Farmer’s market to bring sustainable vendors to The Oval Sunday

Isabel Rosario-Montalvo
Fri, 31 Mar 2023 21:47:21 +0000
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Fresh produce from D-Bar Farm and Nursery in Ponder is sold at the Roanoke Farmers Market. Credit: Jeena Stephen via TNS

Ohio State will get back in touch with its roots with a farmer’s market this weekend.?

About 40 sustainable, local vendors and student businesses will be featured in a farmer’s market Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m. on The Oval, Simran Surana, deputy director of sustainable dining for Undergraduate Student Government, said. The market date was moved from Saturday to Sunday due to an inclement weather forecast.?

Marina DeNunzio, director of sustainability for USG and a third-year in history and education, said the Farmer’s Market is part of Time 4 Change Week — a week dedicated to environmental sustainability at Ohio State.?

“It’s a fantastic event to just bring local businesses and student businesses together on The Oval,” DeNunzio said. “It’s such a fun day.”

Surana, a third-year in neuroscience, said there will be a gathering of vendors for upcycled clothing and locally grown food.

Surana said Columbus businesses will present thrifted items, bubble tea, succulent plants and homemade jams for purchase. The student businesses will sell jewelry and other items made from recyclable materials.??

“You can just, kind of, walk around. It’s super casual,” Surana said. “Check out what they’re telling, what they’re doing and walk away with some cool things and walk away with some sustainable knowledge.

Surana said the market is also a way to uplift sustainable student organizations — including Food Recovery Network, Buckeye Precious Plastic, Student Growing Collaborative, Buckeye Food Alliance and others.

“The Bee Club [at The Ohio State University] is coming, and they’re selling honey from our very own Ohio State Waterman Farm,” Surana said.??

Surana said students can earn raffle tickets to win prizes from Patagonia if they visit business owners’ booths and ask about their sustainability practices.

“The more booths you go to, the more you ask about it, the more raffle tickets you get,” Surana said.

The farmer’s market arose from “the need for visibility of local sustainable businesses,” DeNunzio said.

“When you have the option to shop small, shop small. When you have the option shop local, shop local,” DeNunzio said.