ECMC Farmers’ Market Opens Friday, May 31, with 3rd Annual Plant Day

The ECMC Lifeline Foundation presents the fourth year of the Farmers’ Market at Grider. Opening Day will be held on Friday, May 31st, 2013, from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM. The Market will be open each subsequent Friday through October 31st, 2013. A variety of different vendors, food trucks, giveaways, and activities will be provided each week.

 Free Plant Day, designed to teach about urban gardening and healthy eating, will be featured as the opening day giveaway. 

The Farmers’ Market at Grider offers seasonal and fresh produce from local farmers. The Market’s mission is to provide a neighborhood-based location that offers a variety of approaches to healthy living to improve the health of the Delavan-Grider and ECMC communities. 

New this year, the Farmers’ Market at Grider is featuring the “Delavan-Grider Van to Groceries Services” program funded by the Society for Community Research and Action (SCRA), which has provided funding for a three month demonstration project to assist the Delavan-Grider Community with transportation to access healthy foods. The Van Service will also take qualifying riders to Tops on Grant Street on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Those individuals who live in the Delavan-Grider Community and would like to participate in the free van service for grocery shopping should call (716) 218-9889.
[“Delavan-Grider Van to Groceries Service."

This year’s vendors include: East Park Pops featuring their all natural juice ice popsicles; Erdle Farms offering blueberries and grapes; Independence Hills Farms with their fruits and veggies; Kennywood Farms with bushes, flowers, flowering plants, flats; and Leone’s Cookies with Italian cookies, cupcakes, brownies and treats—all returning to the market from past years of vending. New to the market this year are: Arden Farm with seedlings, hanging plants and vegetables; McCollum Orchards with organic vegetables, fruits and herbs; Monique’s Treats with ice cream and frozen treats; and Simone’s Natural Creations with soaps, body butter and lip balms. 

Additionally, the Farmers’ Market at Grider will offer lunches from local food trucks. The trucks will be rotating weeks at the market beginning with The Whole Hog food truck returning with their local and fresh menu. Along with The Whole Hog, a new food truck, Black Market (thebmft.com), will participate featuring a gourmet deli menu with unique sandwiches, soups, and sides. The Whole Hog and Black Market have decided to pair-up at the market and offer their goods on opening day. The following week and every two weeks through the end of the season, Lloyd’s Taco Truck will also be providing lunch at the market.

The Farmers’ Market at Grider is ready for a great new season. There will be food demonstrations again this year by Food For All. Also, on board each month will be Cornell Cooperative Extension and their nutrition education, food demonstrations, give-a-ways and gardening tips. The YMCA’s Jocelyn McEntire will provide fitness demonstrations with groups like the Taoist Tai Chi Society. There will be line dance demonstrations and other fun fitness activities as well as special events.

 
ABOUT ECMC CORPORATION: The Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) Corporation includes an advanced academic medical center (ECMC) with 550 inpatient beds, on- and off-campus health centers, more than 30 outpatient specialty care services and Terrace View, a 390-bed long-term care facility. ECMC is the regional center for trauma, burn care, transplantation and rehabilitation and is a major teaching facility for the University at Buffalo. Most ECMC physicians, dentists and pharmacists are dedicated faculty members of the university and/or members of a private practice plan. More Western New York residents are choosing ECMC for exceptional patient care and patient experiences—the difference between healthcare and true careTM.