In America we continue to generate a significant amount of plastic waste from grocery shopping. It is estimated that companies hand out about six billion plastic bags per year, causing numerous issues from wasteland overflow to ocean pollution. Plastic waste is a large contributor to climate change and we, as a country, have the power to prevent this. Shopping at farm stands and farmer’s markets is a great solution to shop more sustainably. 

We are excited to present our idea of a Pingree Farmstand and we invite all students and faculty to get involved so we can see our idea to fruition! The Pingree Garden was established a couple of years ago and we would love to further this garden experience by selling the produce that is harvested. For the first year, we plan on just having a small stand and only selling to the Pingree community. We hope to open it up to surrounding towns in future years to give everyone access to fresh produce. It will also be a great way to connect with various towns and communities outside of our own. The farmstand will be situated to the right near the end of the Pingree exit driveway because there is a small parking lot there and the stand will be able to be seen from the road. We plan to run the stand three times a year to maximize profits and efficiency as well as to make sure we have enough produce to sell. The three times will be at the end of the school year (late May), mid-August, and early October. At the stand, we will sell around 30 different items such as tomatoes, greens, herbs, broccoli, carrots, onions, peas, pumpkins, melons, peppers, honey, and many more items. These will all be freshly grown and will be amazing to take home. Many of the items will be seasonal. All will be delicious.

A few weeks ago we sent out information about our farmstand. This included a Google form and spreadsheet for those who might be interested in volunteering. We are seeking members of the Pingree community, students and faculty alike, to either assist Ms. Kent in the garden or work a shift at the farmstand. After speaking with Ms. Kent on ways the community could help her when the farmstand is launched, she mentioned that watering the garden beds takes hours, and she would also be grateful if people could help her harvest the produce. In terms of operating the farmstand, we are anticipating that two volunteers will be needed per shift. This is a new and exciting project, meaning that we will most likely hit some bumps along the way,  but we feel determined that we will have a successful first trial of the farmstand this spring. As we get close to this time, we will send out a more detailed description regarding specific shift times and days. If you haven’t already filled out the Google form or spreadsheet, it is not too late! 

At Pingree, we are focusing on limiting the amount of waste that comes from the products that we eat on a daily basis. The Pingree Farmstand is a great way to sell the produce from the garden while also benefiting other charities, such as Backyard Growers and the Food Project. These companies focus on providing resources to cultivate produce so people can work towards growing their own food. We are planning on donating the excess food that is not sold at the farmstand to the Acord Food Pantry. The food pantry gives our community members a way to have healthy, nutritious meals that they would otherwise not be able to afford. By hosting a farmstand, we are able to give the Pingree community fresh produce from the garden. With some of the proceeds from the farmstand, we will be able to reinvest the money back into the garden. This way, the community garden at Pingree can continue to grow and flourish moving forward. 

The farmstand will allow both students and faculty volunteers to get involved in gardening to benefit the wider Pingree community — while at the same time helping the planet. We are very excited to have this opportunity and hope that our peers will join us in putting our plan into action.