By Elijah Mckenzie

In the heart of downtown Louisville, where the green grass has mostly been covered in pavement, people would hardly expect to find a place that sells garden-fresh food. Those living in urban neighborhoods would have to travel long distances to find a grocery store that carries locally grown produce. Here to break that spell is the Gray Street Farmers’ Market.

In an attempt to expand access to fresh, locally grown food in the downtown area, the University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences worked with community partners to launch the Gray Street Farmers’ Market.

Glen Reid, Administrative Assistant of Sponsored Programs for the School of Public Health and Information Sciences, is a regular volunteer at the Gray Street Farmers’ Market.

“The presence of a downtown Farmers’ Market gives people an opportunity to support local farmers and learn more about sustainable living,” said Reid. “It also offers a healthier option away from the usual fast food restaurants.”
The Farmers’ Market on Gray Street provides customers with an array of fruits, vegetables, farm-raised meat, eggs, cheese, crafts and flowers, feeling like an oasis of freshness in a concrete desert.

Cleta Ragan, a produce vendor from Ragan Farm, has been selling fruits, vegetables and herbs at Gray Street for 2 years. Ragan said she hope that farmers’ markets, on Gray Street and elsewhere, would encourage other farmers to participate and start selling more within the community.

“People who don’t get to buy fresh produce, or those who normally buy canned vegetables, will have the opportunity to buy farm-grown food here in the city,” said Ragan.

She also believes that Farmer’s Markets will educate younger generations about the importance of sustainability and healthy living.

“Many of the children we’ve encountered think their food comes from Kroger or McDonalds,” said Ragan. “I suppose these kids have never been taught that almost everything they eat comes out of the ground.”

Assistant to the Provost for Sustainability Initiatives, Justin Mog, has been working to continue several of the ongoing sustainability initiatives on campus for the past year. His goal in working with local farmers’ markets is not just about healthy eating habits, but also about keeping the local economy healthy and creating a sustainable environment.
“The big picture question is this: How did my food get to me? And will it improve the quality of my health and community?” said Mog, pointing out the need for a change in the way many people approach food consumption. “I would much rather UofL students eat local because it’s seasonal, fresh and healthy.”

According to Mog, the average meal travels 1,500 miles from the place it is grown to the place it is consumed. This, he says, is the epitome of unsustainability.

“These local farmers’ markets are a great way of tying the goals of sustainability together,” said Mog. “It promotes a great community environment, supports the local economy and allows people to eat food that is made here.”

For students that want to shop at the market on Gray Street, but are hesitant about driving downtown, there are alternate modes of transportation.

The northbound #2 TARC bus will transport ID-carrying UofL students to the market at 2nd & Cardinal. Students should hop off the bus at 2nd & Broadway and walk four blocks east on Broadway, then one block north on Preston to Gray Street.

Bike-riding students will also find the short distance from campus to the market easy to navigate. A mere 15 minutes from Belknap, the simplest way is to take Brook Street, going right at Burnett Avenue one block to Floyd Street. This will be a signed bike route all the way to Gray Street, where a right turn will take riders straight into the market.

The Gray Street Farmers’ Market will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Thursday until October 28, 2010. The market is located on the 400 block of East Gray Street, between South Preston and South Jackson streets.
For more information about the farmers’ market on Gray Street and other locations, visit http://louisville.edu/sphis/gsfm/support-farmers2019-markets.html