by by Melissa Kacar and Nicole Schmidt
Every Wednesday, the NCC Farm Market offers a variety of different products sold by local businesses.
Bahereh Khodadoost has been selling her handmade pottery at NCC’s for almost 4 years and has been working with clay for 34 years.
While she took a few classes, most of her skill is self-taught. “It just came very natural to me from the beginning…I’ve always had artistic inclinations.”
Before she started making pottery, she studied literature “…even that, words are art…everything is art, I see life as art.”
“When I started working with clay, calligraphy started coming into my work…the braiding I did as a child…all of the designs, everything in life started coming into it.”
Some of her carvings are inspired by her Iranian culture and childhood memories. For example, a few of her pieces have a sun etched into it which symbolizes a song she would sing when she was growing up. “Everything has a story,” she says.
Susan Knapp, of Teels Hill Soapworks, started her business 19 years ago and started selling at the Farm Market 4 years ago.
“I started off making just homemade soaps,” says Knapp, “When I say homemade, they are literally made from the ground up.”
The base of everything she sells is coconut, palm and olive oil with essential oils used to scent the products.
Through the years she started adding other products, such as personal sprays, body care, sugar scrubs, massage oils, lip balm, and more. She currently makes 50 different kinds of soap, which she changes seasonally.
Since 2006, Jett’s Produce has grown chemical free and nutrient dense food that is fuel for your body. Farmer Thad’s top priority has been to learn how to “build up the soil and naturally and safely”.
“We’re over and beyond organic standards,” says Thad, “Our products are grown without any fungicides or insecticides whatsoever, we apply proper nutrition at the proper time…we are building plant health so we can open a window to introducing this not just as food, but food as your medicine.”
Jett’s Produce grows fresh and high quality food all year. They provide chemical-free produce, grass-fed beef, pasture raised eggs, local honey, and more.
The East 40 Community Garden also produces fresh produce year-round while promoting sustainable agriculture.
During the winter months, the student volunteers from the East 40 Community Garden sell honey and canned items. “When we come into the spring summer months, then we start having a lot more produce such as tomatoes, asparagus, lettuce, and spinach,” says Mike Nieves. “Right now it’s somewhat slow but we always have a consistent product to sell.”The Farmer’s Market takes place year round every Wednesday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Until the weather gets warmer, it will be held in the Laub Lounge in College Center. The rest of the year it is held outdoors in the Quad.
