By Bradley Gosser

The Buell Armory hosted a first-of-its-kind event on campus Monday. The UK Farmer’s MarCat gave students an opportunity to interact with an important part of the Commonwealth’s local economy.

The event, which was planned for Hilltop Avenue, was moved to Buell Armory because of rain.

Alli Sehon of the Student Activities Board, which organized the event, described it as “an experimental event.”

“We’re going to see what kind of interest there is on campus,” Sehon said, “and we’re trying to communicate with the farmers and other student organizations because the main purpose of this is to be educational.”

Three vendors were present to represent the diverse community of Kentucky farmers and food producers.

Elmwood Stock Farm, based in Scott County, had for sale a variety of fresh vegetables and herbs, beans, greens, poultry, beef and eggs. All of its products are organically grown on a farm less than an hour’s drive from campus, and it operates in all four Lexington farmers markets.

Tricia Houston of Galliton County’s Napoleon Ridge Farm sold tomato and lettuce plants that can be grown in a flowerpot on a windowsill, as well as local honey and value-added products.

“We take products from the farm and then we turn them into what they call value-added,” Houston said. “These are great for college kids because who doesn’t like chips and salsa, or some bourbon pumpkin pecan butter on your toast?”

Houston is the president of Kentucky’s Community Farm Alliance, a 25-year-strong organization that focuses on sustainability and self-sufficiency at the grassroots level.

KHI Foods in Burlington, Ky., sold jars of soups, sauces, jams and honey.

“Basically what we try to do is buy locally grown produce from farmers,” Monica Long, who operated KHI’s booth, said.  “Everything here is made with tomatoes grown in Kentucky, and the pears were grown in Kentucky.”

She spoke about a special niche that her business fills.

“My husband and I have been in business for 14 years now,” Long said. “We have a line of soups that are specifically formulated for people who have digestive problems and cancer treatment. … An amazing number of people (undergoing chemotherapy) don’t die from cancer, they die from malnutrition.”

Also present were organizations that work with Kentucky’s local farming community.

Callie Thomas stood at the booth for Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, which she described as “a social justice organization.”

“We focus a lot on environmental issues that are important to Kentucky, like mountaintop removal, and we also do a lot of stuff with voting rights,” Thomas said. “We are also involved in the local food movement.

We think it’s very important that people support local farmers. We’re looking to help Kentuckians, so we like for people to buy things from Kentucky farmers and stimulate the economy.”

KFTC holds student meetings every Wednesday at 7 p.m. in room 111 of the Student Center.

At the Kentucky Proud booth, Sharon Spencer represented the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.

“We’re promoting our farms in general, as well as our farmers markets,” Spencer said. She said the Department of Agriculture publishes a produce availability guide, letting consumers know what produce is currently in season.

Spencer said that buying products with the Kentucky Proud label is a way for consumers to keep money in the local economy.

“You help support the farmer,” she said, “and you’re getting fresh locally grown.”