Do you want to pay $10 — or nothing? Penn State students offer pay-what-you-can farmstand
A student-run farmers market has sprung up on the Penn State campus on Mondays in October — and the small stand has a big catch.
It’s pay-what-you-can, meaning it’s free to those most in need of fresh herbs and vegetables.
“We have heard students say that some of the produce they’ve gotten here is (among) the few fresh things they’ve been able to get in the week,” said Penn State senior and farmstand volunteer Olivia Kranefuss. “And that’s very powerful to hear. And it’s proof that these initiatives are reaching students.”
On Monday afternoon, several dozen customers — students, community members and visitors — approached the green-checkered stand that boasted bright-red cayenne peppers, aromatic herbs and plump cherry tomatoes that sold out within the hour. About 14 different kinds of produce were spread out over a table situated near the back entrance to the HUB-Robeson Center, while passers-by varied in what they paid, from nothing to the suggested prices (25 cents for a jalapeno; $3 for an acorn squash) to multiples over market price, all monies that will go toward supporting this and other outreach projects focused on food insecurity.
The idea for the pay-what-you-can stand first formed over the summer, in response to a series of renovations on the official student food pantry, which has temporarily left it without perishable items due to certification issues. To fill that need — and to make fresh produce more accessible — students and advisers from both Lion’s Pantry and the Dr. Keiko Miwa Ross Student Farm at Penn State teamed up to start the farmers market.
A pilot program for a similar market started over the summer and, with organizers learning what vegetables proved most popular and where the best location stood, valuable lessons were applied to the latest pay-what-you-can market that will remain open through October. It is open 3-6 p.m. Mondays this month, with the remaining weeks likely inside the HUB-Robeson Center.
“Apartment living, student loans and lack of accessibility of a bunch of stuff makes it super difficult sometimes for us to get healthy options,” said Penn State sophomore Jimmy Alamia, a member of the Student Farm Club and a Lion’s Pantry intern who helps run the stand. “But what I think is important about the farmstand is that there’s a greater mission of just eating healthier and showing that produce should not be a luxury.”
Although the stand is focused on serving the Penn State community, no one is turned away and no Penn State ID is required.
All produce is grown locally by University Park students, and the farmstand accepts cash, check and LionCash.
Students facing food and housing insecurity can turn to Student Affairs for further help and/or submit an online form. Non-students facing food insecurity in and around State College can reach out to the State College Food Bank or other agencies listed on their website for both immediate and future aid.
This story was originally published October 11, 2022 at 1:20 PM.
