If you like buying your fruits and vegetables from local farms, then you will benefit from the farmers market coming to campus Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. outside of the amphitheater, the intersection of East 13th Avenue and University Street.
Beginning this Thursday, the ASUO is launching a weekly farmers market showcasing four local farms from the Eugene-Springfield area, which will run for four consecutive Thursdays.
“The ASUO just wants to promote a healthy lifestyle and making it easier for students to make that choice,” said ASUO events coordinator Amelie Rousseau. “It’s a tangible service that provides resources that make it easier to make healthy choices.”
The four markets that will be showcased at the market include Slo Farm, McKenzie River Organic Farm, Gathering Together Farm and Lonesome Whistle Farm.
Another focus of the market, Rousseau says, is to increase a working relationship between the Eugene and campus community.
“(Farmers) don’t see campus as a potential market and I think a lot of students are conscientious about what they eat, but it takes a lot of time and money to get healthy food, so hopefully the event will lessen that,” she said.
The farmers market will not act as a fundraiser for the ASUO, the idea to host a farmers market came from her own passion for local, organic food and also the one-day market put on by Daniel Rottenberg during Earth Day last spring.
“It’s something I’ve been thinking about doing since I got the job, didn’t know if I had time, so I’m really excited that it’s actually going to happen,” Rousseau said. “I have a really strong personal passion for local produce and supporting local agriculture. It was hugely supported by everyone I talked to, (they) told me to go for it, so I did.”
Rottenberg, who is the Environmental Advocate for the ASUO, encouraged Rousseau to follow through with the idea, and is excited to see the idea come to fruition.
“I’m extremely excited about (the market). I’m trying to get the word out in the environmental community so that we can really have a successful event, and really encourage them to come back, to provide them with sales and optimism for future campus farmers,” he said.
Rottenberg emphasizes that not only students, but also staff will benefit from the market as well.
“Faculty get just as excited about an on-campus farmers market,” he said. “You can imagine, they get to bring fresh fruits and vegetables home to their families from their workplace.”
Tom Murray, owner of Slo Farm (which stands for “seasonal, local, organic”), has come to campus in the previous year and is looking forward to being a part of Thursday’s event as well.
“We had a really good time, really liked the experience. It’s a totally different crowd, young energy and excitement,” he said.
He enjoys coming to campus because it allows him to interact with a new market that is not necessarily familiar with farmers markets.
“It’s a great way to get exposure to markets and people who aren’t used to that. At other markets, a high percentage of the crowd is a regular crowd, they’re informed shoppers,” he said. “Some of the people connected to the University are from out of the area, maybe they’ve never been to a farmers market before. It’s great to meet new people who are having their first experience.”
Rousseau’s goal is that the event will eventually become as expected and highly anticipated as ASUO’s Street Faire.
“If it goes well, it will hopefully become a regular part of campus life,” she said. “My ultimate goal is that it will carry on, for people to ask, ‘Why didn’t we have this sooner?’ and to say, ‘Of course we have a farmers market.’”
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