Lunasa's Online Market Gaining Popularity

If residents who drive by the warehouse at 6235 Jackson Rd., west of Zeeb Road in Scio Township, notice a flurry of activity, it's probably market day.

On the second and fourth Tuesday of every month, local food producers and consumers gather at the warehouse. They belong to an online market called Lunasa, which has 300 members and is growing steadily.

Lunasa was created in 2010 by local residents Jane Pacheco and Dawn Thompson, who have been involved with the Chelsea Community Kitchen. Thompson is also the manager of Mindo Chocolate Makers, a Dexter company that uses cocoa beans from Ecuador in its products.

"Lunasa's slogan is 'making local easy,' " Thompson said. "We want this to be one-stop shopping for people."

Thompson said her goal is to have 1,000 members sign up. Producers sell everything from eggs and meats to milk and cheese, tea, baked goods, produce and natural cleaning products.  

"The seasons are certainly a factor," Pacheco said. "After Christmas, things slowed down. Our busiest time was the fall, when we offered 600 local products."

Members may order their produce online Friday and pick it up Tuesday, the next market day.

The Bowman family of Scio Township has belonged to Lunasa for several months and enjoys the luxury of shopping from the comfort of their home. Like all members, they pay an annual fee of $40 for the service.

"Lunasa is a great way to conveniently access local farmers as a group, not just via a single Community Supported Agriculture farm," Larry Bowman said.

Pacheco's father, who  volunteers at Lunasa, enjoys getting to know the farmers and other vendors.

"It's fun getting to know the people here and to know that they are trying to produce food that's good for you," Don Pacheco said. "I just bought $50 worth of meat. Jane has convinced me to eat right, and the food here tastes better and better."  

Dave Steinhauser of Salem Township is one of the producers who sells pastured pork and beef as well as produce.

"I don't have to bring huge coolers (to the market) and hope that it sells, since people have preordered," Steinhauser said. "I also like that I get more of a variety of clients through Lunasa."  

Producers come from as far away as Traverse City and Nashville, MI, such as Moo-ville Creamery. They also come from the Dexter area. Maribeth Riggs and her daughter Kira Crossman run the Mother & Daughter Pie Co. They live in Pinckney and do their baking at the Chelsea Community Kitchen, a commercially licensed kitchen in downtown Chelsea.  

"We can cook 15 pies at once at the Community Kitchen, compared to two at my home," Riggs said. "We make more than 20 kinds of pies, like cherry and caramel apple, as well as gluten-free versions of all our pies. We started at Lunasa at Christmastime, and business has been good."  

There are now 35 producers who sell at Lunasa, though not always during the same weeks. In addition to the Jackson Road location, one-third of those producers are going to join Lunasa's new venture, a similar market in Garden City.

"We picked Garden City because it's central to Canton, Livonia and western Wayne County," Pacheco said. "We plan to start in April."  

For more information on Lunasa, visit lunasa.us.