Bringing people together with local food is the power of farmers’ markets like the much-loved KCK Farmers’ Market. The market is located on the Kansas side of Kansas City, which straddles both Missouri and Kansas. The KCK Farmers’ Market serves the most populous part of the city: Wyandotte County, Kansas.
The KCK Farmers’ Market is a weekly pop-up market bringing high quality, local food to Wyandotte neighborhoods that either lack access to grocery stores or have populations of high need.
“It is also a place to catch up with your neighbors, enjoy music, connect with your farmer, and double up your SNAP tokens for the week,” said market director Corien Shaw. “The community comes for the veggies, but they stay for the vibes.”
Shaw and colleagues focus on supporting the producers who bring a wide range of products, from vegetables, meats, and eggs to value added offerings, from bread and skin care products.
The KCK Farmers’ Market will use a Business Builder grant from the Heartland Regional Food Business Center to improve the market’s visibility and help vendors with marketing. The grant also includes funds to help vendors implement their new marketing plans along with updated branding for the KCK Farmers’ Market itself.
There is much that Wyandotte County needs to know about its KCK Farmers’ Market. In addition to local foods it offers community and cultural activities, such as its World Refugee Day celebration in collaboration with Communities Concerned for Immigrants and Refugees and Vibrant Health.
[Editors note: Partners that built the 5-state Heartland Regional Food Business Center currently work together as the Heartland Food Business Coalition. We aim to continue building a robust business support system for the local and regional food and farm enterprises that are critical for community economic development and a food secure future. Contact Us.]