Fresh produce available at farm market
The local farm market at Jack F. Owens at Delaware Technical Community College Campus offers inexpensive fresh produce grown by the agriculture department to the public.
Farm Market manager Chistel Folke said Delaware Tech agriculture students work at the market and gain experience.
Teaching in the field and not only growing the produce with the students but also giving them experience with buying and selling making it “Definitely different from working with a textbook,” said Folke.
The market uses school greenhouses, fields, flower beds, and a hydroponics station for all of their production of produce and horticulture. The selection of produce changes weekly and features mostly seasonal produce such as gourds, peppers, squash, and onions but they also sell flowers, bushes, and trees depending on the season.
The Farm Market also has a Facebook page where they promote not only themselves but the entire agriculture major.
The Farm Market has buyers from students to the members of the local community. Payment options are cash, card and WIC.
Agriculture major, Ken Gourley said the market offers many different benefits.
“Just being here, just being part of this experience has really opened a lot of opportunities not just socially,” said Gourley.
College students are not the only employees, Upward Bound allows high school students to work on the farm and learn how to plant, package, and preserve produce while earning volunteer hours.
The Farm Market is also partnered up with local businesses such as Lovebird Soap, Beekeepers Association, and Backyard Jams & Jellies.
“We actually supply Backyard Jams and Jellies with the peppers for their hot pepper jams and jellies” said Folke.
Hydroponics is it is a different form of growing produce than the traditional planting and harvesting as hydroponics doesn't use soil to house and grow the produce. Instead it uses a mix of water and nutrients to grow the produce making it possible to even grow fresh produce underground or in space. For further explanation, watch the above video.
Agriculture major Ken Gourley behind cashier counter. Photo by C. Carney.
Signboard in front of farm market entrance. Photo by C. Carney.
Farm Market manager Chistel Folke. Photo by C. Carney.
Display shelf for produce (above) and price chart (below). Photos by C. Carney.
Shelf of products from local partners. Photo by C. Carney.