Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Farmers’ Market Returns With New Weekly, Rotating Vendors

The Georgetown University Farmers’ Market (GUFM) is back with new vendors who are offering fresh produce, acai bowls, Italian sandwiches and more for the Fall 2022 semester.

The GUFM is held in Red Square every Wednesday, and was founded to improve access to fresh food on campus and promote local and sustainable agriculture while supporting a holistic view of nutrition. This semester, GUFM will feature nine permanent seasonal vendors: Bun’d Up, Borek-G, Yoga in a Bowl, Swizzler, Timber, DMV Empanadas, Maracas Ice Pops, Georgetown Bubble and newly added Dreaming Out Loud (DOL), according to Chloe Hwang (MSB ’23), GUFM co-director. These vendors will each have a stand through the last market in November.

DOL is a non-profit organization working to create economic opportunities for marginalized communities in the Washington, D.C. region by supporting their financial stability and food security through workforce development aid and entrepreneurship training.

“We are working to create an integrated pipeline to jobs, economic opportunity, and community wealth-building for our most marginalized communities, utilizing the food system as the catalyst,” the DOL website reads.

Hwang says GUFM added DOL to the vendor list because of its mission and fresh produce offerings. 

“Besides the opportunity for Georgetown to have produce at the market again, we chose to work with DOL as they’re a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring equitable opportunities for marginalized communities in DC,” Hwang wrote to The Hoya. 

GUFM will also feature several new vendors that will rotate on a weekly basis throughout the semester. On Sept. 7, Italian sandwich shop Cucina Al Volo and Hippie Sippin,’ which offers fresh acai bowls, had pop-up stands at the market.

The market will also include Rita’s Crepes, a Bethesda-based creperie that uses organically sourced produce, as a seasonal vendor starting Sept. 21. 

Kiely Johnson (COL ’23) said she appreciates the opportunity to try local food on campus and is looking forward to exploring the variety of options from new vendors.

Miranda Xiong/The Hoya | The Georgetown University Farmers Market is back with new vendors and an updated effort to increase composting.

“I love the Farmer’s Market because as a student living on campus, it’s really nice to be able to grab some closeby, non-campus food once in a while,” Johnson wrote to The Hoya. “Some of my favorite days here at Georgetown have been when I’ve gotten lunch at Timber Pizza or Swizzler and enjoyed it on the lawn with some friends in between classes. I am definitely excited for new vendors each week because I love to try new foods and mix it up.” 

All vendors featured in the GUFM must complete an application to be considered, and they are selected based on several criteria related to food waste and sustainability, according to Hwang.

“We select each one after evaluating if they meet our criteria; we care about where they source products/ingredients from, what they do with their leftovers (food waste is a really important aspect of sustainability), and if they are willing to learn how to accept SNAP benefits/EBT card/flex dollars,” Hwang wrote. “One of our long-term goals is to make the farmers’ market accessible for the community.”

GUFM Co-Director Francesca Donovan (COL ’23) said the GUFM sends the application out to DMV area restaurants and farmers market stands, though some vendors reach out directly to be featured. 
Donovan said the GUFM typically also sources beyond D.C., but has shifted to focus on more local restaurants in order to provide them with more support, particularly given the economic impact of COVID-19 on businesses.

“We also try to bring in vendors from beyond the Georgetown bubble, but after the pandemic we may be revising this to help support local businesses,” Donovan wrote to The Hoya. “Our criteria aims for vendors with locally sourced produce and ingredients as the farmers market exists as a sustainable way to eat local food.”

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