Since 2008, Slow Food UW interns have been regulars at the South Madison Farmers Market, encouraging students to trek down South Park Street to meet local farmers, try out some of Madison’s best produce, and visit the restaurants and businesses along the way. This campus-community partnership promotes a "two way street" of information and resource sharing between UW-Madison and South Madison, cultivating a greater sense of community within all participants.
Beginning at the South Madison Famers Market, we asked market manager Robert Pierce, "What can Slow Food UW do to help you?" Robert immediately asked us to engage the youth and teach them how to cook. From there, we can reach their families, and continue to assist pre-existing organizations and community-led efforts in purchasing and preparing South Madison-grown food. In the coming years, perhaps food sovereignty will no longer be a privilege, but a realizable and affordable right to the community.
SFUW's support of the community can come in many ways, beginning with regular purchasing from the South Madison Farmers Market and with student activism and volunteerism in pre-existing community organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club or after-school science programs, to name a few.
If you're interested in learning more about the urban agricultural initiatives in the diverse communities just south of campus, join our efforts. Contact Don Malchow ( dmalchow@wisc.edu ) for more information and ways you can help!
