Parking Lot 82 will entertain something other than exhaust pipes and tires today.
From 11 a.m.-1 p.m., the parking lot, located between the Wolfe Street Apartments and the Clippinger Labs, will host an on-campus farmers market.
Graduate Student Senate President Tracy Kelly said that to the best of her knowledge, this is the first time there has been a farmers market on OU's campus.
GSS brainstormed the event last spring as part of the PROUD party’s sustainability platform. It was an initiative to encourage “more sustainable products” and local business awareness, Kelly said.
Months later, these plans are being executed, modeled after the larger-scale Athens County farmers market that is held each Saturday.
“The purpose of the event is to provide students who do not otherwise have transportation to the Athens farmers market, and students who have never had the opportunity to experience an open-air market, with the chance to participate in the local and organic food movement and to learn more about sustainable businesses in our community,” Kelly said in an email.
Local vendors will be selling local fruits and vegetables, pawpaw products, baked goods, pumpkins, coffee, tea, jams and jellies, sauces and salsa.
“I am excited about the opportunity to bring a farmers market to Athens,” Kelly said. “It is a really good opportunity for those otherwise unfamiliar with the larger-scale market.”
Vendors who will be at today's farmers market said they appreciated the chance to sell their products to students and Athens residents who can't go to the larger market on Saturdays.
“It will provide them easier access to locally grown foods,” said Ed Perkins of Sassafras Farm. “Although we do get a lot of students (at Saturday’s Athens farmers market), it is not easy for them to make it. (The on-campus farmers market) is an opportunity to bring the farms to the students.”
Herbal Sage Tea owner Maureen Burns-Hooker is a Saturday market veteran, having had a stand there for 11 years. She said she would like more students to be able to attend the larger market.
“We have an awesome farmers market on Saturdays,” she said. “We would like the university to eventually offer a shuttle. I think that would help us a lot.”
Depending on the success of today's market, it might be brought back to campus in the future. Rain or shine, visitors will be offered free admission and live music. All sales proceeds will go directly to the vendors.
sj950610@ohiou.edu
