What do you see when you picture a Farmers Market? There’s far more that goes into creating and managing a successful farmers market than most people realize, as Institute of Applied Agriculture (IAA) student Bob Borkowski discovered when he interned for the Farmers Market at Maryland.
Borkowski, an Army National Guard and University of Maryland Police retiree, is a local beekeeper who enrolled in the IAA to gain the needed skills and connections to turn his longtime hobby into a booming family business with his son Bradley.
Borkowski started his internship in the summer and continued to work at the Farmers Market through fall until its last day on November 18. Borkowski’s internship entailed communicating with vendors, visiting farms, marketing and promotion of the market, and coordinating volunteers. “The process of interviewing farmers for the market and coming up with marketing promotions are two great skills that will help me in the future,” says Borkowski.
He goes on to talk about a goat farmer who produces cheeses for farmers markets. “Learning about different farmers’ operations was very interesting to me,” adds Borkowski. His supervisor Allison Lilly says Borkowski was a great addition to her team. She added, “He was very motivated and came up with great ideas for the farmers market to grow.”
Borkowski is looking forward to launching his new career in the world of agriculture. When he graduates from the IAA’s Sustainable Agriculture concentration, Borkowski plans to use the network of experts he has met to increase his knowledge, become part of the Food Equity Counsel, and get involved with the local food community. He says, “You’re never too old to learn something new every day.“
