NORTHVILLIANS,

In the past few weeks, we have celebrated Arbor Day and Earth Day activities. Before that, we noted highlights from the State of the Community event that touch all of us in the Northville area. I was also privileged to award the “Citizen of the Year” to our retiring School Superintendent Mary Kay Gallagher.

This week we will be launching (and celebrating) our Farmers’ Market OPENING DAY. Northville’s Farmers’ Market has been an award-winning one, and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention this would be a perfect opportunity to grab some flowers for someone special as this weekend’s Mother’s Day approaches. 

Before looking at our Farmers’ Market activities, let’s see what’s happening today:

Downtown Social District Update

• As summer approaches, know that 44 band concerts have been approved for the season, so plan on enjoying these festivities in downtown Northville.  

• Positions are posted for interested candidates to apply…we will be interviewing for potential positions on Beautification, Board of Zoning Appeals, Northville Youth Network and Planning Commission. See the City Website for additional details.

• Wed, May 11^th at 7:00 PM, Northville District Library – State of the Community Address and Q & A with the Mayor … Register Here.
• Thursday June 2^nd, Northville & Northville Townships will TEAM up to review our State of the Community. It will be available via Zoom … details to follow.
• State of the Community video from April 13th - Northville_State_City.mp4

• Northville has had 721 cases/6 fatalities, Township 6092/82, Michigan 2.4M/36K, Nation 81M/994K, Global 513M/6.2M. (CDC.com)

Now let's transition to Opening Day of the Northville Farmers' Market...

The Farmers’ Market is sponsored and run by the Northville Chamber of Commerce. The first day of its season is always exciting (please, no rain) and draws a large crowd.  In fact, I tell everyone that my wife always takes off for Opening Day, and I always have to clarify, that it isn’t for the Tigers – it’s for the Northville Farmers’ Market.  And this year, it will be my pleasure and great opportunity to spend quality time with her at the market.

See some touchpoints of the Farmers' Market through time:
 
1827

• Northville has always been an agricultural community. Our town was originally founded as a center of commerce in the Michigan Territory, with the first mills established in the area because of access to three flowing tributaries. Later on, that hydraulic power was used during the Industrial Revolution when Northville was second only to Detroit in economics in the state.
• From these early beginnings, many products from our surrounding farmers started to be sold in Northville, setting the stage for a central selling location of local produce.  

• An article in The Record spoke about Sam Pickard’s Farmers’ Market housed in the old Opera House on Dunlap and Center Street.  It was mentioned that not only did the market thrive in selling local vegetables from community farmers, but augmented that with selections of poultry, fish and other livestock through the first half of the 20^th century. Early on, much of the vegetables, fruit, and berries for this market came from the Orchard Heights area where the Eaton Farm occupied most of the land from Rogers to Clement and from Main Street to 7 Mile.
• Also during the early 1900s, fresh cheese from Northville’s Cheese Factory was sold alongside many vendors’ products both locally and at the Eastern Market in Detroit.

• Shortly after the Opera House was torn down, the Farmers’ Market was hosted in various parking lots in town.

• The Thursday Farmers’ Market led by John Genitti & others offered produce from local farms, including vegetables, fruits, even maple syrup tapped from our plethora of Maple trees.

• The Farmers’ Market was located in the MAGS parking lot (today’s Northville Square) every Thursday, just like today.

• To summarize the last several decades, the Farmers’ Market has been housed in many locations around town, including Town Square, Main and Hutton, Northville Square, the Marquis Theater parking lot and the old Opera House, before it made its way to Northville Downs, which officially (to my knowledge) opened as our Farmers’ Market location in 1990.

• We are reinventing our use of the rivers in a recreational way, planning riverwalk pathway systems along their banks for all in southeast Michigan to enjoy. We are truly trying to connect city, township, county, and state parks for the betterment of all in the community. Amidst all this, we will be designing our next generation Farmers’ Market in a scenic riverside location. 

I remind you again to pick up some flowers for Mother’s Day at the Northville Farmers’ Market: 
 
Opening Day – Thursday (5/5)
At the Downs (7 Mile & Sheldon)
8am to 3pm
 
Keep that Northville Farmers’ Market Faith!