Fresh at College

Hey Everyone!

Typically I wander from blog topic to blog topic, not sure where the next entry will take me. This all changed this summer when I interned at New Haven’s City Hall and got introduced to a lot of resources New Haven has to offer a Yale student. Many of these sights, places and people I had never experienced before. I came back to school this fall with the resolve to blog about quirky and interesting aspects of New Haven that a Yale student could discover during their time here.

I really like Farmer’s markets. At home I went to one every Saturday in good weather that had incredible apple cinnoman doughnuts. New Haven has a very strong farmer’s market non-profit, called Cityseed. Cityseed mainly hosts four farmer’s market throughout the city, including Downtown, Wooster Square, Edgewood Park and Fair Haven. Additionally, Westville and East Rock (other New Haven neighborhoods) host their own farmer’s markets as well. I tend to shop at a market and then have a relaxed lunch with friends at Modern Pizza or Pepe’s.

The diversity of products at these markets is incredible. There are the obvious fruits and vegetables, but other vendors can sell soap, croissants and freshly cut flowers. When there is a birthday or special dinner coming up, I always make sure to buy a blueberry or cherry pie made fresh that morning at a local farm.

Another novel stand I look forward to at the downtown market is the Soup Girl. This is a private company owned by two women who cook and package different soups and sell for you to heat up at your own house. The best part about this stand is the fact that the variety of choices changes each week and is often dictated by seasonal ingredients. One day it will be a gazpacho and three months later they will offer a Butternut Squash Bisque.

I think that Yale University also does a great job of fostering relationships between local farms and the school as well. First, Yale offers organic and local sustainable options in every dining hall every day. Even better is when the vegetables come from our own Yale farm. There is something comforting about eating carrots and tomatoes raised a mile from your residential college.

Yale also goes farther to make sure students can understand where their food is grown. Each fall, Yale shuttles students to a variety of farm tours; these are usually the same farms that sell to the dining services. I was able to experience a farm tour this September. I boarded a bus at 7 am, picked fruit in an orchard for a bit and then received a free and delicious brunch made with ingredients from the farm. The best part is I was able to keep all of the apples I picked.

Yale is not surrounded by farm land, but the university does its best to bring fresh and local food to you.