Making healthier choices is much easier when they are cheap and when they are brought to you.
Southeastern’s student environmental club, Reconnect, sponsored the last farmer’s market of the semester on Thursday, Nov. 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Student Union Mall.
“It’s extremely important to communicate with the students and community that they have a choice where they get their food,” said Cecelia Palermo, a junior biology major, vice president of Reconnect and farmers market intern. “It doesn’t have to be shipped from miles away; it doesn’t have to be chemically ripened.  It can be locally sustainable.  You can put money back into your local economy by supporting the farmers.”
The farmers market was a way in supporting the Real Food Challenge.
Sweet potatoes, lemons, red radish, white radish, squash, green onions and pecans were only a few of the available produce.
Palermo emphasized on the importance and great benefits that can be gained from buying locally grown foods at farmers markets. Locally grown food not only tastes better but is fresher, healthier, helps the local economy, uses less fuels and uses less energy.
“Their soil has a lot more nutrients,” added Palermo. “There’s less chemicals, less pesticides so it’s a lot healthier for you.”
A positive factor that should catch the attention of most college students is the fact that the produce from the farmers market is considerably cheaper than what you would find in an average grocery store.
“When you are buying directly from the farmer it’s cheaper,” said Palermo.
Buying directly from the farmers is beneficial on both the farmers’ and buyers’ side. The farmer gets more of the money compared to if they sold through a wholesaler.
Reconnect sponsored the only student-run farmers market on a college campus in Louisiana.  The club is also a participant in the Real Food Challenge, which promotes the use of nationally grown, sustainable, healthy food.