OSU farmers market caters to all on campus
BY SARA PLUMMER World Staff Writer
Thursday, August 19, 2010
8/19/10 at 5:43 AM
STILLWATER - Oklahoma-grown vegetables will now be available just yards away from students and employees at Oklahoma State University.
We just come over on our lunch break," said Shelby Clanahan, who works at the college of business and used to go to the Stillwater farmers market on Saturday mornings. "This is just so much more convenient."
The OSU farmers market started in July and will be open twice a month through October. The market was started by officials from University Dining Services and the Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center.
The idea came from an effort by dining services last year to incorporate more local products into college food options, said Tim Cox, the office's manager.
"The main difference between city markets and our market is we're open to everybody," said Yeon-Ho Shin, a graduate assistant with University Dining Services and one of the farmers market managers.
The OSU market has vendors from across the state, including Stillwater, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Perkins and Enid, Shin said.
Stephen Bulleigh, co-owner of Broken Arrow-based Yumola, said it's worth the drive to Stillwater to sell his family's granola snacks.
"It's fun being here and meeting everybody," Bulleigh said. "We bought some produce last time we were here."
The farmers market also gives small, family-owned Oklahoma companies a chance to garner new customers and expand business, said Andrea Graves, business planning and marketing specialist with the Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center.
Ron Crain of the Wagon Creek Creamery in Helena, said farmers markets are great places to sell his fresh meat and cheeses.
"I have been wanting to market in Stillwater. It's a university town with an educated population," Crain said.
Monica Casey and Lyn Putnam, who both work at the Atherton Hotel in the OSU Student Union, have shopped at the market both times it's been open.
"We can't always get away to go someplace," Casey said. "When you buy it like this, you know where it comes from."
Putnam said she enjoys the quality of food she buys at the market.
"It's great to be able to have those local, fresh products," she said.
The next farmers market at OSU is slated for Aug. 26, and it will be the first one offered after classes resume on Monday.
Crain said he is looking forward to seeing students shopping at the farmers market.
"They really are more concerned about food and diet," he said. "They're thinking more along the lines of local foods."
Farmers market
What: Oklahoma State University farmers market
Where: Top level of Student Union parking garage
When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month through October
Vendors: 10 to 20 vendors selling produce, meat, cheeses, granola, jewelry and more. Products must be grown, made or manufactured in Oklahoma.
For more: tulsaworld.com/osufarmersmarket
Original Print Headline: Buying closer to home
Sara Plummer 581-8465
sara.plummer@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Monica Casey (left) and Shannon Boyton shop for produce recently at the farmers market on the Oklahoma State University campus in Stillwater. SARA PLUMMER/Tulsa World
More than a dozen vendors - selling state-produced fruits and vegetables, meat, herbs, jewelry, granola and cheeses - are part of a farmers market on the OSU campus in Stillwater. The market is open on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month through October. SARA PLUMMER/Tulsa World
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