Green peppers, yellow squash, yum-yum peppers and basil are just some of the nutritional treats sold at the Vanderbilt farmers’ market.

Which is located within a stone’s throw of McDonald’s.

The paradox of the situation isn’t lost on Amy Delvin, who brings in fresh, organic produce as part of Delvin Farms.

“It is ironic that we are located in front of McDonald’s,” said Delvin, who was asked to participate in the market after employees recommended her.

Devlin Farms does more than provide fresh produce, though. When Delvin Farms first started coming to campus weekly, the local Nashvillians, Vanderbilt employees and patients who frequented her stand told her they didn’t realize initially that many vegetables and fruits could not be grown here out of season.

“Customers began to acknowledge that you do not buy corn in December or eggplants in February,” Delvin said. “One should eat locally and in season.”

There are other benefits to eating locally grown produce, too. All proceeds from the farmers’ market benefit Tennessee farmers and the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital.

That last part is one of the reasons local farmer Patty Gherther, from Hillside Farms, loves her Thursday afternoons at the market, along with getting to watch the shoppers peruse from her fresh basil, dill and Mexican tarragon.

“The smiles from customers as they smell the appetizing herbs is so rewarding,” Gherther said.

Another vendor from Johnny Howell Farms enjoys Thursdays because they are more convenient for her and staff to sell their produce, which ranges from tomatoes to green peppers in the summer to miniature pumpkins when fall rolls around.

They want the public to get good food out of their weekly stand and say most of their customers are regulars.

Freshman Anna Dickens ventured to the farmers’ market last week.

“I wish I had a kitchen to make a delicious dinner with all this produce,” Dickens said.

She bought two apples and said that they not only tasted great but were much cheaper than the Munchie Mart.

Vanderbilt is a Community Supported Agriculture pick-up location for some of the vendors, including Delvin Farms. CSA facilitates the process of a farmer selling his or her produce directly to a customer.

But for some of the vendors, getting to campus to provide the market to locals is not always easy.

“This could be in a better location,” Delvin said. “It is hard for our produce trucks as well as for our CSA customers.”

For Delvin, though, the market is worth it.  Her family faced a trying summer when her father was in a car accident.

Now, she gets to give back to her father’s doctors and nurses when they come down and enjoy Delvin Farms’ produce stand.