Students react to farmers market decision



At the Bloomington Farmers Market, the vendor Schooner Creek Farm was allowed to continue selling their produce after an Indiana University student came forward with evidence of the owner’s participation in a hate group.

“There’s a lot of outrage over this and there aren’t many people defending them, for good reason,” IU masters student George Roberson said.

The owners of Schooner Creek Farm, Sarah Dye and Douglas Mackey, were identified as members Identity Evropa, categorized by The Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group. This information came to light in an FBI testimony given by Nolan Brewer, a member of the group who was responsible for vandalizing synagogues in Carmel, Indiana.

“It makes me feel like someone there doesn’t want me there,” minority IU student Adara Donald said.

Identity Evropa has taken responsibility for discriminatory actions that have happened on campus. In 2017, they left inappropriate fliers on the office doors of minority faculty members on campus. 

“When you want people in your community, you want them to feel safe,” Donald said. 

There have been city hall meetings regarding possible legal action to remove this vendor from the market. Other actions include posters up over town and more meetings going on throughout the rest of July. 

“There has been a shift in action and people speaking up then what it would’ve been like if this happened a few years ago,” Donald said.