COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — At the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS), the campus farmers market is offering more than a space to set up shop, it’s giving students a way to grow their passions into businesses and connect with others on campus.
Corey Schneider, a senior studying healthcare science, volunteers at the market selling jars of honey.
“I primarily volunteer to sell honey and honey-related, I guess, products for an upcoming UCCS Beekeeping Club,” said Schneider.
Schneider learned beekeeping years ago from a neighbor, but says he didn’t realize the university had a farm until his senior year. Now, he uses the market not only to share what he’s learned but to spark curiosity in others.
“I love honey, but I’m really fascinated at the science of it at a microbiological level,” he said. “To teach, you know, (the) younger generation, you know about bees, letting them taste test some honey, let them see bees up close and kind of see the light in their eyes, you know, flare up. It’s like, you know, I live for that kind of stuff.”
Schneider says the market has also helped him recruit new members to the beekeeping club.
“I’ve been able to, you know, have people show up, students sign up for a form over there for the beekeeping club.”
Just a few tables away, first-year student Bryana Baskerville is building her small cookie business, ‘The Cookie Haven,’ while working toward a degree in social work.
“I just moved here from Florida. My husband’s in the military at Fort Carson, so I didn’t really have anything. I was like, 'Okay, well, might as well put myself out there,'” said Baskerville.
She says the farmers market gave her something even more valuable than a sale, connection.
“I met a lot of people that’s majoring in my same major… talking to them, asking them questions about the classes that I’m going to be taking, and just knowing that I’m not alone,” said Baskerville.
The farmers market is hosted at the UCCS Farm and organized by the university’s Office of Sustainability. Polly Knutson, Director of Sustainability and the UCCS Farm, says the market is part of a broader effort to promote hands-on learning and community engagement.
“Exponential learning is really what UCCS is about,” said Knutson. “It’s not just about in-the-classroom learning, but it’s about connecting with our community and connecting with one another.”
The setup is intentional. 15 student vendors are placed right next to 15 community vendors to encourage mentoring and skill-building through interaction.
“They’re learning the skills that these community vendors have built over time, so they’re using their years of experience to help teach our students without even knowing it,” said Knutson.
To help students get started, UCCS provides the tents, tables, and even business development support. This year, students were offered courses in marketing and money management, tools Baskerville says made a real difference.
“I learned more about, like, the tax side of it, and I learned about... a lot of... money, stuff that I just didn’t know... I need a business account, and all that stuff,” she said.
From sweet treats to sustainability education, the UCCS Farmers Market is proving to be more than just a place to shop, it’s where students turn ideas into impact, one booth at a time.
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