Radian to host farmer's market

Starting today at noon until 2pm, the Radian Plaza will host a farmer's market featuring healthy snacks and locally grown produce. The market will be held every Friday until July 30.

As the market is a collaborative effort by The Food Trust, University City District and the Rotunda, the produce will come from Seeds for Learning Farm at Martin Luther King High School and Visalli’s Scattered Acres Farm, and vegan, gluten-free snacks from Greenwood Kitchen. Locally sourced musicians such as the West Philadelphia Orchestra and the samba collective Unidos da Filadelfia will perform at the market.

"Even though Fresh Grocer is right there, it doesn't have the same feel as locally grown food," said College junior and Radian resident Amanda Young, who said she looked forward to attending. However, she said that until now places to buy locally sourced, organic, and vegan were inconveniently situated.

Young said her friend, who is "really big on healthy foods," generally has to trek deep into West Philadelphia in search of the perfect produce. In contrast, the farmer's market is well located, and in an "area where there's a lot of traffic."

Other nearby farmer's markets includes the Saturday Farmer's market at Clark Park on 43rd and Baltimore. According to University City District Director of Marketing and Communications Lori Brennan, this new farmer's market is meant to complement existing ones and make buying local more accessible.

Brennan said that the University City District seized the opportunity to start the market this summer when they had accumulated enough funding. Sponsors include Philadelphia Weekly and the University City Review.

Although the Radian Plaza market is set to end on July 30, Brennan said if all goes well University City District will consider making the market a more permanent establishment.

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