Flyer Farmers Market takes off

As students returned, bringing campus back to life, the first-ever Flyer Farmers Market launched  Aug. 24 in the Kennedy Union Central Mall. Featuring local farmers and vendors, the market attracted hundreds of students, faculty and staff who gathered and found many fresh options, including produce, coffee, spices and cupcakes.

“I love the fair trade theme for most of the tables and how interactive it is,” said Sama Ahmed ’23.

The market, which has been in the planning stages for almost a year, brings together campus groups working to promote the University’s sustainability initiatives in collaboration with the Hanley Sustainability Institute, which works with UD and the surrounding community toward a more sustainable campus.

Another Flyer Farmers Market partner is the Brook Center, which helps students in creating healthy relationships with themselves and others to cultivate an ethic of well-being. 

“The Brook Center is all about relationship education ... relationship with self, others, and your environment,” said Kristen Keen, the director and assistant dean of students for the Brook Center.

Keen said she is excited about the opportunity to promote healthy relationships between students and food, and she said the market has big plans for the future. She hopes to get more student organizations involved, host a student-led cooking demonstration and possibly add live music.

Joan Bauman, the executive director of Dining Services, added that most vendors are taking Flyer Express in addition to traditional cash or card, while Rudy on the Run can also accept students’ meal plan and neighborhood plan.

The Flyers Farmers’ Market will be back every Tuesday through Nov. 2 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. for the campus community.

More vendors will be added in coming weeks, with these having attended the inaugural event:

Blue Bus Coffee Roasters
Big Axe Spice
I Heart Ice Cream
Little Miami Farms
Stillwater Valley Orchard and Apiary
Tom’s Garden
Twist Cupcakery          
UD Bookstore

For more information on the Flyer Farmers Market, contact flyerfarmersmarket@udayton.edu.