Vermillion ‘gets their local on’ with farmers market event

Political science students are trying to create an opportunity to better relationships between Vermillion locals and USD students through a special farmers market event called “Get your local on.”

The event will take place Thursday, Oct. 27, from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Clay County Fairgrounds on High and Cherry Street.

This will be the last outdoor farmers market of 2016, and will include many events. An American Government course at USD has teamed up with the farmers market to prepare the
local event.

Chair of counseling & psychology in education, Amy Schweinle, explained the various vendors that will arrive
that day.

“We have many vendors from around the area (including) process, meat, crafts, knitting and soaps,” Schweinle said. “Then there are the customers who are community members, and we do have some USD students that are vendors.”

Aside from the vendors, Hy-Vee will be grilling and catering, Valiant Vineyard will be having a wine tasting and Fernson Brewery will be having a small batch beer tasting.

Sophomore Elena Freeman, head of the American government group at USD,  said the events will include everything from games
to politics.

“I’m bringing in live music by Coby Provose and also a public speaker (Mark Winegar) to talk about local politics,” Freeman said. “(We will also have) games, trick-or-treating is that night and there’s going to be a vendor for helping (the Verm cat) population.”

The Vermillion Farmers Market is a nonprofit corporation that has weekly farmers markets on Thursdays from 3 to 7 p.m.

There is more put into this final farmers market of the season, however, because it celebrates the
local community,
Schweinle said.

“It celebrates local business and expands it from local good to local politics (and to be) active in the area (and be involved) with the issues in the area,” Schweinle said.

Not only are local business promoted within the farmers market, but the farmers market itself
is promoted.

“Even though this is the last farmers market of the season, I’ve been kind of doing this so more people know about it,”
Freeman said.

Those very people that also don’t know anything about the farmers market can also still get involved.

“We have had some student groups come out and have done bake sales,” Schweinle said.

According to Schweinle, students can also have booths of their choice, as long as they follow state and federal laws.

When this celebration of the local community comes to an end for the farmers market, they will resume again in November at the 4-H building on the third Saturday of every month.

Schweinle said the farmers market is important to her and it’s important to get involved within the local community.

“I’ve been a part of the market since 2003 to some regard and I have watched it grow from a couple of vendors to what we have now (which is) 40 vendors,” Schweinle said. “To me, it is important as a community that it helps to define the community, it defines our region and it really showcases what we have in south-eastern
South Dakota.”