The University of Connecticut’s own Spring Valley Student Farm hosted its first Farm Fresh Market event on Aug. 31, bringing organically grown produce, floral arrangements, baked goods, and Spring Valley merchandise to students on Fairfield Way.
Spring Valley Student Farm has been an integral part of UConn’s community for the past 13 years. Since its induction it has been supplying campus with access to organic, locally grown food and a host of interactive events. The Farm’s on-campus pop up markets are one of the many ways that students can reap the benefits of having a university-affiliated farming community at their disposal.
“It gives students the freedom to purchase the food that they want,” Ayla Rosky, a Spring Valley student farmer said as she manned the Farm Fresh table. “For a lot of people who are in the dorms, all you want is something fresh.”
In an environment where cafeteria-style meals are more often than not a student’s only option, Spring Valley’s markets give UConn students an opportunity to procure fresh fruits and vegetables, things often found few and far between in your average dining hall.
Farmers are hoping that the Fall Markets will bring student attention to the programs offered by Spring Valley, as events for this semester begin. The farm will also be hosting Farm Fridays, every Friday until the last week of October, and weekly club meetings every Wednesday, where students can get better acquainted with what the Spring Valley community has to offer, and even contribute to the farm’s harvests.
Spring Valley’s farmers uphold that it is this kind of community engagement that makes their program what it is.
“We have such a wide campus community of people who are past farmers, farmers who were interns at one point, those who come in to help us once a week. And of course everyone who comes to visit us on Farm Fridays.” Farmer Ayla Rosky said of Spring Valley’s outreach. “This campus community really contributes to the heart and soul of the farm.”