If TDR's Farm to Fork section is not enough to appease your farm-fresh appetite, Eco-Sense's farmer's market, which is scheduled to appear on campus March 30, might be able to help.
"Currently, students and faculty do not really have on-campus access to locally grown produce and goods," said Laura Perkins, a sophomore in the School of International Service and Eco-Sense's farmer's market coordinator. "A farmer's market would benefit both the sellers, giving them business, and the students and faculty of AU, providing them with healthy and delicious food."
Eco-Sense is working in conjunction with Human Resources and the Student Government to bring the market to campus, she said. There are plans in the works for four different vendors to come to AU for the market, which would be located on the Kay Spiritual Center side of the main quad. So far, sellers include Firefly Farms, which specializes in artisan cheeses, and Agora Farms, which brings fresh grown fruits and vegetables from Pennsylvanian farms to D.C.
Perkins said she also hopes to get some Fresh Farm vendors from the Dupont Circle market that runs year-round.
Dan Donahue from Agora Farms said he is looking forward to possibly working with Eco-Sense as one of their vendors for the market and that he would enjoy coming to AU in March to share his products with students and staff.
"We have fun doing [what we do]," Donahue said. "There's an educational process to what we do-show people how to eat properly, and we're there [selling at AU] if the deal works out."
Donahue explained that he and Eco-Sense are still discussing all the necessary details, and that he has yet to actually agree to come for the market.
Members of the AU community can expect to pay a range of prices for different items according to Donahue. Donahue said that his vegetables range in prices from inexpensive to "very pricey," and that it all depends on how well the crops grow.
Despite the ranging costs, Perkins said she believes the farmer's market will appeal to students on campus because it will have all sorts of items.
"This market will have goods other than just produce, such as knit scarves and bags and homemade soap," she said. "Thus, people might stop to look at one thing and end up buying something else."
Anna Abrams, a post-baccalaureate student in the College of Arts and Sciences, said she thinks it would be nice to have a market on campus so that she wouldn't have to struggle trying to get to the various markets around D.C.
"I think it's a great idea," she said. "It's a pain to wake up early and go to one around D.C. so it would be nice to have something so convenient."
Arony Sun, a freshman in CAS, said that even though she had never been to a farmers market, she would love to go.
"I'd go and check it out," she said. "I think it would be really cool."
If the pilot run of the farmer's market receives a good response from the campus community, Perkins said Eco-Sense hopes to make it an annual thing.
"After March 30th, we will talk to the vendors and try to figure out a regular schedule," she said.
You can reach this staff writer at atuman@theeagleonline.com.
