Delaware Tech’s farmers market is open for business
As students and staff get settled into the new fall semester, Delaware Technical Community College, Owens Campus’ farmers market has been in full swing since summer with both students and instructors working to grow and harvest fresh produce.
There is a large selection of fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, spinach, beets, swiss chard, melons, eggplants, lettuce, and even freshly cut flowers at the market located on Pondside Drive in Georgetown.
The farmers market serves not only as a place to purchase fresh produce but also acts as a training ground for students who major in agribusiness management, landscape and ornamental horticulture, turfgrass management and production agriculture.
Farm Manager and Adjunct Instructor Christel Folke supervises students at the farmers market. She specifically deals with production ag and landscaping students. Folke currently oversees 11 students at the farmers market this semester.
“We now have the farmers market as a part of our agricultural programs.Students are mandated to do 60 hours here on campus and the rest of their hours off campus at another facility,” Folke said.
According to Folke, each major plays a different role at the market.
“The agribusiness students work more with the business side, dealing with the actual sales of the produce and cataloging seeds,” Folke said. “The landscape and ornamental horticulture students work on beautifying and maintaining the landscape surrounding the market. Finally, the production ag students work out in the field.”
Production Agriculture student Summer Shane recently completed some of her mandated hours at the farmers market. Shane had little-to-no knowledge on how to successfully grow and harvest crops when she first started.
“I have never grown any vegetables before so I actually learned about all the aspects of growing and harvesting crops,” Shane said. “As students, we take care of the crops, it is a very hands-on process. I planted and harvested the crops, so I was very involved.”
Production Agriculture student Jason Oakley said working at the market was an educational and rewarding process.
“I learned customer service skills working at the farmers’ market and I had the opportunity to be hands-on with everything,” said Oakley. “We turned something that in the beginning of the summer was just grassy field with a bunch of weeds into this amazing thing that is a full-running production and produce stand. It’s a very rewarding process.”
Even though this is the first year in production for the farmers market, there are already plans for expansion.
“We are looking forward to next year, we will probably be double the size we are now,” Folke said.
The farmers market has the unique advantage of being open all year while other surrounding produce stands or farmers market are seasonal and therefore closed by November. Students learn how to utilize sustainable farming methods that work to extend their crop’s seasons.
For example, the farmers market is using high tunnels (two of which are movable) in which to grow crops.
“The advantage of having a high tunnel is that it is a cheap way to extend your season. In one high tunnel, we planted tomatoes late so we should have tomatoes four weeks after production is done. So when all of the regular field tomatoes are done, we will still be producing,” Folke said.
According to Folke, it is also important that students learn how to farm on smaller acreages of land.
“Typically, the students we teach will not own large areas of land due to the expenses,” Folke said, “They will be doing more a niche and sustainable farming on smaller amounts of land and doing more with it.”
Folke hopes that as the year continues, more students will become aware of what is offered at the farmers market and that students feel welcome to come check it out.
“We have a beautiful facility and I hope other students come out to visit it, that it engages them and they want to come again. It’s why we’re here doing all of this work,” Folke said.
The farmers market is open every Tuesday and Thursday from 1-5 p.m.
This is Delaware Technical Community College, Owens Campus Farmers Market first year in production, but it will be open year round. Photo by H. Myles
Top and bottom, students are hands on with everything from planting the seeds to hand pulling the weeds. Photos by H. Myles
