MADRONA GROVE

 

You can't miss the signs. Three brightly painted signboards direct travelers to Madrona Grove's Summer Fruit Truck just off of the Steamboat Island Road exit of Highway 101. Jeannine Anderson and her partner Michael Manos run this attractive, seasonal, open air market that sells fresh (mostly organic) produce from small, regional farms, and they have a lot fun doing it! This couple works with many farms in the region; they counted more than 7 farms just within 50 miles of Olympia.

Jeannine and Michael are on a personal mission to educate everyone they meet about the importance of bountiful, secure food systems that promote healthy bodies, strong communities and our shared natural world. With the help of Enterprise for Equity's business training program they created a business plan to put this mission into practice. Jeanine will often give away a delicious sample, tell customers about the farming practices of one of her growers or even share a simple recipe to bring out the flavors of her vegetables, and her devoted customers keep coming back.

Don't miss these rich delights. The Madrona Grove stand will have high quality, seasonal fruits and vegetables Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at Steamboat Square and will continue to sell at the Tenino Farmer's Market every Saturday during the season.

In October, Madrona Grove will host their annual Apple Affair at Prosperity Grange where many varieties of apples from Madrona Grove vendors are set out for the community to sample and buy. Join the party, Madrona Grove supplies the ice cream for the community's delicious apple dessert potluck!

One customer said, "I was given some kernels scraped off of a raw ear of corn this morning because [they] wanted to show off the quality of their produce. I had to come back this afternoon for more because I was so taken with the taste of the corn and this unusual gesture."

Enterprise for Equity provides a great overview of the business planning process. What I have appreciated most is how the organization creates ways for the entrepreneurs from all the classes to network and connect. I have already gotten direct financial benefit from networking with the other business owners who have gone through the training.
-- Jeannine Anderson