BATNFJORDSØRA (Panorama): Campus cooking is typically about hamburgers, pizzas and instant noodles rather than fruit and veggies.

Organised by ESN Molde, students flocked to the Farmer’s Market Day (Dyregoddagene) last Saturday at Batnfjordsøra to make their way to the self-check-out line and out of the supermarket.

Unlike Asian culture, where open markets occur every day, those in Western countries are usually open at weekends or special occasions. Farmer’s Market Day is an annual event in Møre and Romsdal region at the beginning of September. ESN held a new trip this year for HiMolde students to visit the numerous stands selling locally made products and the atmosphere only farmers’ markets provide.

At the market, young visitors found an amazing array of local and fresh food that they couldn’t see in average supermarkets. Furthermore, they also learned how the typical Norwegian cheese «Brunost» was made.

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Bunnpris, Kiwi or Rema 1000 will give students tips on how to cook the ingredients they buy. However, farmers and ranchers are passionate cooks with plenty of free advice about how to enjoy the foods they are selling. Of course, free samples are always available for food-lovers.

If you were excited about the goats at campus these days, the rest of their family could be seen at farmer’s market. Together with that, there were shows that participants couldn’t stop their words to say about the cuteness of bunnies, horses, and dogs. Horse riding experience were also provided at very low price. These activities aren’t frequently seen in open markets in Asia.

Wouldn’t you rather visit outdoor stalls of fresh produce on a sunny day than roll your cart around a grocery store with artificial lights? The farmers market is a community hub – a place to meet up with your friends or just get a taste of small-town life.