Rabbits Love Leafy Greens

Elliot lives near the Armory Park farmers market and works at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. He is a recent graduate of the Brown University Five Year Undergraduate/Masters of Public Health Program.

I love living here. I really like my job, and I feel very lucky to have a job that I like after graduating. It's definitely crazy though, because this is the first fall that I have not gone back to school. And so my brain is really just adjusting to that, especially because I'm still connected to Zete (a queer co-ed Greek frat at Brown), like a lot of people in my life. I have a big cohort who graduated and still lives here, but everyone is messaging in our shared group chats about all of the school things, and I'm like, ‘wow, I'm in this adult phase of my life,’ so that's pretty strange. 

I always go to this farmers market, just because I live so close to it. I didn't know it was happening the first time I came. I was just doing a run around the park and checked it out. I moved in in May. I would say this was like July, maybe. That I happened to be home on a Thursday and was going out and I was like, ‘oh, what's going on?’ And since then, maybe every other week.

I definitely don't rely on it. If I can't get stuff when I'm shopping, I'm always like, ‘oh, I can just go to the farmer's market and there will probably be a better array of vegetables,’ especially because everything is so expensive in grocery stores right now. I've actually found this to be significantly more affordable, specifically for leafy greens. More than, maybe not Aldi, but other places.

I go to grocery stores first and then whatever I don't find, I use the farmer's market. It’s really good. My experience has been extremely positive. Everyone's very friendly. I guess today specifically because I just got a rabbit. I need leafy greens for my rabbit. 

I had an awesome experience a month ago when I was here and there was a Planned Parenthood booth. I had just lost my Brown health insurance. And access to their system, which I relied on for hormone therapy prescriptions. And so I just went to the Planned Parenthood booth. They gave me all the information. I called the next day and then I was able to get my testosterone. Without any breaks, which is very, very cool. That wouldn't have happened without this booth at this farmer's market. 

I always enjoy the music that they have. When there's food trucks, I enjoy that. Other than that, most of my interactions are produce-related. I very much like the mushroom guy when he's here. He has really cool stuff.