The French Market in Albion often takes place on the second Saturday in June, at Stoffer Plaza. The images below are from the 2017 event. Visit the Google Calendar of big Albion Events to learn more about the French Market, and more.
Stoffer Plaza in Albion is the home of the Albion Farmer’s Market and also the French Market.
The plaza is located just east of Albion’s “Main Street” which is Superior Street.
The plaza is nicely designed with overhangs, walkways, and sculpture.
At the French Market, Albion’s Sister City group sells crepes and baked goods.
Artists show their work at the French Market.
Various groups have items for sale.
The regulars from the Farmer’s Market are also there today.
Music is a big part of the French Market.
Did we mention there is food? Really good food.
It’s a great place to run into people, enjoy food, fun and music.
Lots of adventure at Albion’s French Market.
Old friends are glad to run into each other.
Musicians were on hand for the French Market
Albion’s French Market is a relatively new event. The 6th annual Albion French Market took place on Saturday June 10, 2017 at Stoffer Plaza. Dozens of vendors were there, as well as many of the usual Farmer’s Market Vendors. In recent years the French Market has become a place for musicians, artists, and chefs to share their arts.
It is a time we dream of summer, and sometimes feel a hint of it in the wind. We plan our growing season, gather our seeds and prepare the soil. The season of Spring is upon us, and extends through the Summer Solstice on June 21. The art of seasonal gardening was created for General Guide XXXI. It shows a timeline of the growing season. In the distance there is also a visual road map of the connected communities between Battle Creek and Jackson, connected by I-94 highway, and in other ways as well.
Each community has a symbol.
The Michigan Central Railroad Depot (Clara’s Restaurant) for Battle Creek.
The Heatherbrook Farm mural just west of Marshall. near Marshall, Michigan at M115 highway was once a part of Stuart Farms.
Brooks Fountain in Marshall, that is the location for several annual events.
We’ll post more about each of these community landmarks later, and also more about the gardening clubs and projects in each community.
Albion Community Gardens will hold sign-up sessions for 2018 garden plots on Friday, April 6 (5:30-7PM), Saturday, April 7 (10am-2pm, Friday, April 20 (5:30-7pm), and Saturday April 21 (10am-2pm).
Garden plots are available at three sites: Pearl and center (SW corner) Albion and Erie (NE corner) and Vision of Life (1009 N. Jefferson)
You should go to the site most convenient for you to sign up. In case of rain, the sign ups will take place at St. James Episcopal Church, 119 W. Erie St., Albion.
Plots, seeds, and plants are free if you volunteer 20 hours per year with the Community Gardens or a comparable community organization.
There are tools that you can use at each site as well as gardening information.
Sign up will be at St. James Episcopal Church, 119 W. Erie St., Albion on April 6 if there is inclement whether, as well as at the Albion Winter Farmers Market Saturday.
If you have already signed up for a plot, a member of Albion Community Gardens will be in touch with you by April 6.
For more information, contact Trisha Franzen at 517 629-5618.
Men Who Cook is an annual event in Albion Michigan to benefit the Citizens to Beautify Albion. It usually takes place on the third weekend of February.
It takes place Sunday, February 18, 2018, 12:30 PM – 2 PM at First Baptist Church in Albion, see the map at right sidebar.
There was room for a good crowd to eat the feast at Men Who Cook, a fundraiser for Citizens to Beautify Albion.
There were plenty of chefs and the food was excellent
“Cook, Eat and make Albion Beautiful.”
The 32nd annual Men Who Cook event is hosted by Citizens to Beautify Albion (CBA) and raises money for planting flowers along Business Loop I-94 and Austin Ave. Tickets are $7 for Adults and $3 for children under 10, they are on sale now and can be found at the following locations, Parks Drug Store, Homestead Savings Bank, and CBA members.
Cash or checks accepted, checks should be made out to Citizens to Beautify Albion. Any donations are always appreciated.
We are currently looking for volunteers or men interested in cooking. Updates will be posted frequently to the event page.
Thank you for everyone who supports and helps Citizens to Beautify Albion, we look forward to seeing everyone enjoying food on Sunday, Feb. 18th, 2018! See the official Facebook page for the 2018 event.
Citizens to Beautify Albion is a grassroots organization founded by Richard and Elverta Weatherford in 1985, dedicated to beautifying Albion by planting flowers along the entrances and business loop of Albion. This is accomplished by raising funds with the annual Men Who Cook fundraiser and having community volunteers plant and maintain the flowers during the summer season. The Weatherford Garden is also maintained along with permanent flower planters in the downtown business district.
Citizens to Beautify Albion is looking for volunteers to help plant flowers, and to keep the roadside gardens weeded and watered during the growing season.
Citizens to Beautify Albion is a non profit organization and appreciates your donations of money and time so that we can keep Albion beautiful.
Click one of the links below for more information:
Schuler’s Restaurant’s founder, Albert Schuler, was a native of Rome, New York. The adopted son of a traveling butcher, Albert migrated to Marshall in the early 1900s. The owner of a local lunch counter and cigar shop befriended him, and after learning the trade Albert opened a similar business on Main Street in 1909.
In 1920, he purchased a hotel with a small dining room on Main Street, and named it The Albert. It was during this period that Albert became deputy sheriff. It wasn’t unusual for Albert to be summoned at the restaurant to attend to matters of the law. He would take off his apron and was out the door. Minutes or hours later, his apron was back on and it was business as usual.
In 1924, he was ready to expand his business. He sold the hotel on Main Street and purchased the Royal Hotel and Restaurant in Marshall, and changed the name to Schuler’s. He built a seven-lane bowling alley and soon the combination hotel/restaurant/bowling business became a popular gathering spot for locals and visitors.
Win Schuler, Albert’s son, joined the family business in 1934. In 1936, Win, a former high school history teacher and coach, became full owner of the restaurant while his father continued to run the hotel and serve as sheriff of Calhoun County.
In 1959, Win’s son, Hans Schuler became the third generation to join the family business. Like his father, Hans enjoys greeting his customers. He also has an unusual ability to develop the people working on his team.
Larry Schuler, a fourth generation member of the Schuler’s Restaurant family, followed the long-standing tradition of ‘working’ at the restaurant since childhood and has been involved in the restaurant industry ever since.
Encouraged by his grandfather, Win Schuler, and father, Hans, Larry pursued a broad, well-rounded work experience in the field of hospitality management.
Larry returned to Michigan in 1986 and served as Vice President and General Manager of Schuler’s in Marshall, MI and subsequently as owner and operator of Schu’s Grill and Bar in St. Joseph. MI.
Blight Farms is a family owned and operated crop and livestock farm in Albion, Michigan. We are proud to raise beef and pork to feed our local communities as well as those abroad.
Meat from Blight Farm is available in small quantities by visiting Jolly Green Junction. If you would like to purchase larger quantities and selected cuts, please contact Blight Farms to arrange a visit.
Thank you to Blight Farms for being a sponsor of three Local Food Editions of the General Guide, from 2015 – 2017.
“The Food Hub is designed to be a multi-purpose center with an emphasis on generating food-related businesses from the shared-use kitchen,” says Florence. “We’ll serve as an initial home base where small businesses can develop. Additionally, fresh local foods will be sold in the Fresh Food Market year- round, including produce, fruits, dairy, processed meat, honey, jam, vinegars, maple syrup, and hopefully, many other items.”
According to Peggy Sindt, the AEDC’s President, “Supporting food entrepreneurs is a natural extension of the Albion Economic Development Corporation’s long-standing business incubator, which has helped start several manufacturing businesses and supported a technology company. I am excited to think that our commercial kitchen will be the setting for producing great local food products for all of us to purchase and enjoy! Undertaking this initiative in partnership with the Albion Community Foundation and other local groups will be a win-win for Albion.”
“Another program component,” says Florence, “will be space for a ‘winter farmers’ market,’ or at least a fresh food exchange market during the cold months. We have garage space in the rear of the building which can be heated on market days so that buyers can have access to fresh, healthy, food directly from the farmer.” The market will be able to accept SNAP benefits, Project Fresh coupons, and Michigan Double-Up Food Bucks.”
Above, Chef Joe of the Albion Malleable Brewery has been busy testing recipes in the commercial kitchen of the Albion Food Hub.
Albion Farmers’ Market takes place on Saturdays year round. In the warmer months, the market takes place at Stoffer Plaza. In the cooler months, there is an indoor Farmers’ Market inside the Albion Food Hub. Visit the Albion Farmers’ Market on Facebook by clicking here.
The Albion Food Hub and Albion Farmers’ Market sponsored the Local Food Edition General Guides in 2016 and 2017.
The official Albion Farmers’ Market flier is above. You can click on it to access the pdf file that can be printed out and posted around town.
We will also post an interactive map of how to get to Stoffer Plaza, home of the Farmer’s Market, below.
Albion Farmers’ Market started up its outdoor location for 2017 on Saturday May 6. Saturdays only in May 2017, and the Saturday hours are 10:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m. A message from the Market Director: “Thanks for all the vendors and customers that came to see us today! Next week it’s going to be even better! 🙂 We had eggs, maple syrup, chicken, pork, garden plants, flowers, baked goods, rhubarb, kale and cilantro! We also have beautiful handmade blankets and dishcloths.”
Visit Albion Farmers’ Market on Facebook by clicking this link:
Important reminder – Superior St is closed, but Cass and Erie Streets will be OPEN for the foreseeable future, so you can still access the Farmer’s Market. Come down Clinton St and turn left on either Cass (for the north entrance) or Erie (south entrance), go past the tattered remains of Superior St, and come on down to Market Place!
Note about photo at top – that was actually a Farmer’s Market in 2016.
Albion Farmer’s Market and Albion Food Hub is the major sponsor of General Guide XXIV – The Local Food Edition. We will be featuring more information about Eating Fresh and Buying Local throughout the year.
