Downtown Farmers Market: Not Just a Market, a Movement

The Saturday Ypsilanti Farmers Market is moving downtown!

Family, farmers, and food justice champions,

The seeds of change are taking root in Ypsilanti! This spring, we are thrilled to announce that the Ypsilanti Farmers Market is moving downtown to 16 S. Washington Street/Black Lives Matter Blvd. This shift is more than a change in location—it’s a deepened commitment to food sovereignty, economic resilience, and community nourishment at the heart of our city.

By planting roots in this space, we are breaking down barriers to food access and expanding opportunities for local growers, food makers, and artisans to share their harvests and creations. With the market just steps from the transit center, fresh, nourishing food is now even more within reach—whether you arrive by foot, bike, bus, or car. This move also makes it easier for families with small children, elders, and community members with disabilities to navigate to and through the market, affirming that everyone deserves a place at the table.

This move isn’t just about food—it’s about strengthening our local economy. Increased foot traffic and visibility mean that our farmers, vendors, and food makers have greater opportunities to grow their businesses, share their craft, and reach new customers.

But this is about more than commerce; it’s about community power.

Our new home at MarketPlace Hall unlocks the potential for deeper engagement—offering cooking demonstrations, gardening workshops, and hands-on classes that equip our neighbors with skills to feed themselves and their families. Move this line to here: A thriving farmers market fuels a vibrant downtown—bringing fresh food, economic opportunity, and gathering spaces to the heart of Ypsilanti.

A vibrant local food system is more essential than ever. As our community evolves and the climate shifts, we must strengthen the networks that sustain us. This market is not just a place to buy produce—it’s a space where small growers, local farmers, food makers, and artisans directly nourish and sustain their people. Whether it’s fresh fruits and vegetables, pantry staples, or locally prepared foods, every item at the market carries a story of care, tradition, and deep community connection.

Grown, crafted, and prepared by us—harvested, baked, and built for our people.

This is more than a market; it’s a movement. A space where every neighbor—regardless of zip code or income—has access to fresh, culturally relevant food. We remain steadfast in our commitment to SNAP, Double Up Food Bucks, and other food assistance programs to ensure nourishing, local food reaches every table.

Join us in celebrating this exciting new chapter! Opening Day is Saturday, May 3rd, from 9 AM - 1 PM—featuring live music, local flavors, and the joy of community in full bloom. Together, let’s build a food system that honors our growers, nourishes our neighbors, and invests in a thriving Ypsilanti.

We’ll see you at the market!

Julius Buzzard

P.S. We’re still accepting applications for vendors, community partners, and musicians! Apply online today.

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From Field to Market

By Julius Buzzard • March 25, 2025

A Conversation with Farmer Megan Lowlor Korovesis

A poster for the black history month maker series

Honoring Black Makers, Building Food Sovereignty

By Julius Buzzard • February 3, 2025

Sweet Greetings Community, As we enter into Black History Month, I invite you to lean in as we reflect on the stories of makers—artists, bakers, herbalists, and creators—we honor the ingenuity that blooms from soil and spirit alike. Sean, Bupé, Nashia, and Eric are carrying forward a legacy of resilience and resistance through their craft. They remind us that making is more than production; it is storytelling, ancestral memory, and an act of defiance in a world that seeks to homogenize and commodify. Investing in our local food system means investing in the people who shape it. From the farmers who steward the land to the artisans who transform raw ingredients into nourishment, we are weaving a web of interdependence that can withstand the storms of uncertainty. At this moment, when federal funding hangs in precarious balance, and communities are left to navigate the shifting tides of policy and politics, we must deepen our commitments to one another on our journey to realize self-determination. We see the cracks in the system, and we also see the light that pours through. The growing movement for reparations and land return is gaining momentum. Across the country, Black food businesses and land stewards are reclaiming space and sovereignty—from cooperatively owned grocery stores to community-run urban farms. Here in Washtenaw County, Black entrepreneurs are creating thriving food businesses despite systemic barriers. The Growing Hope Incubator Kitchen provides a space where small businesses (many of whom are Black-owned) can thrive and where each owner can freely pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. Meanwhile, the Reparations Council is laying the groundwork for justice, ensuring Black food businesses and land stewards have the resources to thrive. We work diligently to meet our community's growing need for this support. These are not isolated efforts; they are part of a collective reckoning, a return-to-right relationship with land, food, and people. I invite you to lean in, whether it is through listening, learning, advocating, donating, or any other means. Because it is about food. It is about land. It is about representation, justice, and sovereignty. It is about us—standing in the fullness of our power and ensuring that everyone has the right to grow, create, and be nourished. In solidarity and abundance, Julius Buzzard P.S. Sign up today to join the conversation with each of these makers.

A group of people are posing for a picture in front of sunflowers.

Rooted in Hope, Growing into 2025

By Julius Buzzard • January 2, 2025

Dear Growing Hope Family, The turning of the year invites us to pause, reflect, and envision what lies ahead. As we step into 2025, we celebrate the seeds of change we nurtured together in 2024. Each garden tended, meal shared, and bond forged has been an act of resistance and renewal, drawing us closer to a future of food sovereignty for Ypsilanti. Last year, we witnessed profound moments of transformation: community gardens blossoming into sanctuaries of nourishment, teens learning the ancient wisdom of cultivation and care, and neighbors standing shoulder to shoulder to reclaim agency over their food systems. Each step, no matter how small, was a declaration that food is a human right, not a privilege. This year, we grow deeper, stronger, and bolder. We root ourselves firmly in equity, acknowledging the injustices that have shaped our food landscape and committing to uprooting them together. We strengthen the networks of care that cradle our community, ensuring no one is left behind. And we cultivate abundance—not just in the produce that sustains our bodies but in the joy, dignity, and solidarity that sustain our spirits. Here’s our vision for 2025: Planting seeds of justice: Expanding initiatives that center the voices and leadership of those most impacted by food inequity. Cultivating sustainable connections: Deepening partnerships with local organizations and neighbors to create a web of support that nourishes all. Harvesting the power of community: Celebrating our shared successes and embracing the collective wisdom that drives us forward. This work is not easy, but it is sacred. Together, we will grow boldly, rest deeply, and dream expansively. Let us nurture the hope that lives within each of us and transform it into action that ripples across our city. To a year of abundance, justice, and unwavering solidarity, With love and gratitude, Julius Buzzard P.S. Keep an eye out for specifics and updates on how your solidarity is making a tangible difference in Ypsilanti.

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