/Submitted photo
If you are a fan of farmers markets you’re in luck. The Westosha Senior Community Center is opening a new outlet for your passion starting this Sunday.
From a news release on the Farmers & Artisan Market:
Kenosha County’s newest farmers market opens Sunday, July 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Westosha Senior Community Center. The Farmers & Artisan Market will feature fresh-picked produce from the Center’s Healing Garden as well as locally produced fresh eggs, maple syrup and ground coffee. Customers will enjoy homemade pizza, baked goods and specialty coffee as they stroll the flower-lined walking paths, browse artisan booths for soaps, paintings and other artisan goods. The coop of 25 people-friendly Easter Egger and Rhode Island Red chickens is sure to become a fast favorite, too.
The Healing Garden project has blossomed under Team Leader Patrick Hull, who presented a fully-developed five-year plan to the Western Kenosha County Senior Citizens Council Board of Directors last year. His networking skills were a key factor in the realization of the garden. Based on community involvement, the garden highlights donations of bricks, pavers, garden furniture and sculptures. Businesses support the Healing Garden, like Erickson’s Landscape Supply that granted the Center 20 yards of soil and 60 yards of mulch.
An all-volunteer workforce brings the garden to life. Uline sent a volunteer work crew to help weed and plant June 2 with a return visit planned for fall. GROUP’s Week of Hope, hosted by Journey Church, brings a new team of three to six youth from around the U.S. plus adult supervisors to the Center to work the garden and the Center.
But senior citizens are the key focus of the Healing Garden. Senior-friendly raised beds invite seniors to enjoy planting and weeding and being a part of the exciting growing season. A team of dedicated seniors who lovingly adopted the garden with hours and hours of work were rewarded by John Florsheim-Weyco Group, who surprised them with Bogs garden boots so they don’t have to de-shoe to avoid tracking garden mud into the Center.
“The garden is set up with fruit and vegetables, but also flowers to get people connected to the garden and to activities. A lot of times as you age, you lose that social activity. Or you have those in the community who maybe live in apartments or don’t have the ability to grow vegetables,” said Hull. “I’ve had seniors come out who can’t do anything in the garden, but they’ll pull up a chair.”
Seniors at the Center eagerly watch the garden’s growth. Cheers went up in the Great Room of the Center this week when two eggs were discovered and proudly shown off to Bingo players. “Our girls are growing up!” they exclaimed of the chickens Hull had hand-raised from chicks before bringing them to their new Healing Garden coop.
Vendors and musicians are invited to contact Patrick Hull at 262-960-0050 to be a part of the Westosha Senior Community Center’s Healing Garden, located at 19200 93rd St., Bristol, WI, just east of Hwy 45 on Hwy C.
See you there Sunday, July 29, for the Grand Opening of the Farmers & Artisan Market.
