By Apurva Mahajan

Various local businesses showcased their produce and food to students at the University of Maryland Farmers Market’s spring reopening on Wednesday.

In total, the market hosts over 14 small businesses from the DMV area and is held at Tawes Plaza from 11 p.m. to 3 p.m. every Wednesday until May 10.

“By having the market here on the campus, it’s a great opportunity for students and staff and such to come out and actually ask the questions to know where their food comes from, what it takes to get it to their daily life,” said Chasity Hare from Country Vittles, a family-owned farm that sells meat and eggs. “You can’t do that at the grocery store.”

Being a vendor at a Farmers Market is more labor intensive than selling out of an actual store in a building.Vendors have to individually set up and tear down their stores that are only open for four hours at a time, raine or shine, according to Hare. 

Although many vendors sell their products at multiple markets, for some, this market is the only one where their target customers are primarily college students or younger people, which means that some change the products that they sell.

Country Vittles, which has been a part of the market since it was first started in 2012, sells smaller portions for college students at this market because they might not have their own kitchen if they live on campus. For example, students can buy one or two hamburger patties instead of only having the option to purchase a bulk pack.

“Here, I’m marketing my stuff to a college student, so you may be limited in what you have and how you’re able to cook something,” Hare said. 

Melanie Parker from Mel’s Munchies said she makes baked goods like key lime pies and pecan pies for her older clientele, and desserts like homemade Oreos and Nutter Butters for her younger customers to evoke a feeling of nostalgia . 

Being a small business means that many of these business owners need to cover the costs of making their food themselves. This can cause problems when the prices of ingredients increase, Bryan Cho from Little Boy Bakery, said.

“The only problem is product. Butter and egg [prices] going up,” Cho said. “I try not to raise [the prices] up and just sell more,  just a little more work.”

Business owners have to make sure they are not making any losses when their ingredient prices increase, while still maintaining appealing prices for their products. .

“Post-Covid, the prices have definitely increased more [for] fruits, spices, herbs, things of that nature,” said Carol Martin of Carol’s Kitchen, which sells homemade gourmet jams. “Sometimes it can be a challenge where my cost is going up, so therefore I have to put my costs back on the customer.”

Some students are also vendors at the farmers market, like the owners of UMD Thrift, a student-run clothing store that sells thrifted clothes to students who might not normally be able to buy them in-person while on campus. The business started as an Instagram page last spring and evolved into pop-up shops around campus as its popularity grew. 

“For me, it’s just about giving people on campus another alternative because the bookstore is way too pricey in my opinion, and this is a way more sustainable and local alternative,” said Ethan Pham, an owner of UMD Thrift, and a junior information sciences major.

Although the Farmers Market usually sells produce and food, UMD Thrift’s success at the December 2022 Holiday Market, which features vendors that sell gifts for the holiday season,  was such a hit that UMD Thrift was invited back to join in the spring, Pham said.

Many of the vendors know and are even familiar with each other because of how long they have been a part of this Farmers Market, according to Hare.

“We all know each other, whether you know each other from farmers markets or you know each other because you live around each other,” Hare said. “There’s definitely a sense of community.” 

Featured Image: Tawes Plaza on April 5, 2023 during the University of Maryland Farmers Market. Photo by Apurva Mahajan