Richfield Farmers Market to Open Saturday

The Veterans Memorial Park locale will open at 7 a.m. May 4.

The smell of summer will be in the air this weekend in Richfield. The city's beloved farmers market will open for another season at 7 a.m. Saturday, May 4 at Veterans Memorial Park. Fresh produce, herbs, honey, fresh-cut flowers, bedding plants and hanging baskets are just a few of the items shoppers can find. The market will be open from 7 a.m. to noon every Saturday through Oct. 26. In addition, a Wednesday farmers market will be held at the future Lyndale Gardens beginning in June. The following is a list of vendors, according to the city's website: Bee Lor’s Fresh Vegetables Chai Xiong Charles Xiong’s Family Farm Chong Yang* Ka Thao* Kou Lor’s Garden Kiatoukayay Farm Lor Yang Mee Vang* Tong Moua and Shoue Vang Tong See Yang and Family …

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Is Your Garden Overflowing Yet? Feed The Hungry!

Food pantries call for help from the Twin Cities' gardeners.

The summer growing season is in full swing and it's about that time of year when zucchini and melons start to take over local gardens like so many triffids. And sometimes, you just can't scarf them down fast enough, no matter how many potlucks you hold. That's where Hunger-Free Minnesota is hoping to come in. With a new program called Good to Grow, the local nonprofit is looking for gardeners across the metro area to donate their extra produce to nearby food shelves.  "No donation's too big, no donation's too small," said Judy Monn, spokesperson for Hunger-Free Minnesota. "We will always take as much as you can get." To sign up, just drop Monn and her colleagues a line at good2grow@hungerfreemn.org. All the organization needs is a name …

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Richfield Farmers Market Opens Saturday

The market opens at 7 a.m. May 5.

The smell of summer will be in the air this Saturday as the Richfield Farmers Market opens at Veterans Memorial Park for yet another season. More than 80 percent of market items are grown right here in Minnesota. Fresh produce, herbs, honey, fresh-cut flowers, bedding plants and hanging baskets are just a few of the items shoppers can find. Products from the Breadsmith Bakery and Eichten's Cheese & Buffalo Meat will also be available. Besides the Saturday market, which runs from 7 a.m. to noon each Saturday until Oct. 27, there is also a location at Assumption Catholic Church open from 2-7 p.m. on Wednesdays. For more information, visit richfieldfarmersmarket.org.

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Farmers Markets Seeing More Food Stamps—Including Richfield's

Richfield and other local farmers markets are reaching more low-income people, but some barriers still exist.

Richfield Residents Take Advantage of Community Garden Space

Joan Johnson and Steve McKeown have been renting two plots at the Richfield Community Gardens site for the last four years.

Joan Johnson and Steve McKeown have rented space at the Richfield Community Gardens site—which is run by city and Wood Lake Nature Center— for the past four years and say it is absolutely integral to their lifestyle. The two grow broccoli, red cabbage, beans, potatoes, summer squash, basil, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts on two rented plots. “Plus some flowers to make it look nice,” said McKeown, who has lived in Richfield for more than 40 years. In addition to gardening in his own backyard, McKeown said he had plenty of experience with community gardens elsewhere before he and Johnson rented space at the Richfield Community Gardens. Johnson is a vegetarian and has been community gardening since 1991. She harvests vegetables from the two…

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Richfield Community Gardens Thrive—Just Not in City Limits

Located in Minneapolis near the MSP Airport, the more than 180 plots are in-demand for Richfield residents.

The Richfield Community Gardens are in full bloom as Minnesota’s growing season kicks into high gear. Located in a solitary field just west of a Minneapolis-St.Paul Airport runway, the gardens are accessible via 28th Avenue in Minneapolis, just south of Hwy 62. Typically ready for planting in the first week of May, the Wood Lake Nature Center runs the community gardens in conjunction with the city. Richfield Bloomington Credit Union is a co-sponsor of the project. Karen Shragg, the Wood Lake Nature Center’s manager, said interest in renting plots has ballooned over the past five years. “[This year] on the second day we sold out in maybe 15 minutes,” said Shragg. “Five years ago it was plodding along pretty nicely, and then two years ago it…

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Richfield Farmers Market EBT Program Allows Better Access to Healthy Foods

Now that the Richfield Farmers Market is accepting EBT dollars, those who need food support have better access to fresh and healthy food.

In celebration of National Farmers Market Week, the Richfield Farmers Market recently announced it was now accepting EBT (electronic benefits transfer), making it easier for people who receive food support to eat healthier, affordable food, according to a market press release. The effort to implement EBT at local farmers markets was coordinated by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross) and the Minnesota Farmers’ Market Association (MFMA). MFMA, with funding received through a Specialty Crop Grant from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), recently installed the point-of-sale terminals to accept EBT cards at the Richfield Farmers Market. In addition, Blue Cross and MFMA are offering “Market Bucks” coupons, which …

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