Published September 7, 2023
Peak Harvest, Hunger Awareness and Native Plant Sale at the 2nd Street Market
Peak Harvest at the Market
September is the month for preserving the bounty of Ohio produce harvest. Growers attending the Saturday and Sunday outdoor market are overflowing with peak season Ohio produce. The price is right to buy in quantity for freezing, drying or canning for use in your favorite recipes during the winter months. For more information about how to preserve produce safely visit OSU Extension Family and Consumer page.
Two new growers have joined the roster for the remaining 2023 outdoor market season: Brenneman’s Family Farm on Saturdays and Rosemary’s Garden on Sundays. Along with a wide variety of produce from both growers, Rosemary’s Garden sells locally grown shiitake mushrooms. Yearly returning Market growers have a wide variety of heirloom produce in stock, along with fresh cut flower bouquets, mums and decorative gourds.
September is Hunger Awareness Month
Hunger Awareness Month at the Market began on Saturday, Sept. 2 with a Stuff the Truck back-to-school food drive lead by The Foodbank. Community organizations partnered with the Foodbank will be on site each Saturday in September collecting food. Suggestions for items to bring to the Market to donate are non-perishable food items, especially “cold meal” healthy lunch box options, all of which will go to support children challenged with hunger in the greater Dayton region.
Food drive dates through September are:
- Sept. 9: The Marketplace Movement Pantry
- Sept. 16: Fairview United Methodist Church Pantry
- Sept. 23: Triple C Community Outreach
- Sept. 30: Bold Believers Community Involvement, Inc.
Hunger Action Month is a nationwide campaign that takes place in September with the goal of ending hunger. Currently, over 88,000 individuals in the Miami Valley experience food insecurity. The entire month of September, communities join forces to fight hunger by raising awareness, hosting food drives, fundraising and donating their time.
Native Plant Sale
2nd Street Market Fall Native Plant Sale is October 1, from 11 AM to 3 PM. Local native plant growers Milkweed, Native Ohio Plants LLC, Tadmor Greenes, Local Lush, Deeply Rooted Landscape, The Milkweed Patch, Down Nature’s Path, and Regenerate Garden Co. will be here sharing their passion and knowledge of Ohio native plants, shrubs, and trees along with their best offerings of fall natives for planting your home landscape.
Native plants are adapted to the environment in which they grow, making them perfect food and shelter for local wildlife. Many native plants also are important to pollinators — animals and insects that cause plants to create fruit or seed — which is critical for both animals and people. Additionally, native plants help clean and filter water and air.
Welcome Ordinarie Fare to the Market
Ordinarie Fare opened in mid-August and offers culinary plant-forward, gluten-free, dairy-free dessert and “to go” lunch options.
PROGRAMS/WORKSHOPS
The 2nd Street Market’s programs are sponsored by Dayton Children’s.
- Sept. 15, (11:30 AM- 12:30 PM) Family Story Time
- Sept. 16, (10 AM to 1 PM) Music at the Market with Frank Calzada
- Sept. 23, (10 AM to 1 PM) Music at the Market with Debray
- Sept. 24, (10:30 AM to 11:30 PM) Foraging for Mushrooms
- Sept. 24, (11:30 AM to 1:30 PM) Music at the Market with Edde Osborne
- Sept. 30, (11:30 AM to 1:30 PM) Music at the Market with Harmonica Neil
COMMUNITY NEWS
Homefull, a local nonprofit dedicated to ending homelessness, will be at the Market Saturday and Sunday providing SNAP tokens to those who utilize EBT/SNAP benefits. More than 20 vendors accept SNAP tokens. Additionally, those who qualify for EBT/SNAP can use Produce Perks, a matching program that reimburses up to $25 for those who use their benefits on fresh produce. Tokens can still be used to shop the Market on Fridays. Plan ahead to make an exchange on Saturday and Sunday for the next Friday.
