Fresh local vegetables, live music and student produced art were a few of the things found at the University of Massachusetts Farmers’ Market on Goodell Lawn Friday.
UMass Permaculture and the UMass student farm collaborate to run the farmers’ market every Friday during the fall on Goodell Lawn. The weekly event offers students the opportunity to become acquainted with the local agricultural community.
“We have a lot of different vendors, there’s some clubs,” said Jasper Cowley, a junior BDIC major. “There’s a lot of student-run things. There’s the student farm, there’s the Garden Share, there’s the Permaculture garden.”
“Almost everything is student-run,” Cowley added.
Several tents at the market were dedicated to the student farm, a program that starts in the spring and continues through the summer and fall.
Student farmer Merav Dale, a senior sustainable food and farming major, said in the spring, student farmers plan which crops will grow, as well as where and how they will grow. During the summer, crops are planted and harvested.
“We are selling retail, basically. We sell to the dining commons, Big Y and student businesses,” Dale said, adding that the UMass Student Farmers’ Market is “students supporting students.”
“With an emphasis on sustainability,” Cowley added.
UMass’ Garden Share was one of the vendors at Friday’s farmers’ market. The Garden Share is a student-run farm with an acre of land located behind the University police station.
A senior sustainable community development major, Phoebe Hagberg, was one of the representatives for Garden Share along with Sofia Cincotta, a senior sustainable food and farming major.
The Garden Share runs a one credit practicum during the fall semester.
Hagberg described the Garden Share as a completely student-run organization that uses sustainable practices with hand tools and no fossil fuels.
“It is a place where students can come and if they have any ideas about gardening practices that they want to try out, they can try them out,” Hagberg said. “If it doesn’t work out, it is not a big deal because it is very low-stakes.”
“It is experimental and student-run,” Cincotta added.
The UMass Student Farmer’s Market will run every Friday 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. from Sept. 14 to Nov. 16.
Elizabeth Donoghue can be reached at [email protected].
