Walking…with the sun shining down, the brightness bathing the surroundings in an overall good feeling of spring time, the feeling of energy and youth no longer trapped indoors but able to explore the outside; smelling…the freshly grown produce and tantalizing aromas of baked goods such as cookies and pies; tasting…the pure sweetness without the artificial ingredients—a genuine goodness and a fullness of flavor that is all natural.

 Yes, the first annual Farmer’s Market is being held on campus, right before you go home.

The event scheduled from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 16 in the Keane parking lot is led by a group of four Loras students including junior Kimberly DeVore, senior Nicholas Hayden, sophomore Tira Hepker and myself, in association with the Platteville Farmer’s Market and Aramark. The market will include fruits and vegetables, some canned/jarred items, flowers, arts and crafts.

As a project idea for the fulfillment of the requirement for Issues in Global Politics class taught by Professor Jenna Lea, the idea sprang up in a class this past semester.

“This semester the POL 121 Global Issues classes were challenged to consider a global issue that has local impact. One group chose to look at local sustainability efforts and has worked diligently to bring a Farmer’s Market in miniature to Loras to show students how they can contribute to local sustainability by purchasing locally grown and produced products,” said Politics professor Lea. As the idea took root, student organizations such as Peace and Justice and LEAF lended their hand. Aramark became involved as well.

 Originally, the group hoped to raise money to build a wind turbine here on campus, a goal which still may come true owing to the donations received by the Farmer’s Market. But, as it was decreed impractical given the set time limit and the multiple aspects of such a large project, the idea of a Farmer’s Market here on Loras campus was introduced by DeVore. One of the goals behind this enterprise was to help support energy efficiency, but also to give ideas and knowledge.

 Senior Nick Hayden said, “I am really excited that my group and I came up with this idea. With the buy local movement that has been gaining its popularity these last few years, it was only a matter of time before students organized their own farmer’s market.”

 Additionally, this Farmer’s Market is not just about the food, but also about what can be done with the food. In other words, this farmer’s market is also showcasing something more valuable than food—education. Aramark has generously scheduled a cooking demonstration led by one of their chefs.

Volunteers are also needed to help clean up after the event, so please, come, enjoy and help either by supporting the Go Green Initiative or by volunteering to help us afterwards. If interested, be sure to contact Kim DeVore via email at kimberly.devore@loras.edu or by dialing 319-521-7685. Items donated from vendors will be accepted and money raised will enhance the Loras College energy efficiency fund.

Typical food products travel hundreds if not thousands of miles before they end up in your kitchen. That’s a lot of food miles, and a tremendous amount of wasted fossil fuels and packaging. Buying regionally-produced food is a keystone of sustainability: not only does it save the energy costs associated with shipping bulk products; it also keeps a portion of your grocery money close to where you live. So, continue to locate your local farmer’s market this summer and add it to your weekly errands. You’ll be supporting local growers while enjoying fresh, seasonal produce. With steps taken like this, more people will hopefully start thinking of other actionable ways to present a lighter environmental footstep. And that’s how meaningful change begins.

A vendor at her bakery stall at the Dubuque Farmer's market.

Every Saturday morning at dawn, the downtown area around City Hall that stretches between Central & Main Streets on 12th & 13th steets & between Iowa Street between 11th & 14th streets starts to get filled up with vendors. These local growers who come from nearby counties bring locally grown produce to the market. The people you see selling the vegetables, baked goods, flowers and other products are most likely the people who grew them, washed them and brought them to the market.

The open-air market sells home-grown products like vegetables and fruits, bakery items, bedding, flowers and house plants, handmade arts and crafts, all produced locally. Starting from the first Saturday in May, the market goes until the last Saturday of October. The market is the oldest and the longest-running open-air market in the state. On selected Saturdays, some entertainment and special events are also featured.

The market was briefly discounted in the early 1970s due to the declining attendance. The number of vendors coming to the market to sell their products has gone down in the recent years.

Open-air market: An old phoot of the Farmer's Market at the City Hall with horse-drawn wagons on the side. (Courtesy of Loras College Archives)

Olive Steiner, a Dubuque resident who is in her 80s, has a stall in the market. Steiner said, “I’ve been coming here since I was 3 years old. The crowd has decreased steadily in the recent years.”

The market sees a lot of steady customers. The market sees crowds of thousands of customers during June and July when the garden crops ripen in great numbers. According to the Iowa Department of Agriculture, these are a few of the hundreds of seasonal Farmers Markets across the state. The market provides local farmers a place to sell their produce and boost the local economy. Locally produced produce draws hundreds of people every week. The vendors reserve the same spot every week. The vendors pay a seasonal pay to sell their goods. They look forward to the same customers every week.

Linda Sangston, the jolly woman who works at the Asian section at the pub, was spotted at the market. “I come here every once in awhile,” she said. “It’s good to get locally grown produce. It’s fresh, it’s healthy.”

Although modern stores have risen in the area, the tradition has continued. Nathaniel Wagner, Area Coordinator of Rohlman Hall, has been visiting the market for three years. Wagner said, “I enjoy going to the market. Familiar faces, vendors give me and my wife a relaxing morning. Moreover, these sellers who truck from different places of America give us opportunity to meet new people while at the same time supporting the community.”

The Farmers Market is a destination not to be missed, especially for tourists. Folks who haven’t visited this historical open-air market should go there. This Saturday is the last day of the market before it closes for six months. So, get some cookies, some fresh vegetables or fruit and don’t forget to say goodbye to the people from whom you buy these things, for they will be back to see you next season.