Market serves students
Sodexo’s second annual event showcases local businesses and vendors
As students and faculty settle themselves into a new semester, vendors at Liberty’s Farmer’s Market welcome returning students with anticipation.
MOBILE — While others companies use booths and tables, food trucks are also a part of the experience. Photo credit: RJ Goodwin
The farmer’s market serves hundreds of students and Lynchburg residents a variety of goods ranging from homemade dog treats to personalized accessories.
The Barbeque Bistro of Lynchburg is one of many businesses present at the farmer’s market. Owner J.R. Revely explained the origins of his barbecue business and how his father played a large part.
“My dad (who is) retired military … (was) off for the summer,” Revely said. “He kept waking me up at eight o’clock (in the morning) so I said, ‘you have too much time on your hands, let’s do a barbecue,’ and that was how we started our barbecue food truck that we had open all summer.”
Another vendor, Elizabeth Keating, was inspired to begin her business Aprons for Asia after a mission trip to East Asia.
“I needed to raise money for this (mission) trip (to east Asia) that was coming up in the summer,” Keating said. “I was praying about what I should do and my mom is a seamstress so she donated all these fabrics to me. I had already made the apron I’m wearing and I remembered that was pretty easy, so I figured I could sell these.”
In addition to local businesses, the farmer’s market also hosts local food trucks. Rebecca Bennett can often be seen inside the Uprooted Food Truck, an expansion of the local store, The Corner Market.
“It all started on a farm in Gladys, Virginia,” Bennett said. “That is actually my family’s farm. We started raising organic beef, pork and poultry and marketing it directly to cut out the middleman and then as the business grew, we sold at different farmers markets and made a name for ourselves. Last year, we opened The Corner Market and about a month and a half ago we opened the food truck.”
Specialty — Vendors such as Golf Park Coffee Company branched out to potential customers. Photo credit: RJ Goodwin
Another regular vendor, Jessica Borneman, owner of Tanker Tots LLC, has a unique business at the market — dog treats. According to Borneman, the business was born after discovering that their pet dog Tank had several food allergies.
“We came up with the recipe on our own and it is unique to the industry,” Borneman said. “It has millet, sweet potato and egg with no additives in the food.”
Though filled with vendors from the surrounding area, the farmer’s market is not without its own Liberty ties. Sodexo, the official food provider on campus, both hosts and participates in the market.
“Liberty’s farmer’s market is sponsored by Sodexo in that we provide coordination for all the vendors,” Unit Marketing Coordinator for Sodexo Casey Guise said. “It is all coordinated mainly by the Sodexo district manager, Anthony Delligatti, who has a passion for farmers markets.”
In addition to the farmer’s market, Sodexo will also be sponsoring a craft fair this semester.
“In December, Sodexo will host the Liberty Craft Fair,” Guise said. “We did this last year and it was a hit, so there will be another opportunity for those and even more vendors to sell their products.”
The Liberty Farmer’s Market is open every Thursday from 3:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. until Nov. 12 in the Doc’s Diner parking lot. Interested businesses can email anthony.delligatti@sodexo.com for more information regarding setting up a booth.
HOWERTON is a feature reporter.