Farm to table: The farmers market at the Purple Tractor

BY DREW FLEMMING

Associate Producer

The Purple Tractor is a teaching laboratory at Tarleton State University made to educate student workers on how to make and market agricultural products. On the third Saturday of each month, The Purple Tractor holds a local farmers market at their store, located at the Tarleton Agricultural Farm.

If you’re looking for a way to shop local, support Erath County agriculture producers by going home with quality products. 

The producers market is a way to highlight local Stephenville and Erath County businesses, as well as student produced products. The Purple Tractor’s mission is to provide students the opportunity to learn how to make and market agricultural products through hands-on experience.

All products are produced by Tarleton students in Tarleton classrooms, barns, fields and labs. Tarleton’s Meat Lab is where The Purple Tractor’s meat products are processed and packaged by students learning the craft of the beef industry. 

The Purple Tractor greenhouse is a partner of the Tarleton Fort Worth campus community gardens and is grown by Purple Tractor staff and students. The garden's main mission is to provide fresh, hand-grown student-sourced produce for Tarleton students and staff through The Purple Pantry. 

Proceeds from the sales at The Purple Tractor support the Tarleton College of Agriculture and Natural Resources students. 

Emily Summers is a master’s student at Tarleton and works as general assistant manager of The Purple Tractor. 

“The Purple Tractor is the agriculture retail store of Tarleton,” Summers said. "We sell products of all different entities, so we sell produce, meat from our meats lab and agricultural mechanics. As a way to highlight different entities across the university, everything is made and processed by students. My favorite part of the market is bringing the community and students together.”

The Purple Tractor is helping build the bridge between Tarleton and Erath county, one farmers market at a time. 

Evelyn Ackerman is a horticulture major at Tarleton and has been working at The Purple Tractor for six months. 

“I love seeing so many people come together about what they’re so passionate about, and then educating people on what they do. I just love learning about that,” Ackerman said. 

From fresh meats to sweet treats, this farmers market is sure to leave you with a full, happy belly. 

Kelsey Browning is a resident of Hico, Texas. She sells her sourdough and bake good products at the farmers market each month. 

“This is my third farmers market,” Browning said. “I enjoy coming to the market because I see a lot of the same people each month, and it’s fun to see them and get to talk to the other vendors about our products.”

The Purple Tractor plans to have fresh farmers markets often. 

Be sure to follow @tarletonpurpletractor on Instagram and Facebook for more information on local honeys, meats and so much more. 

Both educational and innovative, The Purple Tractor offers so much to the Tarleton and Stephenville community.