Springtime marks the return of farmers markets season at UMD! This spring, the UMD Farmers Markets were held every Wednesday at Tawes Plaza from April 2nd to May 7th, 2025. Farmers markets are a great place to support local produce and small businesses, and connect with the campus community in an outdoor setting! Larry Tumlin, the Market Manager in Dining Services, organizes the event and also offers cooking demonstrations.
The Office of Sustainability participated in three of these farmers markets, bringing sustainable activities to the campus community.
On April 2nd, OS hosted a waste sorting activity where students could sort items into three categories: incineration, recycle, and compost. Common items included food products, receipts, plastic forks, electronic waste, pizza boxes, and more into their respective categories. Students shared that this activity helped them learn how different items are sorted, and that they enjoyed the hands-on activity. Learn more about waste sorting here!
The next farmers market activity hosted by OS on April 9th featured terracotta pot decorating with chalk markers. This event was a big hit among students, drawing 88 students who decorated their own pots with creative designs, many of them inspired by earth-related themes. The activity was used to encourage attendance at Earth Month events such as Color of Change and EarthFest, where students could pick up a succulent to put into their newly decorated pot. This activity underscored the connection between nature and art in providing health benefits to cope with climate anxiety.
Lastly, on April 23rd, OS hosted solar energy demonstrations and activities, which featured the SustainableUMD Outreach Bike’s attachable solar panels. By using the bike’s solar panel, students could charge their phones and see firsthand how solar panels could be used to generate electricity. In addition, students experimented with activities such as solar paper (which changes color when exposed to light), a miniature car and plane powered by solar panels, and solar-powered crickets. This event also highlighted UMD’s commitment to renewable energy by including signage on the solar panels placed around campus.
Stay tuned for more sustainable events in the Fall 2025 farmers market season from September 3 to November 19, 2025!
