McKinsey Thompson picks out a pumpkin to buy Saturday morning at the Emporia Farmer’s Market. Megan Gartner/ The Bulletin

For Melissa Crawford, graduate student in IDT, selling food at the Emporia Farmer’s Market is all in the family.

This is the twelfth year that Crawford and her sister, Suzanne Crawford, who graduated from ESU’s athletic training department last year, have sold their homemade baked food at the farmers’ market, baking together and selling together all through their middle school and high school years.

“We’ll help each other out whenever we need and we’realways willing to do this,” Crawford said.

It usually takes the sisters, and their mother, who took over when they went to college, a lot of time and work every week.

“My mom probably put in 20 hours yesterday,” Melissa said. “(I enjoyed these years) for most part. Sometimes you get tired.”

Rod Crawford, their father, said he is proud of his daughters and his family.

“It’s family fun,” he said.

Emporia Farmers’ Market is a seasonal marketplace which was established to provide fresh, local and nutritious food for the Emporia community as well as support area farmers and vendors since 1982.

“Here we get the freshest food,” said Tracy Graham, former manager and currently a volunteer for the market. “The food quality here is higher than you can get at any supermarket.”

Jolene Hund, sophomore biology major, goes to the market once every two weeks. She bought some peaches on Saturday morning to make peach pancakes.

“Here the food is very fresh, very good. It’s really delicious,” Hund said.

During 28 years of development, the market’s sales have increased from $4,000 the first year to $90,000 last year.

Tracy Simmons, Emporia Farmers Market manager, has also introduced new food stamps called Vision Cards for low income people and $1 off coupons for students.

“Students probably would not like to come at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning, but we love to have ESU students here,” Simmons said.

The Emporia Farmers’ Market opens at 8a.m. on Saturdays and 5p.m. on Wednesdays on the corner of Merchant Street and 8^th Avenue. It holds special events every week. This week,Savanna Chestnut will perform her music at 8a.m.on Saturday. The closing event for the season,a pumpkin decorating contest, will be on Oct. 30.

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Physical Education to host Kansas Kids Fitness Day

The Physical Education Department will host the Kansas Kids Fitness Day from 9-11 a.m. tomorrow on the football practice fields. In case of inclement weather, the Fitness Day will take place in the HPER gyms.

About 300 local third graders are expected to participate in the Fitness Day, which has occurred for at least the last three years, said Cody Stockwell, junior physical education major.

Stations with field day activities, including tag, relay, water games and beanbag toss, will be available. Stockwell said that this year’s theme is “Wild West and Kansas History.”

The students who participate will receive goody bags with jump ropes and snacks that are being assembled by a physical education methods class.

Emporia Farmer’s Market to reopen Saturday

The Emporia Farmer’s Market will reopen at 8 a.m. May 2 in the Merchant Street parking lot between 7th and 12th Ave.

For the first time ever, the farmer’s market will accept payment via debit and WIC food assistance cards, said Roger Heineken, manager of the Memorial Union information service center and past board member for the farmer’s market.

The farmer’s market takes place every Saturday during early spring, expanding to both Saturday and Wednesday as more locally grown produce become available later in the year.

Tracey Graham, manager of the farmer’s market, said that asparagus, rhubarb, lettuce, radishes, green onions, a wide array of baked goods and fresh chicken eggs will all be on sale at Saturdays’ market.

Individuals interested in selling goods, fundraising, or showcasing art and music at the Emporia farmer’s market can contact Tracey Graham at (620) 343-6555.

WAW Library accepting ‘Food for Fines’

Until Friday, May 22, students may donate canned goods and non-perishable items to the William Allen White Library lobby in exchange for paying library fines. All donations will be given to the Salvation Army Pantry, which provides local families and individuals with food.

This is the third semester WAW library has done Food for Fines, said Terri Summey, head of access services. One food item equals $1 in fines, up to $30 on an individual account.

Summey said that, with the current economy, it is likely that more Lyon County residents will need to use the services provided by the Salvation Army Pantry.

Guidelines for food donations include only non-perishable canned goods and packaged items; food must not be outdated, according to date stamping on the package; packages must be unopened and undamaged; no candy or produce; and food cannot be used to pay replacement costs for damaged or unreturned materials or for processing fees.

Students who have accumulated more than $10 in fines by the end of the semester may be blocked from enrolling for classes, viewing their transcripts, and accessing financial aid.

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