Merriam Organic Market needs help

With farmers’ markets open or getting ready to open all around the city, the Merriam Organic Market is delayed.

Dave Lawrence is one of the people behind MOM and when I talked to him two weeks ago he mentioned that the market was still looking for a location, preferably a permanent facility. It no longer is a part of the Merriam Farmers’ Market which opens May 2.

From the group’s Web site: “MOM is looking for a permanent indoor/outdoor site nearby, and we will not reopen until we have set up in our new facility. Future plans include a licensed 100-mile Kitchen (to process, prepare & preserve foods for year-round consumption), 4-6 day-per-week operation, and full-time staff.”

MOM is a “producer’s only” market, meaning people are only allowed to sell that which they made themselves. Though the market is all-organic, some sellers aren’t USDA certified but have signed the KC Food Circle Farmers Pledge or the Certified Naturally Grown pledge. The 100-mile kitchen refers to food grown within a 100-mile distance of Kansas City — a locovore’s dream.

To make MOM a six-day reality, Lawrence is looking for a benefactor who can supply a permanent place to a non-profit. (Read: on the cheap.) If you know somebody like that with space in the Merriam area please get in touch with the group at 913-620-8427 or at this e-mail address.