Fresh food for free

By | Iridian Casarez

A long line crowded the Recreation and Wellness Center Wednesday morning as Oh Snap started prepping for their free farmstand.

Katrina Smith, a graduate student in Wildlife waited in line for her fresh produce.

“It’s nice to have fresh produce,” Smith said. “It’s free for students and it’s healthy, It’s an excellent resource.”

Bridget Ocampo, a fourth year Critical Race, Gender and Sexuality Studies major, started working at Oh Snap this semester, and she helped pass out produce during the farm stand. Ocampo said she was excited for the farm stand. To each student walking by she told them about the free produce.

“The farmstand is awesome,” Ocampo said. “I love it. It’s free food for students.”

Ocampo said that she loved getting fed by all other students and wanted to experience the feeling of giving that back to others.

“I see their faces when I am giving them their produce and they’re excited,” Ocampo said. “I mean, c’mon watermelon is expensive and we’re giving it out free.”

Students sign in using their ID cards and are able to take three produce items from the farm stand. This is Oh Snap’s third year holding the farm stand. Oh Snap raises money in the spring semester to pay a local farmer to grow organic food before the start of the fall semester, according to HSU’s Health Educator, Ravin Craig.

Craig runs the Peer Health Educators, Oh Snap and is in charge of holding presentations about health education topics.

“We raised a lot of money last spring so we’re going to see more produce this semester,” Craig said. “I love it, and I like talking to people about vegetables and where food comes from.”

Craig said that the farm stand was a way of teaching students where their food comes from. She said she hopes to one day get students to the farm where the food grows.

“Budgets are small and rent is high, so why not get in line for free produce,” Smith said. “I’m really thankful it’s here.”