Farm-Fit Brings Fresh, Locally Sourced Produce to Campus

It’s October in Tempe, Arizona, and I’m hiding from the heat on the shaded patio of Arizona State University’s dining hall. In front of me is a table loaded with multiple varieties of watermelon and squash. They’re as farm-fresh as it gets: The day before, I visited AZ Artisans Farms in Waddell (about forty miles away) and helped farmer Ivory Flemister pick them.

The whole watermelons and squashes are just for admiring. But students and staff wandering by my table can try cubes of Orangeglo and Stars ‘n’ Stripes watermelon, or a few spoonfuls of a gratin made from Mayo Kama and Calabaza squash.

If this doesn’t sound like a typical FruitGuys event to you (where’s the office?), then you’re right—it wasn’t! I was at ASU to raise awareness for The FruitGuys’ Farm-Fit program, which connects farmers from underrepresented communities with collegiate and corporate food service programs.

Meet Farm-Fit: Your Farm-to-Campus Connection

Farm-Fit is a smaller part of what we do at The FruitGuys, but it’s an important one. It’s our way of helping small farms access customers beyond farmers markets and office break rooms. We work with farmers from underrepresented communities (including people who identify as LGBTQ+, veterans, women, or people of color) to get them market-ready, then connect them with dining programs. The chefs are excited to support them and buy fresh, locally sourced produce for their menus.

At the ASU event, I was showing students and staff where their food came from and how it transformed from whole produce into something they could eat. They loved seeing the whole squash straight from the farm, then trying it in a recipe a few feet away. One student even asked if he could take a Mayo Kama squash home to make Three Sisters Soup, a traditional indigenous recipe. I was so impressed that I handed it right over.

Locally Sourced Produce Brings Better Health to Campus

That conversation reminded me just how much food access matters. College kids are known for living on ramen and cereal because it’s cheap and available. But give them access to beautiful squash and they just might eat something healthy and delicious instead!

That’s what Farm-Fit is all about. You can learn more about the program here. And if you know a farmer who could use our support or a dining services program looking for local produce, email farmfit@fruitguys.com to put us in touch. We’d love to help them find their perfect fit.