Farmers' markets get help from GVSU

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- An anthropology course at Grand Valley State University is spending two days a week at area farmers markets in addition to classroom time this summer. The focus is on food, culture and community during an ethnographic field school, coordinated by Russell Rhoads, associate professor of anthropology.

The class is collaborating with two community partners: The Fulton Street Farmers' Market and the West Grand Neighborhood Organization. While the students focus on developing surveys and conducting interviews with venders, farmers and consumers, they will also assess the organization and impact the markets have on their communities.

The six-week study will be concluded June 20 and provide a comparison of the two markets, one established and strong, the other new and still growing.

"The WGNO received a Cool Cities Grant to revitalize the area with a stronger business presence," said Rhoads. "Andrea Bardelmeier, the Turner Gateway/Cool Cities project manager and a leader of the WGNO requested our help. One part of our study has students surveying existing businesses in the area and tracking if the addition of the farmers' market helps to increase their business as well."

Rhoads has facilitated three previous field school projects: The Holland Farmers' Market in 2003, Exposure and Vision: A Latino Youth Photography in 2001, and Assimilation and Advocacy: Forging Identities in Hispanic Grand Rapids in 1998.

The manager of the Fulton Street Farmers Market, Jayson Otto, was in Rhoads 2003 class that studied the Holland farmers market. So was Melissa Harrington, a GVSU anthropology graduate. She and recent grad Autumn Shroyer are graduate assistants for the current course. Shroyer will be moving to Florida, where she hopes to find a similar position. Harrington is a graduate student and writing her thesis on farmers markets.

Photo caption: A vendor from Visser Farms listens to advice from Russell Rhoads, while students Kate Monahan and Ty Falk take notes at the West Grand Neighborhood Organization Farmers Market.