FEATURES
Farmers' market provides fresh place to buy food
September 21, 2012
BY ALLISON DEBUSK
Staff Writer
Looking for a place that sells healthy, fresh vegetables at an
affordable price? Look no further than the recently established
Guilford Farmers Market.
Junior Helen Mandalinic, Bonner Center hunger fellow and
market manager, conceived the idea in April and began holding
markets in July through collaboration with the Bonner Center
for Community Service and Learning. The summer months are
the most productive for the Guilford Farm, but most of the crop
is not used. The farmers' market was a way to use the excess.
Currently, the market is held on Wednesdays between 2:30
p.m. and 4:30 p.m. in front of the entrance to the Grill.
This project is about more than selling excess vegetables.
Mandalinic and senior Katie Maloney, co-manager, hope to
educate the community.
"The availability of fresh food is often overlooked in hunger
relief," said Mandalinic. "It shouldn't be a privilege (to have
fresh food)."
In addition to educating about himger relief, they also aspire
to inform students about the foods they are consuming.
"It's not something (students are) aware of," said Maloney.
"They don't know how these colorful foods are full of good
things."
The benefits of buying from the farmers' market go beyond
CHANGE
Students browse the plants and produce available at the farmers'
market, which sells fresh vegetables from the Guilford farm.
the nutrition in the vegetables. Purchases from the market can
ease some of the economic stress that many people are feeling.
"Things are way cheaper (at the market)," said Mandalinic
as she picked up a habanero pepper. "This pepper is 25 cents.
That's pocket change. For five bucks, you can make dinner for
tonight or for a few nights."
"Compared to the farmers' market in Kentucky, it's cheaper,"
said senior Alex Rickman from Lexington, Kentucky.
The profits from the-market go back to the farm and the
school, producing more than financial benefits.
"It creates a good bond between the students and the
farmers," said senior Madison Hetzel.
The market will be offering a variety of produce, depending
on the season, as well as freshly cut zinnias. Pasture-raised beef
from Tomahawk Farms, owned by Frank Massey, Initiative on
Faith and Practice gifts discernment coordinator, is also sold at
the market. All of the items for sale are grown using organic
practices.
Mandalinic and Maloney have many hopes for the future of
the market. One is finding more vendors who also want to sell
extra produce that they are not selling to restaurants or other
customers.
Another hope is to involve more people. As more vendors
are added and the market grows, the managers want more
people to help organize events, advertise and sell.
Maloney expressed their biggest goal for the market.
"Our hope is that other people will get excited."
The market is held on Wednesdays between
2:30 p:m. and 4:30 p.m. in front of the entrance
to the Grill.
CHANGE Jr. offers mentors, models
Continued from Page I
... as a high school student, I would have
liked to learn from the experience of college
students," said Drew.
Senior Monterikia Barthell, a new
member of the Africana CHANGE Program
and a mentor for CEIANGE Jr., was always
influenced by positive black women and
wants to do the same for other young
ladies.
"There were always successful young
women around me that I use to look up to,
and they challenged me to become more
than just a statistic," said Barthell.
When asked what she hoped to gain
from the program, she responded, "I want
to be able to look and see things from their
perspective."
Senior Tj Evans, a first-year in the Africana
CHANGE Program and second-year
participant and mentor in the CHANGE
Jr. Program, believes it is important for him
to "reach out to the kids, help them to find
their culture ... (and) teach them things
that they don't really teach in high school
these days."
Evans wished he had someone to tell
him to push himself in high school so that
he could have a better future.
"My biggest mentor was my mother,"
said Evans. "She was my mother, my father
and everything. ... She kept me out of
trouble."
He also said it would have been nice
to have a male figure as a mentor, which
is what led him to the Africana CHANGE
Program.
Drew has created a multifaceted
organization that represents the encouraging
atmosphere, intelligence and minorities
that live in the Guilford community.
When asked what she appreciates the
most about the program. Drew stated, "the
power of connecting generations, that's
what I get out of it."
CO-OP
The Greenleaf is an experiment in an alternative business
model as part of our vision of a better world. We are a non-
hierarchal, member-run coffee cooperative. We strive to
uphold our values of community, anti-oppression, social
and economic justice, and sustainability. We attempt to
do this through educating ourselves and the community,
conscience purchasing, and supporting other groups
that share our values.
GREENLEAF COUPON
BRING THIS COUPON TO THE
GREENLEAF FOR A 15% DISCOUNT
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EXPIRES 9/20/12
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