URI Free Farmers Market opens Thursday, Sept. 4
KINGSTON, R.I. – Aug. 28, 2025 – The University of Rhode Island’s annual Free Farmers Market for students opens on Thursday, Sept. 4, kicking off another season of fresh, free produce giveaways harvested from URI farms.
The market takes place each Thursday on the Quad from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and outside of Mackal-Tootell from 2:30 to 4 p.m. through October. Both locations offer free produce to URI students, while supplies last. On inclement days, the market moves inside Fogarty Hall and Tootell Aquatic Center, respectively
Veggies and fruits offered at the weekly market are grown at the Gardiner Crops Research Center on the west edge of campus by students in the University’s plant sciences program. The market is part of URI community efforts to integrate the research and teaching farms into campus life. As a land grant university, food production is part of URI’s curriculum and exemplifies a pillar of the land grant mission: “To extend the benefits of that research and education to the public through community-based outreach, providing practical programs and resources for individuals, families, and communities.”
URI is one of only a few New England colleges that provide this kind of free, homegrown market. Farm to table turnaround is less than 24 hours, with farm-fresh produce gathered on Wednesdays and distributed to students on Thursday. Last year, the farm yielded more than 10,000 pounds of produce, shared free with 2,000 students.
Peckham Farm contributes farm fresh eggs and URI Master Gardeners coordinate the harvest of apples from East Farm. The market is supported by student volunteers, for-credit and paid student managers, URI Health Promotion, the Department of Nutrition, Cooperative Extension and the URI Vegetable Production Program. Kelli Kidd, Amanda Missimer and Rebecca Brown coordinate the Free Farmer’s Market program.
URI students are welcome to visit the market, and are encouraged to bring a reusable shopping bag. Volunteers are also welcome at the market or on URI’s farms.
Follow @urifreefarmersmarket on Instagram or visit the Farmers Market website for up-to-date news, weekly produce previews, recipes, and more.
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