By Doug Carroll
GCU News Bureau
GCU’s first attempt at a farmers’ market was a success on Tuesday in the eyes of a vendor familiar with several of the markets in metro Phoenix.
Caitlyn McLelland represents her sister’s local company, Wei of Chocolate, at markets and said it can take time for one to catch on. The GCU farmers’ market drew about a dozen vendors to the Quad outside the Arena, and the next one already is on the calendar for Tuesday, April 3.
“They say it takes people seven visits to ‘invest’ in something,” said McLelland, adding that it has taken a farmers’ market at Arizona State University most of three years to develop a following.
“The biggest thing is letting the community know. Talking about it is powerful. … (The Quad) is a nice place where people can walk and look.”
Tamales, salsa, hummus, honey, bread, freeze-dried kale and barbecued pork were among the food items sold at the GCU market, which was planned and organized by senior Matt Muchna, multicultural director for ASGCU.
Muchna said he hopes to have more produce available at the next market and is listening to student preferences. He said he went to the ASU market and to one in downtown Phoenix to get ideas and recruit vendors.
“I want to bring in the community aspect and build it up,” Muchna said.
Each vendor is required to have a health permit and certificate of insurance. McLelland said the ASU market, staged every other Tuesday near the school’s Memorial Union, draws more than 30 vendors and designates one as a “featured vendor” each time.
“Matt has done a lot of the little things you need to do for this,” McLelland said of GCU’s efforts. “The only negative I’ve heard is that people had a hard time finding it from the street.”
Muchna said he wants to keep the focus on food, although Tuesday’s market also had pottery and T-shirt vendors on hand.
“It was packed for lunch,” he said. “The hummus, tamales and salsa were really popular…. Food sells better at these, especially on a weekday.”
For more information about the next farmers’ market at GCU, email Muchna at [email protected].
Contact Doug Carroll at 639.8011 or [email protected].
