If you have yet to notice the hustle and bustle in the green space surrounding McIntosh Gallery on Tuesday afternoons, next week is your time to check it out.
Western’s Farmers’ Market, now in its third year, has transformed the campus community in a number of ways since a handful of local vendors first set up shop across from the Social Sciences Centre, said Gord Robinson, unit manager at Saugeen Maitland Hall.
“Farmers’ markets are starting up all over. With Western being such a big place, and with so many different people here, we thought it was a great place to start something like that. We started off pretty small, with three or four vendors. And it just blossomed from there and it’s only grown bigger,” said Robinson, who has been the go-to guy on campus when it comes to the market initiative.
“I wasn’t really engaged in the beginning. I thought I’d try it out. But now I see how much it’s changed campus and what I’ve done,” he continued.
“Now, I’m shopping local. I have three children and I’m looking to the future – you really see how much you can change the environment by buying local.”
As it stands, there are roughly 15 different vendors on the roster now, and while not all are on campus every week, they all offer something different when they do stop by.
Western doesn’t charge the farmers to set up produce stands, although Hospitality Services has a few stipulations for vendors who want to participate – they must be local and they have to be involved first-hand in the growing and production of their products.
“We’re looking for natural, organic stuff and want people that are engaged with the food and have first-hand knowledge. And they have to be within 100 miles. The average food in the grocery store comes from 2,000 miles and, a lot of the time, the produce they bring in is not ripe,” Robinson explained.
“They have to have a strong commitment to customers; they have to be engaged with customers and what they’re selling. The passion has to be there.”
And these folks are certainly engaged with the campus community, he continued. Students have said they enjoy talking with the vendors, as well as learning about farming practices and produce. Some of the vendors even pick specifically for members of the campus community now, bringing a more personalized haul when they come.
The vendors’ presence near the art gallery has likewise changed the campus atmosphere on Tuesdays.
“They’ve brought to campus that knowledge base. And now with the community involvement, we have a community meeting place. You see a lot of people coming out to have lunch on the beautiful green space around the market and they’re just hanging out. That’s an amazing thing. We’re all in different places around campus, everybody is busy, but you know you have that Tuesday.”
Some of the vendors were once members of the Western community, added Janet Smith, marketing manager for Hospitality Services.
One man, who worked at Centre Spot, retired and has since purchased an acre of land, farming and growing his own produce, and still feeding the campus community, she said. But one vendor in particular stands out for her.
That vendor, Planting Seeds, is run by Kyle Hutcheson, a student at Western, Smith said. He had a really hard time sustaining himself while studying and was, at one point, seriously ill because he wasn’t eating well.
“He came and spoke to us at a meeting and told his story. You take for granted that we can all get healthy and nutritious food. He was getting by, not necessarily making the right choices,” she said.
“Buying local organic food is pricey and he started up his own program, bought an acre of land and started feeding himself. He has two students that work for him now and he pays them with produce. The rest he either sells or donates to My Sister’s Place,” Robinson added.
The campus community loves the availability of fresh local produce on campus and excitement for the market has grown on both sides, Smith said.
“Vendors are amazed at the enthusiasm of students and how they want to learn, talk to them, where they’re from, their process. It makes them feel great to have that place to talk to students as well,” she said.
“This is something big we believe in. It’s about providing the service and the option, but also making sure they are eating healthy.”
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DOWN ON THE FARM: Western’s Farmers’ Market is located centrally on campus in the green space near the McIntosh Gallery 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday.