Kaitlyn Lewis, News Editor
Every Thursday this summer, the KSU culinary department and the Students for Economic Sustainability are hosting KSU’s Summer Farmer’s Market to sell organic and locally grown products from local businesses in Kennesaw. The market opens to the public every Thursday 4-7 p.m. until Aug. 7, 2014 and is located in KSU’s East Parking Lot on Frey Road.
Fresh produce, honey, homemade pastries, gourmet popcorn and handmade crafts are sold at the Farmer’s Market. All products are locally grown and produced. Th
e market
is a producer-only market, meaning that all the products were made by the seller. In this way, customers can trust that their food is coming from a safe place.
Junior Integrated Studies major Collin Aaronson, who is the market manager of the Students for Economic Sustainability said, “[The Farmer’s Market] makes [buying food] much more safer, and it makes it much more of a knowledge-based experience because you know exactly what’s going into the food… With us, it’s a much more enjoyable experience, the prices are much more competitive and it’s just a greater environment.”
A variety of businesses participate in KSU’s Summer Farmer’s Market every week. “These are all passionate business owners, and they wanted to share their product with the campus,” said Aaronson. “They are more than willing to explain to you what their main purpose is and what they enjoy about it.”
One of the business owners, Lola Wilburn from the Sugar Pie Bakery, sells her homemade pies, cookies, cakes, and candies at the Farmer’s Market. Wilburn said she does as much as she can to ensure that her ingredients are locally grown.
“This is my way of sharing what I can do with the community,” said Wilburn. “It’s my first year ever doing the Farmer’s Market and now [my business] is doing great.”
Another business, called Hope Soap, sells bracelets from Indonesia and homemade soap. Business owner Nikki Lindberg explained her business, which is run by her and her husband, donates 25 percent of its profits to an organization called Out of the Darkness, which rescues victims from sex trafficking. The Lindbergs buy their bracelets from missionaries in India to contribute to their efforts.
“We wanted to bring excellent products on campus for students…because a lot of students live on campus, and they don’t have time to go down the street to Publix or Ingles or so on and buy things on their daily schedule,” said Aaronson.