Urban Harvest found solid ground for its Saturday mornings' farmers market at Eastside Street near Richmond Avenue in Upper Kirby, a location now synonymous with farm fresh produce, local artisanal goods and prepared foods — things the nonprofit has sprouted for one year shy of a decade.
Starting on April 28, the weekly Sunday market, which moved from Discovery Green to Highland Village in 2011, will now also set roots in the Upper Kirby location, which boasts better parking access and more space than its predecessor, ideal for a growing number of vendors. The seasonal market on Wednesdays at City Hall will stay put.
The Sunday market's operating hours, from noon to 4 p.m., will not change — a welcomed offering for those whose Friday evening diversions leaves them too blitzed to wake up prior to Saturday's noon closing time. We're sure that happens often.
Renaissance Chicken will corral chicks and chickens so shoppers can learn about the joys of egg farming.
"It will have a nice, relaxed feel, which will fit the Sunday afternoon time," Libby Kennedy, Sunday market manager, tells CultureMap. "It will be for families, for after church folks and for people who are looking to stock up on local groceries and prepared foods for the week ahead."
Kennedy says that locavores will find more seating to eat and relax, in addition to live music and family-friendly activities such as lawn games. Although some of the Saturday vendors will return for Sunday's open-air market, some will be new to the scene.
Among the 21 new merchants are Pine Valley Produce, Houston Regional Market Growers, Proverb Farms, Airline Seafood, Renaissance Chicken, Sinfull Bakery, Grateful Bread, Zierau Fine Foods, Nisha's Quick n' Easy Indian food, Doogie Snack Bar and Texas T Kobe, which plans to serve up hot sliders and Kobe beef cuts.
On opening day (April 28), chef German Mosquera from Restaurant Cinq at La Colombe d'Or promises to whip up something using fruits and veggies du jour. Soni Holladay, horticulturalist at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, will be on hand with butterflies, bugs and caterpillars. Renaissance Chicken will corral chicks and chickens so shoppers can learn about the joys of egg farming.
"Why not bring a blanket and enjoy your market goodies on the nearby lawn?" Kennedy says.
We're in.
Knopp Branch Farm is expected to bring its asparagus. Stop by early!
