Vendor Splendor
September 28, 2008 • By Katie Thisdell, The Breeze
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Downtown Harrisonburg Farmers’ Market coming to campus Thursday
Past the shopping malls, apartment complexes and construction sites, miles of farmland surround Harrisonburg. Fresh fruits and vegetables thrive throughout the region before being sold at markets.
Now, this local produce will be closer to students than ever.
On Thursday, vendors from the Downtown Harrisonburg Farmers’ Market will sell their products on the patio of Warren Hall. Dining Services will host the event from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“If more people buy locally, it will help everyone in the long run,” said Marlan Showalter, president of the market. “I think it’s a great idea, and hopefully it will generate more business for our downtown market too.”
This is the first time Dining Services has organized this type of event. After joining the local Virginia Cooperative Extension in the spring, it met with Showalter to discuss the possibility of a market on campus.
“The biggest challenge with this is the time of the school year,” Showalter said.
A spring market fell too early in the growing season, while fruits and vegetables are almost finished producing in the fall.
At least four vendors will sell their products including pumpkins, apples, chestnuts, flowers and kettle corn. There may be other foods for sale, depending on which vendors come and what their crops yield. Possibilities include cucumbers, tomatoes and hydroponic lettuce, which is grown without soil.
Showalter said that the response from vendors has been mixed. Many don’t know what the campus’s response will be like, making them hesitant to give their time.
“Somebody’s got to be willing to step up there the first time though,” Showalter said. “Otherwise, we’ll never know if this will work.”
Vendors will receive the profits from the items that they sell. They will accept cash, Dining Dollars or FLEX accounts.
By currently offering more than 200 local products on campus, Dining Services already knows the importance of producing locally. These products come from various locations in the region.
Marco Levesque, director of operations for Dining Services, wants students to recognize ways to reduce their ecological footprints by buying locally.
“We want to create an awareness of local farmers and products that are available in the area,” Levesque said in an e-mail. “Hopefully, students will want to be a part of this sustainability initiative and will enjoy the local produce that farmers will bring to campus.”
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