By Emily Carter, Vegetarian Resource Group Intern
Smells of Zeke’s coffee and freshly baked bread waft through the aisles of the 32nd Street Farmers Market, which is open every Saturday 7AM – noon in Baltimore City! Bright colored vegetables and fruits make the perfect background to present resources for a vegan diet, which is exactly what two VRG interns, Amy Dell and myself, did this past weekend at the market.
Booths of all kinds framed walkways for locals to browse farm fresh produce, aromatic breads, pies (yes, even vegan ones!), and many other local goodies. Situated in between a composting service booth and a farm stand, was a green tent sporting The Vegetarian Resource Group signs visible from any direction. We stood inside the tent alongside books, pamphlets, journals, and other informational materials. When children would pass by, we offered them VRG’s I Love Animals and Broccoli coloring books, which always brought happiness, both to the kids and Amy! The adults who walked by had quizzical looks, which usually turned into smiles when we would offer free recipes. Many people accepted the Vegetarian Journal recipes and went on their way, but some also stopped to engage and learn more. We met doctors and professors who advocated for veganism and were looking for additional resources to share with their institution. People were excited to see us and learn additional information.
Many who stopped to engage were already vegetarian or vegan, or had experimented with the lifestyle at some point in their past. Numerous people who came to the booth were vegan for health reasons, and a fraction of them were prescribed the diet by their doctors. This was refreshing to me, because the emphasis on a plant-based diet is not always the case (especially when you are from the rural South, like me).
The most surprising and uplifting part of the whole experience was that no one was against what we were doing. My favorite part about being vegan in Baltimore is that a lot of people are educated about the subject to some degree, and they agree it is a good choice to make. Many of the people we met were still battling with their love for meats and cheeses; however, I think the resources we gave will provide a stepping stone for people to eventually give up those products, be it for their health, the environment, or animals!
For more information about VRG internships, see https://www.vrg.org/student/index.php
To support The Vegetarian Resource Group outreach, donate at www.vrg.org/donate