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Tuesday, September 5, 1995
UNIVER'SITY DAILY KANSAN
Market provides fruitful alternatives
By Craig Lang Kansan staff writer
Del Fambrough couldn't find what she wanted at the grocery store.
Fambrough, Lawrence resident, found the Farmers Market instead. She has been a regular customer at the market for 10 years because of its unique variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.
"You can't get black-eyed peas anywhere else," she said.
For 20 years, residents from the Lawrence area have set up produce stands a few times each week to sell fresh fruits, vegetables and baked goods. The Farmers Market is in the parking lot next to Wild Oats Community Market, 1040 Vermont St. Its hours are 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturdays and 4 to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursdays. The market is open from the second Saturday in May to the second Saturday in November.
Floyd and Becky Ott, Eudora residents, said they were part of the first Farmers Market in 1975. Then, produce was sold from the back of five pick-up trucks at a parking lot in north Lawrence. Since then, the market has moved to the 700 block of Vermont Street and then to its current site.
Floyd Ott said he and his wife originally took part in the market because they wanted to sell the excess fruit that came from their half-acre garden.
"That half-acre got us $80," he said.
With the extra money they made.
the Otts were able to grow more produce and increase sales. Today, they have almost 20 acres.
Kevin Irick, Linwood resident, said the produce sold at the Farmers Market was better than the produce sold at supermarkets.
"The quality is 10 times better," he said. "Everything on this table was picked yesterday."
Sue Dubowski, market manager, said grocery stores had gravitated toward making produce more aesthetically pleasing, instead of making it taste good. She said grocery stores didn't allow fruits and vegetables to grow long enough.
At the market, Dubowski wants the customers to be pleased with the quality of the produce and not necessarily the appearance, she said.
"I want people to come back because it tastes good," she said.
Mitchell Pearson, Lawrence freshman and former market manager, said all 65 stalls at the lot normally were occupied. This year, Pearson said only about 80 percent of the stalls were being used because farmers had not been as successful with their crops.
"This year it's been a little crazy," Pearson said.
Harry Cook, Lawrence resident, said that although business at his stand had been good, the growing season had been less fruitful than in previous years. He blamed it on the strange weather during the summer.
"Too much rain early, too hot later," Cook said.
A thunderstorm didn't keep shopkins from the Farmers Market Saturday. The market is next to Wild Oats Community Market, 1040 Vermont.
Edmee Rodriguez / KAMBAN
Facility a real gem, geology faculty says
By Brenden Sager Kansan staff writer
Thanks to $673,000 in grants, the geology department plans to make the most of dirt and water in a new research facility.
Construction is scheduled to begin in November. The facility, which will be in Lindley Hall, will replace an obsolete lab in Lindley and will include three new machines to allow faculty and students to better examine the components of rocks, water, sediments and soil. The W.M. Keck Foundation and the National Science Foundation provided $475,000 in funds, and the University of Kansas supplied the rest.
"It's on the leading edge of technology," said G. L. Macpherson, assistant professor of geology.
She said the research foundations chose KU's geology department over others because of its commitment to using modern and reliable technology.
"They recognize the University of Kansas as being on the move with its research facilities," Macpherson said. "Now we can do any analysis of rocks and water."
Three major machines will be used to break down specimens into various elements. A Laser Ablation Micro Probe is used to cut minuscule bits of specimens destined to be scrutinized further by either the Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer or the Inductively
Coupled Plasma Optic Emissions Spectrometer.
"We planned a facility that would use the latest, well-established technology," Macpherson said.
Grant money also will be used for a full-time laboratory technical assistant as well as new paintbrushes, drills and saws.
There could be some immediate benefits to having these new research tools, Macpherson said. Her research focuses on natural water systems, and she is investigating the role of fertilizer nitrates in ground water—a common problem in many Kansas farming communities.
When high concentrations of nitrates get into drinking water, infants can die from what is called blue baby syndrome. Macpherson said she planned to use the new machines to find out how natural processes in topsoil work to break down nitrates to less toxic levels.
Terry Plank, assistant professor of geology, studies volcanoes. With the new machines, she will be able identify the age, depth and make-up of nearly any rock that comes her way, she said.
Graduate students working on research and undergraduates working on approved projects also will be permitted to use the new machines, Plank said.
"The facility is great," Plank said. "It basically analyzes the elements in anything."
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ATTENTION FRESHMEN
- Board of Class Officers are now taking Applications for Freshmen Class Officers.
- Applications can be picked up in the OAC of the Student Union (Level 4).
- Elections are Tues. and Wed., Sept. 12 and 13 from 9:00 a.m.to 3:00 p.m.
- Applications and a $5 fee are due Friday, Sept.8 by 4:00 p.m.in the OAC.
- There will be a Required Informational Meeting at 4:00 in the Governors Room at the Student Union.
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