Pumpkins, cheese, cider, onions, squash and more await the Marquette community as the university holds its first Fresh Fall Farmers Market today.

Sponsors — including Marquette University Student Government, Students for an Environmentally Active Campus and Sodexo, among others — will finally see their ideas reach fruition following several years of failed attempts to organize a market event.

“This event will raise awareness for the MU community about local farmers and their goods,” said Tara Vandygriff, MUSG’s co-special events coordinator, in an e-mail. “Behind the scenes, a lot of great teamwork and collaboration has gone into this event, and it has really drawn departments across the campus closer, which I believe makes a stronger campus.”

Seven local vendors, who all work in conjunction with Sodexo, will be selling a variety of in-season produce in front of Straz Tower. Whatever food is left over will be purchased and used in university cafeterias.

In addition to giveaways and samplings, there will also be a harvest-themed meal inside the Straz cafeteria, said Amy Melichar, a coordinator for the Center for Health Education and Promotion, also an event sponsor.

“It’s supporting locally grown produce,” Melichar said. “There’s going to be fruit, veggies, squash, pumpkins — things students can use. Whether it’s students buying a bag of apples for their dorm or you live in Campus Town and are just learning how to cook and need access to good fruits and veggies, it’s perfect.”

Students will be able to purchase items using Marquette Cash, according to MUSG officials.

Derek Merten, a senior in the College of Business Administration and co-special events coordinator for MUSG, said in an e-mail the farmers market has been something students and staff have wanted for a while.

“There has been a trend throughout the campus and America in general to become more healthy and understand where their food is coming from,” Merten said in an e-mail. “I hope they see how Sodexo is really working with these farmers to incorporate these items into their food.”

In addition to promoting nutrition and health awareness, Michael Whittow, assistant to the vice president in the university’s Office of Administration, said the market will “provide another opportunity to showcase some of the many things we do that help make us a very sustainable university.”

Marquette’s Office of Sustainability is also a sponsor for the market.

“This may lead to other farmers markets on campus in the future,” Whittow said in an e-mail. “The collaboration of students, Sodexo and the Office of Sustainability can help launch new ideas that will continue to move the university forward on other initiatives.”

Furthermore, Merten said the event will encourage students to take initiative to make healthier choices.

“We live in a time where everything seems to be fast food because I don’t have time to cook healthy, but I hope that giving the student access to fresh, healthy foods within a walking distance will motivate more to actually take another step to becoming healthier,” Merten said.

Special to the Tribune

Article by Marissa Evans