Farmers' Market opens at Island Park
The Mount Pleasant Farmers' Market opened today for its 40th year, with fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables, flowers, homemade soap and more.
The market will be held each Thursday and Saturday from now until October. On Thursdays, it will take place 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at the South Shelter of Island Park. The Saturday market is held at City Hall, 320 W. Broadway, in Downtown Mount Pleasant.
Ithaca resident Bill Wesenberg has been selling products from his farm, Sun & Rain Gardens, for about 15 years. Alongside his wife, he sells eggplant and tomato plants, rhubarb, various kinds of nuts, jam with no preservatives and many other products.
"All are Michigan products," Wesenberg said. "This helps the local economy."
About 20 different vendors made up today's selection. Among the many kinds of fresh, local produce was jewelry, made by Central Michigan University student Holly Burke, who takes different types of stones and wraps them with wire to make one-of-a-kind pieces.
Also selling homemade goods was Dave Pety, creator of Love That Soap!, handcrafted soaps with natural ingredients. Pety was one of two vendors selling soap made with essential oils and even alcohol, like beer and whiskey.
Pety said he got into making soap after he retired. He now sells his soaps at the famers' market every Thursday.
"I had to find a hobby, so I started making the soap," he said. "When they got too expensive to just keep making, I had to start selling it. Now I sell about 10,000 bars a year."
In the center of all the vendors was a mobile book cart, operated by bike. Kristin Lalonde, access service librarian at the Chippewa River Disctrict Library, said the cart was built with donated funds, and is used for library outreach.
"It's full-service, so you can check out books here," Lalonde said. "We use it at events outside the library, including the summer reading program."
The Mount Pleasant Farmers' Market allows Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients to use their Michigan Bridge Cards at the event. They also accept Double Up Food Bucks, WIC Project FRESH and Senior Project FRESH/Market FRESH coupons.
