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Farmers selling their produce at the Fairfield Farmers Market on a Saturday late last month received a nice surprise when MIU students came bearing gifts.

The idea arose during a recent course on organic agriculture when the students suggested to professor A. Thimmaiah that they’d like to show their appreciation for the local farmers.

In collaboration with the Southeast Iowa Food Hub, they planned an event for 9:00 a.m.–noon during the Saturday Farmers Market that included a booth where they passed out free cookies, cake, watermelon, and other treats.

During the morning they also went to each farmer and presented him or her with a gift and said how wonderful it is that he or she is producing food for us.

‘There was a lot of emotion,” Dr. Thimmaiah said. “The farmers didn’t expect their activity to be appreciated.”

Using a refractometer provided by a Fairfield business called The Sky Factory, the students also tested the produce being sold to determine its nutrient density. Under the tutelage of Faith Reeves, they would test a drop of juice to determine the total amount of soluble sugars, which is an indirect indication of nutrient density, Dr. Thimmaiah said.

The students promoted the event through posters and announcements in the local media.

According to Dr. Thimmaiah, locally grown produce is much better for the environment because it eliminates the use of fossil fuels to transport food thousands of miles. It is also often grown with no or fewer chemicals, making it safer.

“Safe food is a birthright,” Dr. Thimmaiah said. “It’s better for humans, better for the soil, and better for the planet.”

Jim Karpen is a writer by trade, with a special focus on technology. He has a Ph.D. in English and studied the impact of the computerization of language. In addition to writing for iPhone Life magazine, he has also been writing a column about the Internet for the Iowa Source since 1994. He also edits and publishes the MUM Review.