Sacramento State’s Associated Student Inc. Green Team is gearing up to launch the first farmers market Thursday in front of The Well after planning and consulting with business vendors.

ASI Executive Vice President Blake Menezes, who is also chair of ASI’s Green Team, said planning for the ASI Farmers Market was possible with the help of other organizations on campus, such as Student Affairs, University Enterprises Inc. and The Well.

“We’ve worked closely with various departments on campus to make this an event that is supported by the administration as a whole,” Menezes said.

Menezes said the vendors at ASI Farmers Market will be selling an array of fruits and vegetables. Up to eight vendors chosen by the farmers market work group will be present at the event.

“We will be having fresh fruits and vegetables at the farmer’s market along with food prep demonstrations by The Well,” Menezes said. “Some of our vendors may also be bringing fresh flowers.”

ASI President and Green Team board member Laura Gonzalez said planning the ASI Farmers Market is beneficial because it implements a new tradition on campus and allows members of the Green Team to communicate with other vendors in order to create a successful business model.

“Planning the farmers market event has been a learning experience in not only planning an event but also establishing a new asset to the Sac State campus culture,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez said not only has the ASI Green Team worked with other vendors, but it has also promoted Sac State as a place where good business takes place – making the farmers market the best it can be.

“We have had to create a business plan, initiate relationships with vendors, communicating the benefits of selling at Sacramento State to vendors, understanding the various parties involved from local government to university administration and auxiliaries, complying with health and safety permits, promoting the event effectively and being aware of the purpose of the event by using farmers market survey feedback as a guideline throughout our planning,” Gonzalez said.

Other CSUs have been used as model examples for establishing what needs to be included in the farmers market Gonzalez said.

“Farmers markets on college campuses is something fairly new,” Gonzalez said. “We have been using two of our sister campuses, San Francisco State and San Diego State, as examples in creating the framework for the ASI Farmers Market at Sac State.”

Senior business major Kirk Anderson said he is looking forward to the farmers market on campus because he said the organic produce appeals to him.

“One of my big interests right now is nutrition and fresh food and eating more plant based things,” Anderson said. “The fact that a farmers market is coming to campus is very exciting.”

The first ASI Farmers Market will hopefully garner many attendees among student, faculty and staff as well as be a part of the Sac State campus culture, Menezes said.

“We hope that Sac State students enjoy it a lot,” Menezes said. “Putting on the ASI Farmers Market event is actually part of our feasibility study.”

Gonzalez said the response throughout planning ASI’s Farmers Market has been welcoming among the Sac State community and she said she hopes the first event will help gauge how upcoming farmers markets will operate.

“The ASI Farmers Market has received great response from students, faculty, staff and community members,” Gonzalez said. “By having this event in April, we will gain more insight on what future farmers markets at Sac State will look like.”

Camille Anglo can be reached at [email protected].