Mid-Michigan Dining

• 333 N. Cedar St.
• Lansing, MI 48912
• (517) 483-7460
• Website

I really want to like the Lansing City Market.  When we were planning our move to Lansing, both of us were really excited about a year-round farmer’s market that was open a few days a week.  In our present situation, there was a market 15 miles away that was only open Saturday mornings from eight to noon from May through September and since my girlfriend worked Saturday mornings, we could never go to the market together.  Our first weekend here after the move, we got up early and headed downtown.  We had expectations that this was going to be the best thing that ever happened to us.  What a disappointment.  The vendors were rude and pushy and the selection wasn’t that good.  I wasn’t ready to give up though.  It was April, so it was still pretty early in the year.  I said we’d try again come summer.  Well, we tried again at the end of June.  The selection was better and the vendors were a little less pushy, but our view of the market didn’t really change much.

First, let me say, if you’re looking for organic, locally grown produce, poultry, or cheese, this is the place to get it.  If you’re looking for good prices, then you better go somewhere else.  Everything was expensive and the produce was small.  The green bell peppers I saw were about a quarter of the size of those at the grocery store and they were more expensive.  I’m not going to pay a lot more for organic.  The market is set up in two wings.  Most of the produce is in one wing with meat, and plants in the other.  There are a couple vendors that have a good selection of organic meats, but the price just isn’t worth it.   I’m always reminded of Bill Engvall’s standup routine.  What is a free-range chicken?  It’s not like you can walk out into the forrest and find a chicken walking around.  All chicken’s are caged somehow, so why am I going to pay three dollars more per pound?

I mentioned the vendors earlier.  I know that this is their livelyhood, but I don’t like high pressure situations. Just let me look.  If you have something I want, I’ll buy it.  You don’t need to tell me how great your products are.  You don’t need to follow me around and you don’t need to stare at me the whole time I’m looking at your stuff.  If I have a question, I’ll ask. If I need help, I’ll let you know.  Leave me alone!

The plants are the tempting thing for me when it comes to the Lansing City Market.  I really want to grow my own herbs, but I haven’t had much luck planting this year.  I was tempted to buy some already started and the price on these were actually pretty good, but I didn’t pull the trigger.  That’s something I may go back for in the coming weeks, but as far as produce goes, I think we’ve found our place.  We accidently found Horrock’s the same day we were initially disappointed by the Lansing City Market.  Maybe it was a sign.