NW Michigan Food and Farming Network Report to the Community 2015 Report to the Community | Page 50

Food and Farming network

Grow Benzie Farmers
Market & Outreach
Group offers seminars,
workshops, classes
By Joshua Stoltz
Grow Benzie
Grow Benzie, a community farmstead located in Benzonia, opened
its first farmers market in 2009. The
following year, the market instituted
the Michigan Bridge Card program
and the organization became the administrator of the Double Up Food
Bucks program for three farmers
markets in 2011, providing financial support for low-income families
buying fresh produce.
In addition to creating access
through the markets, Grow Benzie
has offered more than 100 seminars,
workshops, and classes in nutrition,
gardening, and culinary skills. Outreach partnerships within the community, including Frankfort-Elberta
Area Schools
and Benzie
County Central Schools,
BACN (Benzie
Area Christian
Neighbors),
Michigan Land
Use Institute,
and FoodCorps
have engaged
the community promoting healthy
food opportunities.
Grow Benzie also hosts a Community Winter Dinner & Discussion series featuring culturally diverse meals prepared and served by

The Grow Benzie Farmers Market participates with the Michigan Bridge Card
program, and the organization administers Double Up Food Bucks for three
farmers markets in the region. (Photo: Bill Palladino)

the Northern Michigan Culinary
Arts Community. Proceeds from
the dinner series
fund NMCAC’s
annual Culinary
Arts Scholarship
awarded to a
Benzie County
student. MSU
Extension Center also utilizes
Grow Benzie
facilities for
Cooking Matters, a six-week cooking class that teaches students the
importance of eating well, how to
prepare nutritional meals, and where
to purchase healthy food.
www.growbenzie.org
45

Craig Schaaf, of Golden Rule Farm in
Kaleva, speaks during Grow Benzie’s
“Building a Living Soil” workshop in
2011. (Photo: Grow Benzie)