By Rachel Clair
The farmers market at Maryland opened for its spring season on April 3. The market is held every Wednesday from 11 am to 3 pm in Tawes Garden Plaza.
Meandering through the market and its craft vendors, it can easy to forget that you’re in the middle of a college campus. The market is a nice change of pace and brings an element of culture to the franchise-heavy area students are familiar with. The market has become a staple distraction among students, allowing them to stop at stands with fresh produce, pastries, coffee and jewelry.
“It adds natural options like fresh produce but also… higher-end options like wine and freshly baked goods which are so good. If I had an apartment, I’d definitely buy m[y] bread for the week at the farmer’s market,” journalism and psychology major Julia Gastwirth said.
The farmer’s market started up roughly four years ago in an effort by campus dining services to bring healthy, local and fresh food directly to students. By providing this access, dining services hopes to show students the benefits of farmers markets.
“Basically my ideas have changed and become more open than when I took over about 4 years ago for dining services. We needed to do something differently, like bring in craft vendors— things you don’t think about— to build a market that is more stable,” farmer’s market manager Larry Tumlin said.
Tumlin reaches out to vendors to participate in the market through the Prince George’s community and other avenues. Tumlin has tried to expand the craft items in an effort to broaden the market. Available at the spring market this year is Pinkava Coffee Company, Carroll’s Kitchen and Cove Point Winery, in addition to the classic produce offered and The Maryland Dairy cart.
The market has begun to branch out and add non-food items to its repertoire as well. There are handcrafted jewelry from Beads by Bettina and beeswax products from Randalia Beehive.
“We have just begun working at the market this semester. I try to make affordable jewelry as I know a lot of people can’t spend a lot on jewelry,” Bettina Pressman, owner of Beads by Bettina, said.