The Student Government Sustainability Commission is planning to establish a farmers’ market in the Brickyard by this spring to run once a week.  Organizers said they hope to be able to provide local food to students at an affordable price.

Eric Ballard, a senior in agricultural communication, said he wants to have local foods available to students and staff members.

Ballard said, the committee is planning on having the market open on either Wednesdays or Fridays from 11 a.m. to about 2 p.m.

“I think that it will be a big hit, especially for faculty members,” Ballard said.

Eric Scholz, a sophomore in engineering, said he believes that the market would be great to have available.

“I would definitely buy a lot of fruit,” Scholz said. “Lots of varieties would be nice. It depends on what is in season and can be grown locally.”

The committee wants to provide locally grown fruits, vegetables and fresh cut flowers at first. Ballard said the committee hopes to eventually also be able to offer jams, jellies and crafts.

“I would mostly be interested in the fruits and vegetables, but the occasional jam or jelly would also be nice,”Scholz said.

Ballard said a few years ago that an internship program started a farmers’ market on campus. This ended in part because the cost of transporting the crops from Goldsboro.

“We are planning to provide local crops from farmers around Lake Wheeler,” Ballard said.

Ballard said the food should be affordably priced and possibly lower than students are used to seeing at grocery stores.

Some students like Ashley Thornton, a sophomore in textiles, say that they really support the idea.

“I would buy fruit and vegetables and flowers when I had money available,” Thornton said.

Nicole Wanke, a sophomore in education, agreed. 

“It would provide a good social atmosphere for lots of students,” Wanke said.

Wanke feels like the market would be healthier. “Usually produce at a farmers’ market is genuinely fresh.”

In the next year or two, the Sustainability Committee hopes to start using AllCampus as a means of payment, Ballard said.

Thornton said it would be more convenient to do so since she doesn’t usually carry cash.

“I would be more likely to purchase items if I could use my AllCampus Card,” Thornton said.

The market, Ballard said, will be continued through the summer semester.

UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke and Wake Forest each have a farmers market on campus.  He said he thinks N.C. State should have a farmers market because it is  a school that has a rich agricultural program.

“We want it to be a service,” Ballard said. 

He said he feels that students should have an opportunity to buy fresh, raw fruits and vegetables from campus.

Thornton said that it would be a lot healthier than lots of the food options on campus now.

“Greasy pizza verses fresh fruit,” Thornton said. “Easy choice.”