On at least one college campus this summer, the stigma attached to "campus food" will suffer a substantial blow. Beginning June 30, the University Community Farmer's Market will begin bringing fresh locally grown produce, as well as jellies and jams, to UB's South Campus, in the parking lot north of Allen Hall near the junction of Kenmore Ave. and Main St. The market will be open every Saturday rain or shine from 8 am to 1 pm. until October 13.
"The University Community Farmer's Market is a partnership between two community groups, the University Heights Collaborative and the Eggertsville Community Organization, and UB" said Pamela Beal, neighborhood outreach coordinator for UB Community Relations. "We think of the Market as another asset for the neighborhood around the UB South Campus and as a way to bring people onto campus so they get to know each other and people at UB better." The market will serve as an important example of successful collaborative effort between the campus and its surrounding community, something Cheryl Pavlov-Shapiro of the University Heights Collaborative hopes to see much more of in the future, stressing increased campus/community ties as "a priority of [the] group."
In the case of the market, interaction between the university and the local community was an essential catalyst. "We tried to do a farmer's market independently last year and couldn't do it, we were too small a group, we had a lack of funds and accessibility...but between UB and us, once we got together, it took off. They needed the community aspect from us, we needed funds," said Pavlov-Shapiro, "UB has been fantastic, they supplied us with an area and took care of legalities. With just our little group it would have taken so much more time and effort...." UB could only go so far as a college campus, and the Collaborative could only go so far as a community organization, but when the two came together, "It was awesome."
Hailey Mack, a dietitian intern at UB, is completing her internship this summer to become a Registered Dietitian and will be on hand each week to "promote the benefits of fresh produce and spark ideas for using a variety of fruits and vegetables, " said Janice Cochran of Wellness Education Services, as well as "provide health information that may be useful (e.g. foods high in soluble fiber to help lower cholesterol)." In addition to health benefits, Cochran points to other draws to the market, such as "getting to know who grows your food, getting to know your neighbors, helping local farmers, the local economy, and the environment (less emissions used to deliver the food)." Though the market is for the entire community, the specificity of its location offers additional benefits to college students, who are often left with limited choices, at least to some degree, when it comes to food. Cochran hopes the market will "provide close access for fresh seasonal produce, and may encourage eating and cooking new foods" for students on campus. From this college student's point of view, the idea of fresh produce right on campus is almost unspeakable. Veggies, fruits, homemade jams! Oh, the unprocessed, locally grown possibilities. They are endless.
The University Community Farmer's Market will be a delicious, healthy addition to the neighborhood. In the case of this particular market, however, it's a about so much more than food. It's a crucial union between campus and community, and it's only the beginning. In the blossoming community of University Heights, the farmer's market will certainly be a valuable asset in the push towards its full potential, becoming, as Beal stated in her goals for the market, "one of Buffalo's destination neighborhoods."