Student government's Social Concerns Committee will be hosting a farmers' market on campus on Thursday at the Field House Mall from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Committee chair Rachel Roseberry said.
"We are bringing vendors from the South Bend Farmers' Market to campus. These vendors will be selling a variety of merchandise from pumpkins, apples and other fresh produce to breads, homemade salsa, caramel corn and jewelry, all from local businesses and farmers," Roseberry said.
Committee members said the market is being held to inform students of the local South Bend Farmers' Market, a place few students visit.
"South Bend is home to one of the largest indoor Farmers' Market in the Midwest. It's located just minutes from campus, yet few students know about it," Kaitlyn Maloney, junior and Committee member, said. "The large indoor market has fruit and vegetable stands, baked goods, flowers, meat and cheese stands, handmade jewelry and other crafts all produced and sold by local farmers and artists."
"The purpose of a farmers' market is to open the eyes of the students to the availability of quality produce that if bought will help the community," Ashley Baca, sophomore and Committee member, said. "It is a great place to go shopping, take a break and engage with the community."
The Committee hopes that the nine vendors coming to campus from the South Bend Farmers' Market will encourage students to visit the market, Maloney said.
"The purpose of bringing the vendors to campus is both to encourage students to visit the actual South Bend Farmers' Market and to promote locally-grown food, which is in line with the Social Concerns committee's environmental mission," Maloney said. "Because of the environmental component of this event, GreeND and Students for Environmental Action are co-sponsoring the market."
This isn't the first time the market vendors have visited, Maloney said. Last spring the Committee brought vendors to campus, but the vendors were reluctant to attend because crops were not in season.
"I think this market will be even better than the first, for local farmers have a diverse range of crops to offer, including seasonal favorites like pumpkins and gourds. Even if students don't prepare their own meals, they might want to consider buying produce for some fun fall decorations." Maloney said.
"This has been in the planning stages since the end of last year when we held our first Farmer's Market on campus," Roseberry said. "We're excited to be bringing the vendors back because they got such a great reception last year."
If it rains, the market will take place in the Concourse of the Hesburgh Library.
