OXCM, Library Launch Summer Educational Series

Oxford Community Market and the Lafayette County and Oxford Public Library will launch its 2023 Farmers Market 101 series of classes at 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, May 25th at the library.

The first class to kick off this free educational and enrichment series is On a Roll! Homemade Egg Rolls with OXCM vendor Irish Leigh of Manila Skillet.

Local farmers’ markets are known for being full of fresh produce, farm-raised eggs and meats, and beautiful artisan baked goods but markets are also full of talented, skilled people carrying on important food and agricultural traditions: the local farmers and food producers who work hard to keep their communities well fed.

“I marvel each week at the wealth of talent, skill and knowledge in our local food community,” said Oxford Community Market director, Betsy Chapman. “These people who grow and produce
local food are quite literally experts in their field – pun intended.”

Being surrounded by all of the knowledgeable farmers and food producers each week at the market gave Chapman the idea of creating a series of educational classes featuring OXCM vendors as the instructors in classes that showcase fresh, local ingredients sourced from local farmers as well as teach practical life skills.

OXCM first collaborated with the Lafayette County and Oxford Public Library to launch the Farmers Market 101 class series in 2022 and it was a hit.

“We actually made homemade jelly in the public library. Surely a first,” said Chapman, “We also
hosted classes on topics like organic gardening, beekeeping, West African cuisine, and Southern
cooking. People just loved learning about local food and farming and interacting with our
farmers in this fun and educational way.”

It was important to OXCM that this series of educational classes be free and accessible to the
public. So the public library was a perfect partner and has supported nine classes in 2022 with
several more planned for the summer and fall of 2023.

“We love our partnership with the market because it helps us provide diverse and interesting
programming to our patrons,” said Lafayette County and Oxford Public Library head librarian Laura Beth Walker.

Summer Farmers Market 101 Classes

• May 25th On a Roll! Homemade Egg Rolls with Manila Skillet
• June 8th #G.O.A.T.: Goat Cheese Making with Flowering Tree Farm
• June 22nd Backyard Barnyard: Chicken Keeping for Beginners with Falkner Farms
• July 6th Southern Cooking Traditions with Bridgette Gordon of Live Again Events
• July 20th Jelly’s Last Jam with Professor Stark Aldridge

Classes are free and open to the public. To reserve a spot in the class, call the library at 662-234-5751.

For more information about Oxford Community Market, visit www.oxfordcommunitymarket.com or visit the market every Tuesday, rain or shine, from 3-6:30 p.m. at the Old Armory Pavilion.

Staff report