To market, to market

Farmers sell products in the Depot during winter months.

November 21, 2006

Shoppers flock to the Farmers Market on Nov. 18. The next market will be on Dec. 2.

The recent Pre-Holiday Farmers Market was not just a prelude to November and December celebrations. It was the first in a series of monthly winter markets that will be held in the Depot through March.

As Jennifer Halpin, student-garden coordinator, explains, farmers still have products to sell in the winter but do not always have a venue for marketing their products to the local community. Providing space on campus for a cold-weather marketplace was an outgrowth of the collaborative relationship between the college, its student garden and local farmers.

Dickinson's "producer-only" market ensures that all products sold are made or grown by the person selling them. This kind of market philosophy helps to strengthen the local economy and ensures fair competition among farmers, according to Halpin.

In general, the markets will offer everything from fruit and vegetables to artisan cheeses and local honey. There also may be handmade jewelry, knitted items and soy-based candles. For dates and times, check The Compass.

The student garden, which is part of the environmental-studies department, is a nearly one-acre student-run "farm" whose members promote the use of organic and sustainable farming methods.