North Carolina A&T hosted its first farmers market on Saturday. The school became the first HBCU to host an on-campus farmers market. Kayla Harris and the Honors Program initiated the market for A&T.
“I think the market went really well for the first one,” said Harris, a sophomore biology and horticulture student.
Farmers brought a variety of home grown fruits, vegetables, and other goods. Chip Moore was one of the local farmers at the event. “I don’t grow food for a profit. I do it for the enjoyment and the education behind it,” he said.
Tramell Forney, an A&T senior horticulture student, was also amongst the farmers. Forney comes from generations of farmers and beekeepers. “I would like to start a career in North Carolina Cooperative Extensions as a horticulture agent,” said Forney. “But this summer I received a job offer as a horticulturalist for a 15,000 acre farm in Beaufort, South Carolina called Clarendon Farms after a three month internship.”
Forney continued his family’s tradition of becoming a beekeeper in 2005 and now has 17 beehives. He sells raw honey to restaurants, country clubs, resorts, and local stores.
Many student organizations volunteered by providing healthy, dorm friendly recipes for snacks as well as skin care products. Chipotle also donated vegetarian burritos for the event.
Some students who are limited to eating on campus were excited about the farmers market because it provides a healthier lifestyle for campus.
“Being an HBCU and African Americans having the highest rates of like heart disease and high blood pressure, I feel like having a farmers market on campus is really going to do the world some good and maybe it will spread to other HBCUs,” said Justice Phillips, a freshman computer science major. Phillips lives on campus with limited transportation, so the farmers market provided a healthier selection of foods.
Phillips bought a dozen apples for $3 and a pound of grapes for $1. Students as well as others who went to the farmers market were able to buy produce and other goods with quality, conveniently, and cheap.
Amber Urooj, a graduate student, also enjoyed the market. “[The farmers market] brings agriculture back to A&T’s campus because we tend to focus just on the engineering side,” Urooj said.
Harris hopes to have the next farmers market on Oct. 12.
“I have built a great bond with the vendors and so many of them are contacting some of their colleagues, which will build their own partnership with the campus market,” she said.
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- Taylor Young, Contributor