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UNI's Saturday Farmers' Market augments the after school produce stands to promote the consumption of fresh local produce in West Philadelphia. The farmers involved are part of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Buy Fresh, Buy Local campaign. UNI's Youthworks program operates one of the stands at this market. The garden and farmers' market form the center of a business the students run to teach themselves economics.
 
Farmers' Markets

Farmers' markets are an important solution to the problems of America's food systems. From connecting low-income communities with fresh local produce to providing farmers with important avenues to sell their products, farmers' markets encourage a healthy attitude towards eating well.

UNI's Saturday Farmers' Market augments the after school produce stands to promote the consumption of fresh local produce in West Philadelphia. The farmers involved are part of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Buy Fresh, Buy Local campaign. UNI's Youthworks program operates one of the stands at this market. The garden and farmers' market form the center of a business the students run to teach themselves economics. The students care for the garden and sell its produce at the market and to local small businesses. Besides rewarding their hard work with extra income from the business's profits, it enhances the educational experience of the students as they learn economics and career skills through these activities. By taking an active role in the running of a business, they learn more about economics than they would ever learn sitting in an economics lecture.

The farmers' market provides the cornerstone of the business's income and is supplemented by selling mint to Jubilee Chocolates, by selling herbs to Pizza Rustica, a restaurant offering a selection of high-quality handmade pizzas and an assortment of vegetables and herbs to the Mariposa food cooperative. Profits from the business are profit-shared back to the students through market-day bonuses that rewards work the day of the market and a bi-monthly profit sharing, where profits are shared to every student involved in the business.

In addition to being a source of income for the students, the Farmers' Market provides the Powelton Village and Mill Creek neighborhoods with fresh produce during the spring, summer, and fall months. The market has come to be a community gathering space, where people talk with neighbors they would otherwise never meet. The market incorporates themed festivals and live music to make the market a neighborhood attraction. For more information about the farmers' market, please contact Jim DiDomenico at jdi-at-sas.upenn.edu.

Through a partnership with Farm to City, UNI extends the farmers' market with a winter cooperative purchasing club so West Philadelphia residents could purchase healthy Pennsylvania farm products throughout the year. This year's Winter Harvest began in December and runs through April. Members pre-order monthly the fresh local produce they wish to receive every Thursday at one of the drop off sites in West Philadelphia, Mt. Airy, Center City, and Swarthmore. For more information on the Winter Harvest Program, or to sign up, visit: http://www.farmtocity.org.


Lancaster Avenue Food Co-op

UCHS students are working to start a food co-operative in the Mill Creek neighborhood to supplement the farmers' market so that fresh local food and produce is available throughout the week, year round. This summer, four UCHS students, along with three UNI fellows, prepared a business plan for the co-op, and are now looking for sources of funding for the necessary start-up capital. The plan stresses ties to the community, involving neighborhood leaders in the start-up process and making part of the co-op's storefront a community center to hold classes, discussions, and performances. While this project strives to tie into the existing community infrastructure, it also has received help from experts: Half.com founder Josh Koppelman has served as an advisor and mentor to the students. For more information on the co-op program please contact Danny Gerber at dgerber-at-sas.upenn.edu.

 
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© 2005 by the Urban Nutrition Initiative. University of Pennsylvania - Franklin Building Annex 3451 Walnut Street, P-117.
Philadelphia PA 19104 Phone: (215) 898-1600 - Fax: (215) 573 - 1134