Don’t try to make Saturday brunch plans with Nancy Reyes; she won’t be able to make it. Each weekend, the urban sustainability senior at the University of the District of Columbia runs the UDC Van Ness Farmers Market—sometimes quite literally.

“I run around the market more than walk,” says Reyes, who keeps things moving smoothly while engaging with vendors and patrons.

The market pops up outside the UDC Student Center each Saturday from 8 a.m.-2 p.m., serving community members from Van Ness and across the D.C. region with an array of fruits and veggies, prepared foods, artisan-made goods, information on local resources and entertainment.

This Saturday, the market marks Hispanic Heritage Month with a lineup of vendors and entertainment celebrating Latin culture. The program includes music education for children, a poetry slam, and a menu of wares and treats inspired by the cultures of Ecuador, Peru, El Salvador and other Latin American countries. The UDC Latinx Association will also be on hand with coloring pages for little ones and some take-home goodies.

Reyes invests a lot of love in the market each week, developing relationships with vendors and planning special events that keep the programming as fresh as the produce.

The D.C. native has managed the market with the help of faculty, staff and students at the UDC College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability, and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES) since fall 2023. Its primary focus? Serving residents.

“That’s the biggest thing at the market—just making sure that we’re creating that relationship between the market and the community,” Reyes says. “Our main mission is to promote healthy eating but also to promote diversity and culture.”

UDC launched the farmers market in 2013 with just a handful of vendors. Today, it’s home to dozens and pulls in upwards of 1,000 patrons when the weather accommodates. The market is produced by the UDC CAUSES Center for Urban Resilience Innovation and Infrastructure in collaboration with the National Latino Farmers and Ranchers, the Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School and other community partners.

Among the market’s major draws are its vendors, Reyes says, some of whom have been working with UDC for more than a decade.

“They are such lovely people; they’re always willing to help,” Reyes says. “Our farmers are very knowledgeable on all of their produce. They’re very passionate about what they grow. … And it definitely does reflect when they’re engaging with community members.”

Among the market’s draws are its prepared treats, featuring cuisines from an array of countries. (Photo courtesy of UDC CAUSES)

Karina Francesca has been coming to the market since summer 2023, regularly making the trek from her Alexandria home. The dance-fitness instructor started teaching a monthly class there a couple of months ago and describes her fellow vendors and presenters as close-knit.

“They all come together on Saturday mornings and do their thing and help spread the joy with their product and whatever service they offer,” Francesca says. “And I think that makes a difference for people.”

Though Alexandria is home to multiple farmers markets, Francesca says she enjoys visiting the “lovely part of town” that is Van Ness.

“It is a special market, too, because it’s on-campus. I think that’s super-enriching for the university community and that neighborhood,” she says.

In addition to curing hunger pangs, the market also provides resources for nearby residents, including information on UDC and community programs, and composting services as part of the District’s Zero Waste initiative. Marketgoers may use multiple forms of payment at the market, including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Produce Plus benefits.

The market is partly promoted by Van Ness Main Street, a nonprofit designed to lift local businesses and bolster the vitality of Van Ness. Executive Director Gloria Garcia helps amplify partnerships with UDC—including summer movie nights at the UDC Amphitheater—to energize and increase the visibility of the neighborhood.

“The UDC Farmers Market is part of the Van Ness brand of events, and it lets people know Van Ness and UDC are here,” Garcia says.

Nancy Reyes has some additional programming ideas cooking before the market wraps on Nov. 16. Among them is a Halloween edition of the market set for Oct. 26 that will include a pumpkin patch and face painting. She hopes events like these continue to build the market’s strong sense of community.

“Everybody’s welcome and we want everybody to be there,” she says.

The Van Ness Farmers Market is open—rain or shine—each Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside the UDC Student Center at 4200 Connecticut Ave., NW, in Washington D.C. To learn more about UDC CAUSES, visit this page.