As the population of peers continues to grow at Perry Wellness Center, so does the need for fresh fruits and vegetables. Much of this need is met through the campus gardens. Both what is served in the cafeteria and what is sold at Happy Patch Market must be closely monitored to ensure freshness. Harvest dates and “serve by” dates are regularly scrutinized.

Lead market coordinator Charles Tanner notes, “Any time an expiration date is getting close, we remove the products from our public refrigerators and freezers. The product is still ‘ in date’ and is served in the kitchen of Perry Wellness Center. All is good.”

As illustrated in the photo above, a sturdy wagon is used to transfer produce from the market down to the center kitchen – in this case, a wagon of fresh lettuce and other vegetables. To ensure that all dated fresh and frozen vegetables have been removed from the market, Charles Tanner prepare to pull the empty wagon back up the hill once more.