June 18, 2009

The Gibson Farm Market will hold its 3rd annual Fresno State Farm Festival featuring free samplings of student-produced farm products, wine tasting, live music and educational activities from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 20.

A special vermicomposting workshop is among the highlights of the event, which will be under tents in the market’s parking lot (5370 N. Chestnut Ave., at Barstow Ave.)

Mariachi Tepeyac will perform from 10 a.m. to noon at the festival, which is open to the public and free except for a workshop fee.

With the theme “Locally Grown Farm-Fresh,” student products available for free sampling include sausage, boiled corn, grilled vegetables, olive oil, coffee, ice cream, butter, cheese, jams, nuts and raisins.

A special tasting from the Fresno State Winery will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Customers can taste each variety of wine produced on campus and get information about food pairings and serving suggestions.

The vermicomposting workshop will be from 11 a.m. to noon at the horticulture unit, located on Barstow Avenue across from the market.

Also known also as worm compost, vermicomposting is similar to regular composting except that it uses worms in addition to microbes and bacteria to turn organic waste into a nutrient-rich fertilizer.

For $20 per ticket, participants will learn about the benefits of worm composting and receive their own supply of worms, a worm box and educational information to create an at-home worm farm. To register call 559.278.2828.

Guests also will have the opportunity to meet Fresno State ag students, faculty and staff who produce the products sold at the market.

The summer event started in 2007 to show appreciation for the community’s support to the university farm and the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, said Dr. Ganesan Srinivasan, director of the university farm at Fresno State.

“Our primary products are our students, who receive practical training in various aspects of farming in the 1,000-acre campus farm laboratory,” Srinivasan said. “The farm products that we market at Gibson Farm Market are a by-product of this training, which gives our students the complete farm-to-fork experience.”

The university farm laboratory comprises more than 25 student-run enterprises that market their products through the Gibson Farm Market. Proceeds from the student market and other Fresno State farm enterprises support the educational and research mission of the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology.

Some of the popular student products sold at the farm market include sweet corn, more than 50 flavors of ice cream and other dairy products, meats and sausages, wine, olive oil, fruits and nuts, table grapes and raisins, jams and jellies, plants and flowers and the recently introduced Bulldog Blend coffee.

One of the most popular products, sweet corn, hit the bins two weeks ago and has been a sellout within two to three hours of the store opening during the first week of its debut.

“We are experiencing unprecedented and unusually high demand for our sweet corn this year, selling more than 200,000 ears in two weeks,” Srinivasan said."But we now have enough corn to last the whole day and meet the unexpected increase in demand for our ever-popular Fresno State corn.”

For more information, 559.278.4511 or click the links below.