Local Food & Farmers Markets

Kendra Wills and Garrett Ziegler are Community Food System Educators that serve the eight counties of Districts 5 and 7 (Allegan, Kent, Lake, Mason, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, and Ottawa). We offer technical assistance and/or programs on the following topics:

  • Technical Assistance for Food Service Directors in K-12 Schools and Hospitals interested in purchasing more local food
  • Understanding Community Food Systems – what it means, what are the components, how local food contributes to a healthy local economy?
  • Professional Development for Farmers Market Managers
  • Programming and grant writing to encourage the growth of Local Food Hubs
  • Professional Development for Fruit and Vegetable Growers related to direct, retail and institutional sales
  • Professional Development for K-12 Educators Interested in School Gardens or Classroom Activities Focused on Local Food
  • Technical assistance with local food community events and collaborations
  • Connection to other Michigan State University resources to assist local food businesses

Office Location

Kent County MSU Extension Office
775 Ball Avenue NE - Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Contact Information

Kendra Wills
willsk@msu.edu
(616) 632-7893

Garrett Ziegler
zieglerg@msu.edu 
(616) 632-7879

Valuable Local Food Resources 

Farmers Market Manager Resources

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