Since the fall of 2022, Bucknell has worked with Crossroad Farms to have local produce and other fresh foods delivered to campus.

This movement was spearheaded by Tori Casquarelli ’24. Crossroad Farms delivers dairy products, bakery items, produce, prepared food and meats. Through their website, one can order these local goods which are then delivered Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and available at the pavilion outside of Rooke Science Building. 

The Bucknellian spoke to Casquarelli about Crossroad Farms and her experience since bringing it to Bucknell, which she answered in an email. Check out Crossroads Farm’s’ website to see the full menu or place an order at https://crossroadfarms.farm/.

How did the idea to bring local food to campus emerge? 

“In the 2022 spring semester, I was a Center for Social Science Research Fellow. My original goal for that semester was to bring a full-blown Farmer’s Market to campus. At the time, I didn’t realize how hefty this goal was. There were a ton of logistics to work out: where the farmers would set up, if there was room for big trucks, advertising, using Bucknell property for an outside business, etc. Once I realized that this might not be the most feasible option, I worked with my research mentor, Clare Sammells (the best), and came up with a new plan. We found Crossroad Farms, an online ordering platform run by a local couple who own a dairy farm. On the website, there are products from their own dairy farm along with items from other local farmers. For the rest of that 2022 spring semester, I worked with the owners of Crossroad Farms, Clare Sammells, Bucknell’s Nutrition Specialist Tanya Williams, Mark Spiro, Dean Amy Badal and Jen Partica to get everything worked out. Then, in July 2022, Dean Badal approved my proposal to allow Crossroad Farms to deliver to campus.”

How does this service benefit the Bucknell community as well as the greater Lewisburg community?

“The goal for bringing Crossroad Farms’ delivery service to campus was to benefit all students, staff, and faculty of Bucknell along with supporting local farmers in the area. I especially had first-year students in mind with this service, as they aren’t allowed cars on campus. However, I have gotten a lot of faculty orders, ‘surprise gift’ orders from parents to their kids, and orders from graduate students. People ordering from Crossroad Farms are getting local, fresh food while supporting local businesses. It’s a win-win situation for both.”

When did the farms begin delivering to school, and what sparked your idea in the first place?

“Crossroad Farms officially started delivering to campus the fall 2022 semester. I think what initially sparked this idea was my passion for combating food insecurity. I have done research on this for almost three years now, and it is a problem that I can never seem to get out of my head. My original plan when granted the Center for Social Science Research Fellowship was to use this opportunity to address food insecurity on campus. I had the idea of bringing a farmer’s market to campus, but as I mentioned, that didn’t quite work out. My research mentor came across Crossroad Farms, and we thought this would be a great sort of ‘compromise’ for my original goal. I acknowledge Crossroad Farms’ delivery service to campus is not a simple solution to ending food insecurity, but I can only hope that it will make one person’s life more convenient and fresh food more accessible.” 

Have there been any challenges since the start of this? 

“I would say the biggest challenge has been getting the word out. There are only so many times you can post something on the Message Center. Also, the fact that this is a business outside of Bucknell means that offices like the CAP Center are not permitted to advertise it for me. In the meantime, I’ve been utilizing professors, asking them to spread the word, hanging posters (especially concentrated in first-year halls) and have been posting on the message center.”