The Fondy Beet - Saturday, May 21st at Fondy

At Market this Saturday: New Vendors Bring New Products to Fondy

As the weather warms, edibles are slowly making their way to market. This Saturday marks Bridie's Garden Market's first-ever appearance at Fondy! Farmer Brigid McGeehan will have a variety of herbs and spring produce for sale, including spinach, spring onions, bergamot, chives, chive flowers, lavender, mint, sorrel, sweet woodruff, thyme, and violas. She'll also be selling fragrant herb bunches and a variety of starter plants. Stop on by and help us welcome Brigid to Fondy!

Mr. Gene Brehmer will be out of town at his son's technical school graduation. (Be sure to congratulate him next time you're at market!) Not to worry, Weber's Greenhouses will be there to tend to all your gardening needs. They'll have hanging flower baskets as well as a variety of produce and flower starter plants.

And, long-time vendor Miss Rose McMillian of Miss Rose's Watkins & More will be selling Watkins' high-quality line of dried herbs and spices, extracts, and home remedies. Have questions about cooking, baking, or that muscle soreness that just won't go away? Miss Rose has the solution for you!

Fondy is open Saturdays from 9am - noon through Saturday, June 18th. You'll find vegetable and flower starter plants for your garden, as well as decorative potted plants and hanging baskets. Spring produce favorites such as onions, spinach, strawberries, and greens will become more available as the weather warms.

Opening Day Celebration & BBQ Cook-off

Save the date! Fondy's full season schedule kicks-off with its Fourth Annual Opening Day Celebration & BBQ Cook-off on Saturday, June 25th. Join us for live entertainment, cooking demos, contests, kids' face painting, and activities the whole family will enjoy.

Think you've got what it takes to grill the competition at the BBQ Cook-off? For more information and to register, contact Lisa Kingery at  or 414-562-2282.

Youth Chef Academy: Kids in the Kitchen

This week marks the culmination of Fondy’s Youth Chef Academy for participating students at MPS’ Hi-Mount Blvd. Community School. The innovative cooking-based program aims to improve the nutrition, culinary skills and food system competence of Milwaukee's middle school students.

After a four week introduction equipping students with a basic grasp of kitchen tools and whole-plant cooking, students set out on a journey to explore the cuisines of cultures near and far – from Southern America to Southeast Asia. The students’ guide was Lisa Kingery, registered dietitian and Fondy food and nutrition program director, as well as local food leaders – including a chef, grocery store owner, nutritionist, and community activist – whose lessons the students learn through letters written just for them. 

Along the way, these young chefs discovered region-specific ingredients; identified various parts of the plant used in cooking; uncovered the importance of a whole-food, plant-based diet; and tantalized their taste buds with entirely new flavors. Each week, recipes from diverse culinary traditions featured particular parts of the plant – seeds, grains, roots, flowers, and more. Of Latin American dishes highlighting legumes, one student commented, “These recipes are delicious and we never ate foods like this before.” (Click on the links try the recipes for Salsa Fresca and Tex-Mex Corn and Bean Fritters that this student enjoyed.)

Andrea Moosreiner, a Mount Mary College dietetic intern working alongside Kingery, observed the extent to which the students cultivate a culinary sensibility in the program. “It is an absolute pleasure to watch these young adults gain exposure to new ways of thinking about foods and their own diets,” Moosreiner affirmed, “They have taken on the challenge of broadening their horizons and trying new types of cuisines.”

Just like at the dinner table, classroom chatter betrays reactions to the morsels of food (and information) consumed and digested. One of the more talkative students revealed, “My mom made a stir fry and I ate all the vegetables and tried not to eat so much meat. Because I learned that vegetables are what my body needs the most. I’m starting to realize how important vegetables are to me and that they can taste good. This class is turning me into a vegetarian!”

And, though it is doubtful students will come out of the program vegetarians, all will have gained the knowledge and skills to navigate a lifetime of eating healthy, delicious foods.

Volunteer at Fondy Farmers Market

Looking for a summer volunteer opportunity? Look no further than Fondy! Support your favorite farmers market by sharing your time and talents. In return, you'll get to learn about the inner workings of a farmers market and the diverse producers and customers it supports. Check out volunteer opportunities on Fondy's volunteer page. For more information and to volunteer, please contact Jenni Reinke, market manager, at or 414-562-2282.