Farmer’s Market provides healthy alternatives

Katherine Lepri/Contributing Writer

FIU has stepped up to the plate as a leader in South Florida with their efforts to introduce a sustainable environment for students and faculty.

Every Wednesday from 12-3 p.m., the Organic Farmer’s Market Consortium sets up shop in the breezeway of the Green Library at Modesto Maidique Campus.

The consortium is run by a council student organization comprised of several organizations, outside vendors, and individual students that come together to promote local, organic agriculture and encourage sustainability.

The market began Aug. 29 and will run until Nov. 12. Each week vendors sell local, organic products, student organizations educate how to live sustainably and there are multiple opportunities to participate in environmentally friendly activities.

The Organic Farmer’s Market Consortium focuses on health and green initiatives. Various health-related workshops, such as yoga and environmental education, are offered. Several organizations, including FIU’s Organic Garden, Students for Environmental Action and the Office of University Sustainability participate in the market.

Alyssa Elso, a Miami native and third year journalism student, attended the organic market for the first time yesterday. “Prior to going, I had seen some fliers as I walked to my classes, but did not really find out about it until I walked through the breezeway of The Green Library as it was taking place,” said Elso. She also said she would definitely be a regular. Regardless of the health benefits, “the food offered is very fresh and delicious and not typically seen or sold on a college campus,” added Elso.

The market sells everything from fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh bread, blended smoothies, organic and vegan desserts and pastries, and even homemade organic soap.

Student members of the Agroecology program and the student-run Garden Club also get involved in the market. They sell produce from the campus organic garden, which occupies half an acre next to the South Florida Ecosystem Preserve.

In Fall 2008, under the leadership of students from the Public Health Department, the market opened as an initiative supporting the University’s sustainability efforts.

According to the Stempel Public Health Association at FIU, the objectives of the market include “providing students with a greater accessibility to fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, raising awareness about the benefits of consuming fresh fruits and vegetables, raise awareness on developing healthy eating habits and to provide recipes for preparing quick, easy and delicious fruit and vegetable dishes.”

The Office of University Sustainability promotes the Organic Farmer’s Market to encourage initiating practices that contribute to a sustainable, high quality of life on campus.

Since opening, the consortium has joined forces with multiple organizations inside of the University, including the Organic Garden. Miles Medina, a first year graduate student studying environmental studies, manages the garden. Since January, he has worked along side Tricia Callahan, the president of the Farmer’s Market Consortium, on incorporating FIU’s campus grown fruits and vegetables at the their market. Some of the produce grown includes avocado, mango, passion fruit, tomato, carrots, pumpkin and beans.

The consortium is just one part of the Office of University Sustainability’s ongoing effort to promote the University as a green campus.

To get more information about the market, visit http://gogreen.fiu.edu/initiatives/food/index.html or https://orgsync.com/9888/chapter. The Organic Farmer’s Market can also be found on Yelp.

-life@fiusm.com