number of events booked outside of the prime wedding season of May through October.

Shannon O’Berski, the director of external relations at Meadow Brook Hall in Rochester, says the event venue is handling more weddings on less typically booked days.

“We have seen an increase in interest in off-season events throughout the fall and winter,”O’Berski said. “And more couples are choosing to host Friday and Sunday weddings.”

Meadow Brook Hall is often booked for the entire season.

“We are certainly receiving many inquiries!,” O’Berski said, and reservations are already filling up for 2023.

 

Though the months ahead will be busy and stressful for wedding vendors, Sheick said her team at Sweetwater Floral is excited about the upcoming season.

“It’s just a really fun job and a good thing to be a part of.”

Capital News Service is provided by the Spartan News Room located at Michigan State University. CNS reporters cover state government for member newspapers and digital media outlets across the state of Michigan.

In love and health: Dealing with spring allegeries

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By Dr. Erik Johnson
Love & Health Chiropractic

Baby’s immune system can benefit from chiropractic, too. (Supplied)

Spring has sprung — and for a lot of folks here in Michigan, that means spring allergies. Before making a run to the local pharmacy to stock up on OTC allergy relievers, consider the root cause. It really isn’t the pollen’s fault. The reason why your body reacts to pollens and other allergens is that your personal immune system isn’t working as well as it should.

What can you do to boost your immune system? Well, first of all, avoid sugar. Cutting out cookies, candy, and sweetened beverages isn’t enough. Processed foods contain a lot of hidden sugars. Surprisingly, food we think is good for us often has more sugar than is optimal. For example, one serving of Yoplait Original Strawberry Yogurt has 19 grams of sugar. That’s 10 more grams of sugar than are in a Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookie. To reduce the amount of sugar in your diet, read the nutrition information labels on the foods you buy.

Another reason your immune system may not be at its best is that you’re not drinking enough water. Dr. Jyothi Tirumalasetty, assistant professor of medicine at UCLA Health in the department of clinical immunology and allergy states, “Water is vital for the functioning of all of your organs, and it’s a huge part of keeping your immune system functioning at an optimal level. We are made of 60 percent water. If we are dehydrated, the whole system of immunity could start breaking down.”

Proper hydration, along with adequate nutrition and sleep, is an essential component of a healthy immune system. Try to drink half your body weight in ounces of water a day. And remember, caffeinated beverages drive water out of your system. So, if you drink a lot of coffee or Coke, you’ll need to drink even more water every day.

Making other healthy lifestyle changes can boost your immune system, as well. In fact, the Harvard Healthbeat says, “Following general good-health guidelines is the single best step you can take toward naturally keeping your immune system working properly. Every part of your body, including your immune system, functions better when protected from environmental assaults and bolstered by healthy-living strategies.” These strategies include dos like eating lots of fruits and veggies, exercising, and getting a good night’s sleep as well as don’ts — quit smoking, drink alcohol only in moderation, and minimize stress.

Another way to boost your immune system is with regular chiropractic adjustments. An aligned spine helps your brain communicate with all of your organs and body systems. We’ve seen patients’ allergy symptoms dwindle and even disappear. And we can help you tune up your immune system, too!

‘Eat. Drink. Be Merry!’ wine-tasting fundraiser at St. Cecilia Music Center returning April 16

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Local Food, Recreation, Restaurants, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects, ,
  • Scene from the 2019 “Eat. Drink. Be Merry!” annual fundraising event hosted by Martha’s Vineyard to benefit St. Cecilia Music Center. (Supplied)
  • Scene from the 2019 “Eat. Drink. Be Merry!” annual fundraising event hosted by Martha’s Vineyard to benefit St. Cecilia Music Center. (Supplied)
  • Scene from the 2019 “Eat. Drink. Be Merry!” annual fundraising event hosted by Martha’s Vineyard to benefit St. Cecilia Music Center. (Supplied)
  • Scene from the 2019 “Eat. Drink. Be Merry!” annual fundraising event hosted by Martha’s Vineyard to benefit St. Cecilia Music Center. (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff

After a two-year hiatus due to pandemic restrictions, “Eat. Drink. Be Merry!”, an annual fundraising event hosted by Martha’s Vineyard to benefit St. Cecilia Music Center, will return Saturday, April 16, from 6 to 9 p.m.

St. Cecilia Music Center. (WKTV)

In past years, the fundraiser has brought more than 300 people to participate in wine-tasting, food sampling and a silent auction on three floors of the historic St. Cecilia Music Center (SCMC) building, according to an announcement from St. Cecilia.

“As an important fundraiser for SCMC, we’re grateful to Martha’s Vineyard for standing by us during these difficult times, and now bringing back this wonderful event to help fund our music and educational programs,” Cathy Holbrook, executive and artistic director, said in supplied material. “As a (non-profit) 501(C) 3 organization we depend on generous funding and donations.”

Eat. Drink. Be Merry! will include over 100 varietals of wines from around the world sold at Martha’s Vineyard. During the event, wine experts and vendors will present the wines and provide information. “Hearty hors d’oeuvres” will be served by Catering by Martha’s and Nantucket Baking Company.

Musical entertainment and a silent auction will also be a part of the festivities. The silent auction will focus on food and wine items donated by local restaurants and other businesses.

Eat. Drink. Be Merry! will be held at St. Cecilia, 24 Ransom NE, downtown Grand Rapids/ Tickets are $50 per person. Advance tickets can be purchased online at scmc-online.org, or by calling St. Cecilia Music Center at 616-459-2224.

West Michigan native, Kentwood favorite, singer/songwriter to perform in Kentwood’s final Winter series concert March 31

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Going Local, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Local Food, Recreation, Restaurants, Upcoming Events, West Michigan, WKTV Projects, ,
Nicholas James Thomasma will bring his VW van full of music to Kentwood’s Winter Concert Series this week. (He won’t actually bring the van into the library!) (Supplied)

By D.A. Reed, WKTV Contributing Writer

Singer-songwriter Nicholas James Thomasma, no stronger to the stage of Kentwood city concerts, will bring his family-friendly mix of Americana, folk, country, and rock music to the final Winter Concert Series show this week.

The City of Kentwood’s free-to-the-public concert is set for Thursday, Mar. 31, at the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE.

The songwriter, talking to WKTV, said he plans to combine stories and songs, creating an atmosphere that can be enjoyed by all ages.

“What we do, as musicians … everything centers around gathering people together for experiences,” Thomasma said. “My music is applicable to, and can appeal to, all ages.”

The concert will take place in the library’s Community Room, from 6:30-8 p.m., and guests are invited to bring their own beer, wine, or nonalcoholic beverages to enjoy during the show. Also available will be food from El Jalapeño, a local food truck featuring Mexican cuisine.

Though the singer frequently plays with a 6-piece band, The Bandwagon, Thomasma will be performing as a solo artist at the Kentwood show, incorporating acoustic guitar and harmonica into his performance, often playing both instruments at the same time.

Nicholas James Thomasma with his big band, Bandwagon. (Supplied)

A singer/songwriter’s journey

Thomasma’s journey into the music world began when the artist was in his twenties. Working as a radio DJ, Thomasma’s conversations with other musicians led him to the realization that he was on “the wrong side of the board.”

“What I really wanted to do was play music,” said Thomasma. “I started learning guitar. Almost as soon as I started learning how to play guitar, I started writing my own songs.”

When asked what inspires the songwriter and shapes his music, Thomasma said that he never forces his songs into a particular category.

“When I write songs, I try to treat them how they want to be treated,” he said. “Sometimes it’s a jazz song, sometimes it’s a folk song, sometimes it’s a country song, sometimes it’s a rock song. I just let that happen depending on what the song wants to be.”

Nicholas James Thomasma (Supplied)

Thomasma said he often jokes around at his shows that “This next song is a love song. Spoiler alert: they’re all love songs!”

Because of the emotions put into his work, Thomasma said there is a lot of love in all his songs.

“I’m writing songs from my heart, and whether they are love songs or not, they are often inspired by my real life.”

Keeping busy in unusual ways

Always looking for paying gig, Thomasma said he also creates custom songs upon request. And while he has written songs for various occasions, he said weddings are the most popular request.

“People will contact me shortly after they get engaged and say they want a song for their wedding,” Thomasma said, and that these songs create special moments that no one else has. “Other people can listen to it (the song), but the couple knows it is their song.”

Another unique service Thomasma offers music lovers and listeners are driveway concerts.

Nicholas James Thomasma, and his traveling VW van show. (Supplied)

“Driveway concerts are a pandemic pivot,” said Thomasma. “I’ve been playing house concerts as long as I’ve been performing, but during the pandemic we kind of switched to taking the house out of the equation.”

Thomasma said he doesn’t need a building to make music, traveling to outside venues and homes in his trademark orange 1973 Volkswagen Bus.

“I’ll pull up in your driveway, I’ll have the sound system, you invite your friends and your neighbors, and we’ll all sit in your front yard and have a good time,” said Thomasma, adding that the idea of driveway concerts has really taken off.

Finding various ways for community members to enjoy music isn’t the only way Thomasma honors his love of music. Future goals include helping other musicians find their footing in the music world as well.

Thomasma is currently enrolled in Grand Rapids Community College, working toward a degree in marketing.

“My goal is to help other artists survive similar to the way that I do,” he said. “I want to understand business and how the music business works so well that I can teach other artists how I do what I do in the hopes that they then can be successful on their own.”

To find out more about Thomasma and his music, visit nicholasjamesthomasma.com.

The public at Kentwood concerts are urged to follow current public health guidelines if attending the concert.

Kentwood Winter Concert Series returns March 17 with unique sounds of cellist/vocalist Jordan Hamilton

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Jordan Hamilton, with his favorite instrument, at rest. (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org


West Michigan cellist and vocalist Jordan Hamilton is a busy man, even when he is alone on the stage … as he will be at Kentwood’s District Library, when he brings his unique sounds to the City of Kentwood’s Winter Concert Series this week.

 

Previous concert at the Kentwood Winter Concert series. (City of Kentwood)

Hamilton will be on stage Thursday, March 17, as part  of The City of Kentwood’s free-to-the-public Winter Concert Series is held at the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE.

WKTV will record the concert and replay it, as scheduled, on our cable channels as well as on WKTV.org (by hitting the “Watch Live” button), and also later on-demand at WKTVlive.org. Visit wktvjournal.org/wktv-on-air-schedule/ for a schedule of replays.

Hamilton “merges songwriting, loop pedals, sample machines, and vocals to create a sonic landscape of experimental hip-hop, folk, soul, and classical music,” according to his recording label’s website.

Jordan Hamilton, with his favorite instrument, in action. (Supplied)

“The Western Michigan University graduate aims to find new ways for the cello, a traditional instrument, to relate to a modern audience where it can be found playing the music of Bach, the Beatles, or Chance the Rapper. Filled with an eclectic range of songs, Jordan’s set is sure to capture the heart and mind while reflecting on new horizons.”

Hamilton is a member of Last Gasp Collective and the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra, he can be found performing primarily in the Midwest, where he has opened for national acts.

The Last Gasp Collective, out of Kalamazoo, according to the group’s website, is a “diverse group has been brought together by a mutual love of art. Their live arrangements are reminiscent of The Internet, The Roots, and Hiatus Kaiyote and Tank and The Bangas …  (the) Last Gasp Collective continues to debunk stereotypes one melody at a time, their music spreads to touch the hearts of people from all walks of life.”

Recording cover of “Vibrations”, the latest release by Jordan Hamilton. (Supplied)

Their most recent album, “Seen Not Heard”, earned two WYCE Jammies for Best Album by a new artist. Among his other projects, Hamilton has released three recordings: “ForRenLand”, “My Thoughts Are” and most recently “Vibrations” — a “compilation of feelings expressed in sound with no words.”

For a taste of Hamilton’s music and stage presence, see video here.

For more information on Hamilton visit his website and/or his Facebook page.

After Hamilton’s concert, the final concert will be Thursday, March 31, with singer and multi-instrumentalist Nicholas James Thomasmaperforming a mix of Americana, folk, country and rock music.

The concerts will take place in the library’s Community Room from 6:30-8 p.m. Guests are welcomed to bring their own beer, wine or nonalcoholic beverages to enjoy at the show. Also, according to the city announcement, “residents are encouraged to follow current public health guidelines to help stop the spread of COVID-19.”

More information is available at kentwood.us/WinterConcerts.

Kent County waives restaurant license fees using $1.2 million in federal pandemic relief funds

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Local Business, Local Food, Restaurants, WKTV Projects, ,
Craig’s Cruisers restaurant. (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org


Kent County announced Wednesday, March 9, that the county Board of Commissioners had voted unanimously to approve a one-time waiver of 2022-2023 food licensing fees for all existing food establishments in the county.

The approximate $1.2 million funding to offset the loss of the fees comes from the county’s portion of the American Rescue Plan Act, according to the announcement. In late 2021, Kent County was awarded more than $127 million to support the continued response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kent County Board of Commissioner Chair Stan Stek. (Supplied)

“We understand that restaurants are a major driver of our economy, and many establishments are still struggling to recover from the economic setbacks caused by the pandemic,” Kent County Board of Commissioners chair Stan Stek said in supplied material. “We trust this fee waiver will provide much-needed support to keep these businesses going and ensure that they can continue to serve our community.”

All 2,372 food service establishments in the county are licensed by the Kent County Health Department and license fees are based on the classification and type of operation.

“The restaurant business has always presented challenges and the pandemic made everything even harder,” Abby McClure, general manager at Walker Roadhouse, in Walker, said in supplied material. “We are grateful that our Kent County Commissioners voted to use these funds to help alleviate some of the pandemic related challenges we are still facing.”

Restaurants are required to submit a renewal application by April 30, 2022, which will ensure establishments remain licensed during the 2022-2023 operating period, according to the announcement. If an establishment does not intend to renew its license, the application still must be returned but include a signed note requesting its license be cancelled.

Annual renewal applications will be mailed to food service establishments by March 11, 2022.

Gonzo’s Top 5: Comedy, bourbon, flying dinosaurs, and the home and garden show

Entertainment, Gonzo's Top 5, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Local Food, Recreation, Restaurants, Sports, , , , , , ,

By John D. Gonzalez

WKTV Contributing Writer

Spring is around the corner, and we’re excited for all the cool things happening now.

Whether it’s the Home & Garden Show, a new exhibit at the Public Museum or a festival devoted to Bourbon. All of this, and more, are in my Top 5, exclusively on WKTV Journal.

Here we go.

Gonzo’s Top 5

Comedian Whitney Cummings performs Saturday, March 5 at GLC Live. (Supplied)

5. Comedy Shows

The local comedy scene is really exploding with local, regional and national acts performing throughout West Michigan. That’s great news as we get closer to Laughfest GR, which is March 16-20, and a great opportunity to see a variety of acts. This weekend check out:

Whitney Cummings – comedian, actor, writer, producer, and director – performs at 7 p.m. Saturday (March 5) at GLC Live at 20 Monroe. She is on her “Touch Me Tour.” Opening is Ricky Velez. Tickets start at $35 and on sale now at livenation.com. Learn more about Whitney Cummings in this recent Fox 17 interview.

Golden Age Comedy – Located in the upper room at Creston Brewery, and presented by Full House Comedy, the venue features Maddy Smith at 7 tonight (March 4) and 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday (March 5), and Hal Sparks at 9 tonight (March 4). Sparks also performs at 8 p.m. Saturday at Billy’s Lounge in Grand Rapids. More details at fullhousecomedy.com/.

May the force be with the Griffins: Star Wars night is Saturday, March 5. (Supplied)

4. Grand Rapids Griffins

What? You haven’t been to a Griffins game this season? What are you waiting for? The professional hockey team is in action four times over the next week with games March 4, 5, 9 and 11 at Van Andel Arena in downtown Grand Rapids. You can get $2 beers and $2 hot dogs at select stands on Friday and March 11. And it’s Star Wars Night on Saturday (March 5). All games are at 7 p.m. Get tickets and more details at griffinshockey.com.

The 2nd Annual GR Bourbon Fest returns to D2D Event Center. (Supplied)

3. 2nd Annual GR Bourbon Fest

Where are my bourbon lovers? Good news, the second annual Grand Rapids Bourbon Fest is back Saturday (March 5) at the Studio D2D Event Center, located at 401 Hall St SW. You will discover 200-plus whiskeys, with the majority of them being bourbon. There will also be a few non-bourbon options such as beer from New Holland Brewing Co. and wine from 45 North Winery. Designated Drivers get complimentary nitro coffee, kombucha and tea from Reputation Beverage Company. In addition to the beverages, attendees can experience food trucks, live music and more. There are two sessions with Session One from 4-7 p.m. and Session Two from 8-11p.m. Proceeds will benefit Friends of The River. More details at the Facebook Event page.

The dinosaurs take flight at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. (Supplied)

2. Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs

Are there any dinosaur lovers in your life? This weekend the Grand Rapids Public Museum opens “Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs.” These flying animals ranged from the size of a sparrow to that of a two-seater plane. They are believed to be the first back-boned animals to evolve into powered flight, and the only vertebrates to develop this ability besides birds and bats. The exhibition includes life-size models, videos and interactive exhibits. The exhibit opens Saturday, March 5, with a special members only preview from 9 a.m.-noon.

Learn more at www.grpm.org.

A sign of spring: the West Michigan Home and Garden Show. (Supplied)

1. West Michigan Home and Garden Show

The recent warm up makes it feel like spring, and that means it’s a perfect time for the 41st annual West Michigan Home and Garden Show at DeVos Place. You can expect 13 feature gardens, five free seminar stages and more than 350 exhibitors featuring a wide variety of products and services. Let’s go! Hours are noon-9:30 p.m. today (March 4), 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $12 for adults and $4 for children ages 6-14. Check out more information on seminars and services at GRHomeShow.com.

That’s it for now.

As always, I welcome your input and recommendations for events to include in my Top 5 list. If you have something for me to consider, just send me an email at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Have a great, safe weekend.


John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Women’s History Month: Local businesswomen sees advantages in catering business

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Food, Local Business, Local Food, Recreation, Restaurants, West Michigan, , , , ,

NOTE: For Women’s History Month we are featuring local female business leaders. We start our series with Nancy Jacob, who with her husband Mike own Apple Spice Box Lunch Delivery and Catering Co.

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Nancy Jacobs is co-owner with her husband Mike of Apple Spice Box Lunch Delivery and Catering, Co. (WKTV)

When you meet Nancy Jacobs, you can’t help feel she is the neighbor you just want to have a sandwich and soda with while discussing the day’s ups and downs.

If that does happen, Jacobs can definitely supply the sandwich and beverage of choice as her and her husband Mike are the owners of Apple Spice, a box lunch delivery and catering company located off of 68th Street.

“We often joke that when Nancy goes out our sales go up,” said Mike Jacobs.

Nancy Jacobs is the face of the operation. She is the one who will load up with samples and then head out to visit with local businesses, encouraging prospective clients to try what Apple Spice has to offer.

“I think because many of the people I meet are often women who are the gatekeepers when it comes to planning events at the business, it is a lot easier for me to get connected with the right person,” Nancy Jacobs said, adding that about 80 percent of her contact is woman-to-woman.  Jacobs’ husband agrees that for their business, Nancy Jacobs’ ability to network has helped to make Apple Spice successful.

Nancy Jacobs noted that teachers love the heavy duty box that Apple Spice’s box lunch comes in, using the boxes for a variety of purposes. (WKTV)

The Dream of Having Your Own Business

Mike and Nancy Jacobs started Apple Spice just before the pandemic. Mike had been laid off from his aerospace job and through a seminar his former company offered, came home with the idea of the couple starting a franchise.

 

“It was something that we had talked about in the past, starting a business,” said Nancy Jacobs, who was a nurse. “However, after the seminar, Mike thought that a franchise made for a reasonable way for us to do that since with a franchise the start-up work of creating the business had been done.

“Basically it is like starting a business but with training wheels.”

Through coaching, the couple narrowed it down to two possible franchises and after visiting both companies, opted for Apple Space, which is based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Food seemed like a natural fit for the couple, Jacobs said as the reason for the choice.

A peek inside one of the Apple Spice box lunches. (WKTV)

The couple selected its 68th Street location, in the same mall as The Dollar Tree and Blain Farm and Fleet, because of the space it provided for their business needs while being close to US 131.

Apple Spice offers primarily lunches, through box lunches and catering. Jacobs said they do offer breakfast and some late lunch/early dinner service. Delivery is available for five or more box lunches and catering. Those wishing to order four or less box lunches may pick up from the store front on 68th Street. She noted that it is the Apple Spice team that delivers the food, not an outside service. This is to assure that items are set up to the customer’s expectations, she said.

And things were going pretty well with the couple even adding their own sandwich, the Michigan Cherry Chicken, to the menu and coming up with a “bread flight” that features three of the catering company’s breads.

Then, the pandemic hit.

“We just watched as our catering business went from steady to zero,” Jacobs said. But the business had a second side, box lunches, which offered a solution to providing individual meals for groups.

“People wanted to help hospital workers or police and fire and they would call up to have box lunches sent to a certain floor staff or department,” Jacobs said. The heavy duty box, which Jacobs said teachers find all kinds of creative ways to use, includes a sandwich, pickle, cookie, and a choice of salads, chips or fresh fruit in the classic box. There are other options as well including salad box meals.

The box lunches helped the business through the pandemic, making up almost 95 percent of its business. The business is now seeing more of a 60/40 spited between its box lunches and catering. Of course, there have been supply demands, with the couple adding a storage container in the back parking lot which has allowed them to stock up on items when they do find them.

It takes two

“I like going to Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce events such as the B2 Outlet opening because it gives me the opportunity to network and meet new people,” Jacobs said. “The Chamber is a good resource for me.”

And while Jacobs maybe good at networking and marketing, she does have her weaknesses.

“I can’t work the computer,” she said looking hesitantly over at her work station. “I just learned one system and they changed it on me. I have to rely on Mike, my general manager and staff to help me.”

That is where having a partner has been key to the business’s success, Jacobs said, adding that Mike handles a lot of the operational needs while she focuses on promotions and networking.

“Sometimes I get a call from a customer and I just know it would be better if a man handled it,” she said. “That is when I can ask Mike if he can take it and sometimes, he gets a call and knows it would be better if a woman took the call, so he gives it to me.”

As for challenges of being a women in the catering world, Jacobs admits she has not had many. Husband Mike said he feels it is because the business they are in, food and catering, is fairly diverse.

“I think there would be more challenges if Nancy was say in something like manufacturing which is more male dominated,” he said.

 

Apple Spice is the couple’s retirement job as they look toward the future. Jacobs said they hope to get a recreational vehicle someday and travel. They currently do some travel as certified Kansas City Barbecue Society judges.

As for now, Nancy Jacob said the couple’s goal is to continue to build Apple Spice and on that note, as the promotions person, she didn’t hesitate to add to encourage people to connect and check out Apple Spice’s offerings.

Apple Spice is located at 701 68th St. SW. The phone number is 616-805-3288 or visit the website at www.applesauce.com.

In Love and Health: Happy Valentine’s Day, from my heart to yours

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By Dr. Erik Johnson
Love & Health Chiropractic

The CDC is celebrating February “Heart Month,” with the Surgeon General’s “Call to Action to Control Hypertension.” This call implores each of us to take charge of our blood pressure because “a healthier heart can lead to a healthier life.”

 

What increases your risk for high blood pressure? The CDC shares the following:

  • Unhealthy Diet
  • Physical Inactivity
  • Overweight and obesity
  • Too Much Alcohol. More than one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men. 
  • Tobacco Use
  • Family history of high blood pressure combined with unhealthy lifestyle choices.
  • Age. Because your blood pressure tends to rise as you get older.
  • Race or ethnicity. Black people, Hispanics, Asians, Pacific Islanders, American Indians, and Alaska Natives are at higher risk for high blood pressure.

The good news is that healthy behaviors can lower your risk for high blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, you can take action to control it and improve your health. And if you enjoy healthy blood pressure, now is the time to create good habits that will sustain it.

About one out of two adults has high blood pressure (hypertension). High blood pressure puts you at higher risk for heart disease and stroke,  two of the leading causes of death, disability, and healthcare expenses.

What is a  good target to aim for? The CDC recommends keeping your blood pressure under 130/80 mmHg for most of us. AT the top of the list for bringing high blood pressure down are being more physically active and eating a healthier  diet. You can start by taking a daily walk (at the mall if the weather’s bad).

Instead of eliminating unhealthy foods and drinks from your diet, find tasty substitutes. Choose fruits, vegetables, 100% whole grains and chemical-free, free-range meats and eggs instead of foods made with white flour, white rice, sugar, and lots of chemical additives. Enjoy a sparkling water beverage or tea with no sweeteners instead of soda pop. And, if you’re a drinker, cut back on alcohol consumption.

 

You might want to learn to check  your blood pressure at home. Some people’s blood pressure rises whenever they go to a doctor’s or dentist’s office. This is called “White Coat Syndrome.” And it tells you about another contributing factor to high blood pressure: Stress.

If you live a high stress life (and who doesn’t these days) learn how to use deep breathing, mindfulness techniques, and relaxation practices like Yoga Nidra to let some of that stress go. The State of Michigan even provides the online mindfulness resource Headspace to help relieve stress. Check it out!

I know that lifestyle changes don’t come easy. Try to get  your family and friends on board. And of course, enlist support from your healthcare providers—including your chiropractor. An aligned spine enables your brain to communicate with all of your organs so that they can function optimally. In other words, a healthy spine supports a healthy heart.

Dr. Erik Johnson DC is a chiropractor at Love and Health Chiropractic in Wyoming at 1586 44th Street SW.

City of Kentwood announces return of Winter Concert Series’ eclectic musical/food truck lineup 

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  • Lexi Adams will be performing at the Kentwood Winter Concert Series on Thursday, Feb. 17. (Supplied)
  • Cellist and vocalist Jordan Hamilton will be performing at the Kentwood Winter Concert Series Thursday, March 17. (Supplied)
  • Nicholas James Thomasma will be performing at the Kentwood Winter Concert Series Thursday, March 31. (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff

After a brief scheduling delay, the City of Kentwood’s free-to-the-public Winter Concert Series will return Thursday, Feb. 17, with singer/songwriter Lexi Adams leading off three concerts on select Thursdays through the end of March at the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE.

WKTV will record all concerts and will replay them, as scheduled, on our cable channels as well as on WKTV.org by hitting the “Watch Live” button, and also later on-demand at WKTVlive.org. Visit wktvjournal.org/wktv-on-air-schedule/ for a schedule of replays.

The series will feature three West Michigan performers who will play a mix of genres and, in keeping with the mix of musical tastes, each concert will also have a food truck outside offering a range of cuisines and available for purchase.

“With a variety of talented local musicians and food truck favorites, winter concerts offer residents an enjoyable night out during the colder months,” Val Romeo, Kentwood Parks and Recreation director, said in supplied material. “We welcome all to enjoy the good food and live music in the warm comfort of the library this winter.”

The concerts will take place in the library’s Community Room from 6:30-8 p.m. Guests are welcomed to bring their own beer, wine or nonalcoholic beverages to enjoy at the show.

Also, according to the city announcement, “residents are encouraged to follow current public health guidelines to help stop the spread of COVID-19.”

The lineup of performers and food trucks is as follows:

Thursday, Feb. 17 — Singer and songwriter Lexi Adams with food from Patty Matters Food Truck. Adams, according to supplied material, will present a mix of original music and covers. “Her songs are stories of life experience carefully crafted through each melody and lyric.”

Thursday, March 17 — Cellist and vocalist Jordan Hamilton with food from Around Baking Company. Hamilton “will merge musical styles to tell stories of the human experience through a variety of genres.” A member of Last Gasp Collective and the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra, he can be found performing primarily in the Midwest, where he has opened for national acts.

Thursday, March 31 — Singer and multi-instrumentalist Nicholas James Thomasma with food from El Jalapeño. Thomasma will perform a mix of Americana, folk, country and rock music. “He combines stories and songs with humor and wit for a show that can be enjoyed by all ages.”

More information is available at kentwood.us/WinterConcerts.

Grant supports ‘farm to cafeteria’ movement

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By SYDNEY BOWLER
Capital News Service

The 10 Cents a Day program supports connecting Michigan schools to Michigan farmers for fresh produce. (pxhere.com)

LANSING — Nathan Medina recalls eating bland, boring, non-fresh foods at school as a child.

 

“I remember eating bagged iceberg lettuce, canned corn and green beans or broccoli stems served alongside our cardboard pizza,” said Medina, who now is the 10 Cents a Meal program policy specialist.

Medina said it was refreshing to see some of the eye-appealing meals that are being served by grantees across the state.

 

The state-funded grants provide matching incentive funding up to 10 cents per meal to purchase and serve Michigan-grown fruits, vegetables and legumes.

The program is in its second year statewide and was originally a regional pilot program that began in 2016, Medina said.

He’s with the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities, which has offices in Traverse City and Petoskey, and which runs the program with the state Education Department, Agriculture and Rural Development Department and Michigan State University’s Center for Regional Food Systems.

“This program provides kids with the opportunity to eat real, fresh food that they might not have had the chance to experience before,” said Medina. “While before they might have been eating apples grown in Washington, now they get to try a farm-fresh Michigan apple.”

For the 2021-2022 school year, there were 229 initial grantees, according to the 10 Cents a Meal program. Kent County schools participating include Godwin Heights along with Byron Center, Forest Hills, Kenowa Hills, Kent City, Lowell, Thornapple Kellogg, and West Catholic. Other area schools participating are Jenison along with schools in Holland, Ionia, and Muskegon. According to the 10 Cents a Meal website, about 144 enrolled in the program.

Grants are available not only to school districts, but also to non-school sponsors of the U.S. Department of Agriculture nutrition programs. That includes child care centers, after-school programs and other food programs such as the one provided by the Kent County Juvenile Detention program, which also was a 2021-2022 grant recipient. It is estimated that this year’s grants will support more than 553,000 children.

The Michigan Farmers Market Association supports the program to help farmers, schools and children, said Executive Director Amanda Shreve.

“This program really gives school districts one of the tools they need to more easily engage with local farmers,” she said.

Medina said the program can create individualized plans for participating schools and other organizations.

Not only is the program aiming to create better nutrition options, but it also recognizes the agricultural benefits that come with fresh food. Small farms, distributors and every other person involved in the process of the “farm-to-cafeteria” movement” benefit, Medina said.

Shreve said, “This program really gives school districts one of the tools they need to more easily engage with local farmers.”

Some schools face barriers to access fresh produce, such as cost, time or processing equipment, she said.

“When we can expand the awareness and taste buds of children at a young age, they’re going to continue these eating behaviors for the rest of their lives,” Shreve said. “We hope they will continue to scout local produce and eat fresh fruits and vegetables, setting them up for a lifetime of better health and relationships with food.”

According to Medina, the current budget of $5 million may be expanded in the future.

 

Due to the fact that Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the $17.1 billion K-12 budget into law in July 2021, the largest single-year School Aid Fund budget ever passed by the state, this doubled the 10 Cents a Meal’s budget from $2 million in 2020-2021 to $5 for 2021-2022. This has given 10 Cents a Meal an opportunity reopen its applications, which will close on Feb. 11. Officials noted that eligible purchases from the present year may qualify for retroactive reimbursement. For more about the grant, visit tencentsmichigan.org.

WKTV Managing Editor Joanne Bailey-Boorsma contributed to this story.