Metro Health Will Again Host Farmers' Market

WYOMING, MI, April 21, 2011 (Press-News.org) Metro Health Hospital will kick off its popular summer farmers' market on May 5.

Now in its sixth year, the weekly open-air market will host a diverse array of vendors selling fresh fruits, vegetables, breads, plants, flowers and other locally grown and produced foods, as well as handcrafted artisan items such as jewelry, soap and candles, on site at the Wyoming hospital. The market will also hold free community health screenings, including blood pressure checks and others.

More vendors will accept Project Fresh Coupons, a state of Michigan program that encourages eating healthy fruits and vegetables by offering coupons redeemable at farmers' markets to residents on food assistance. Additionally, the market will accept the senior version of this program, Senior Project Fresh/Market Fresh. The market will also begin accepting the Michigan Bridge Card later in the season.

The farmers' market will host weekly events throughout the summer, including pie-baking contests, cooking demonstrations, tai chi presentations and others.

The market, which is free and open to the community, is held every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Main Street in Metro Health Village from May 5 through Oct. 13.

Metro Health first hosted a farmers' market in 2006 when it was still located in the city of Grand Rapids. The market, which was then biweekly, began as an initiative to encourage employees to live healthier lifestyles. Since then, it has grown into a community-wide event that attracts hundreds of visitors each week.

About Metro Health Hospital
Metro Health Hospital is a 208-bed general acute-care osteopathic teaching hospital that serves more than 130,000 patients in Kent and surrounding counties. Metro Health, which earned status as a Top 100 Hospital for the three consecutive years, offers a broad range of services, including inpatient and outpatient services, emergency, surgery, intensive care, rehabilitation, wellness and community education. Metro's work is supported by the Metro Health Hospital Foundation, which is a charitable organization dedicated to improving the health and well being of the West Michigan community through philanthropy. For more information, visit http://www.metrohealth.net.