This Farmers’ Market located on Cecil B. Moore Avenue between Broad and 13th streets makes fresh produce available to students without having to leave campus.
Every week local farmers bring different types of fresh vegetables, fruits and baked goods to Temple students and staff who are looking to embrace healthier eating habits. “I got apples, apples are like my staple and they are the best, the best apples I have had ever”, says Tony Manfredonia, a senior, who could not contain his happiness after buying his favorite fruit. Pam Austin works for Temple’s Computer Services and says she always stocks up when she visits the market, “I have enough vegetables for the next week.”
Farmer Gilles Ruel from Honey Brook, Pennsylvania, appreciates the positive response the farmers have received from the Temple community and cites their low prices as just one of the many reasons that keeps students and staff coming back to the market every week. Since Ruel started selling his produce here at Temple, he has noticed a large number of students prefer to cook their own meals with fresh ingredients. He says, “They got lots of places that provide ready meals, but it seems that the healthier side, you know, is what’s appealing to them.”
The Farmers’ Market on Cecil B. Moore was established in 2009 and operates between May and November every year. The market is made possible through a collaboration between The Food Trust Organization, local farmers and Temple University’s Office of Community Relations.
According to The Food Trust Organization’s website, its mission is to “ensure that everyone has access to affordable, nutritious foods and information to make healthy decisions.” The organization works with neighborhoods, grocers, schools and policymakers to provide information on healthy eating and bring similar farmers’ markets to underserved neighborhoods; to people who would otherwise not have access to fresh fruits and vegetables at affordable prices. Check out the organization’s website for a complete list of participating farmers’ markets within the city of Philadelphia.
Bringing a farmers’ market on campus is win-win for the farmers and the Temple Community. Austin says, “There’s a lot of people living around here that don’t actually get fresh vegetables and fruit at a decent price.” Manfredonia feels that in addition to eating healthy, putting an emphasis on supporting local farmers is also an added bonus of having the farmers’ market on Cecil B. Moore, “I think it’s great for all the students to be able to have access to, you know, really home local, home grown fresh foods.”
Be the first to comment