Kelsey May F.
Yelp
I love the Fulton Street Farmers Market. My fiancé and I try to shop here regularly because there are so many fantastic Michigan growers and suppliers to support for damn good prices. We've frequented about twice a month for over a year now and found that what you save on produce purchases, you can put toward dairy and meat products. Vegetables and fruits are just so freaking cheap, especially when they're in season. Most prices are better even than Meijer. 3 for $2 zucchini. $4 for six delicious apples. $4 for a gallon of apple cider in autumn. $1 for a basil plant. The list goes on and on. Urban Mushroom ("The Mushroom Lady") is by far my favorite vendor. Her mushrooms are amazing, and she is great at suggesting new recipes. Plus she's given me so many bonus mushrooms to try and enjoy.
There are several different dairy, meat, and egg suppliers here, and we've had great experiences with all of them, particularly Hudsonville and Dancing Goat Creamery. There was also a great fish stall last summer, though I haven't seen them in months.
Pro tip: look for vendors that have the "Fulton St. Certified" sign hanging in their stall. These vendors have been checked and verified to grow all the produce or other items that they sell. A stall without one of these signs might, for example, (and this did actually happen to me several years ago) sell food they purchased from a grocery store.
If you visit on a Saturday, especially before noon, chances are you'll have to park somewhere in the neighborhood. This might affect how much you're willing to buy and carry, so plan accordingly. You also should bring cloth bags if you can and a freezer or cold bag if you plan to buy refrigerated or frozen items. The market just started using a token process for card or EBT purchases, and you can stop into the main building to pick up your tokens. Lastly, if you have a food card, DEFINITELY make Fulton Street part of your normal shopping! The double up program saved my fiancé and I when we were at the end of our monthly budget. We haven't had food stamps since February, but we still have leftover produce loyalty! It's such a rewarding way to do business.