Title: Meet the Two Friends and Seniors Who Run the Georgetown University Farmers’ Market

Mia Foster (C’25) and Emma Pernebo (C’25) were sophomores when they met in an introductory meeting for board members of the Georgetown University Farmers’ Market. The two discovered they had the same favorite vendor at the weekly market: Borek-G, a Turkish food vendor and Farmers’ Market staple.

When they learned they lived in the same residence hall, LXR, they hit it off. Foster texted Pernebo to see if she wanted to walk to Red Square together for their first market. They’ve been friends ever since. 

The Farmers’ Market symbolizes not only their close friendship but also a place for Hoyas to come together over a shared meal.

“I always thought of it as a great place to foster community and spend time with people outdoors, eating good food and getting a little bit more access to different types of cuisine from the local DMV area,” Pernebo said.

Today, Foster and Pernebo have continued that spirit of community by running the weekly 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. operation as the co-directors of the Georgetown University Farmers’ Market.

“It is something that I will remember forever,” Foster said. “It’s been very meaningful to run it with Emma and bounce ideas off of one another and just bring to the table what we can to help make the market the best it can be.”

A Wednesday Tradition

Wednesday is Foster and Perebo’s favorite day of the week. The two seniors often spend their Wednesday mornings unloading produce from a truck behind White-Gravenor Hall and helping vendors set up.

In the center of Red Square, Pernebo and Foster are often at a table with green Farmers’ Market hats, engaging with the community and lending Farmers’ Market-branded picnic blankets.

When they’re not at the table, they’re troubleshooting problems and ensuring vendors have everything they need, from putting up signage to running power cords across Red Square.

“Any given Wednesday is a 12-hour crash course in problem-solving,” Pernebo said. “When something goes wrong or there’s something that someone needs help with, we just have to be flexible and adaptable.”

For both Pernebo and Foster, one of the most meaningful parts of running the Farmers’ Market is forming relationships with the vendors, some of whom have been regulars at the market for more than a decade.

“It’s a rewarding thing that people from the broader DMV area get to come to Georgetown’s campus,” Foster said. “It’s a gratifying experience to see how hard they work to ensure they can be here every season and be a part of the Georgetown community.”

Over the last year, Pernebo and Foster have also expanded the Farmers’ Market’s discount program for Georgetown Scholars Program (GSP) students, who receive 25% off their orders at the market. While only two vendors initially participated in the program, Pernebo and Foster have worked to get nearly all of the vendors to accept the discount.

“That’s been something we’ve been proud to continue, and we were proud that we were able to expand it because I think it’s important to make the market more accessible,” Pernebo said. “It’s a project that has meant a lot to us, and we’ve put the mechanisms in place to keep that going for years to come.”

The two Hoyas also brought a fresh produce vendor back to the Farmers’ Market for the first time since fall 2022. After the COVID-19 pandemic, many local farms had trouble keeping up with farmers’ markets, Foster said. Working together, Foster and Pernebo contacted local farms and found Twin Springs Fruit Farm, which has since become a community favorite.

“The community loves it. I’ve witnessed many community members come in with their tote bag and get all the things they want from the market,” Foster said. “It’s cool to see a local farm get to experience Georgetown and share all their hard work from that farm with the community.” 

A Friendship Rooted in Food

For Foster and Pernebo, their friendship has grown through their years on the Hilltop, from a semester abroad together in Prague to now living a few doors down from each other in the Georgetown neighborhood.

“What do we not love to do together? I would say Emma is someone who I didn’t know I needed to find at Georgetown,” Foster said.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Foster and Pernebo love spending time together over good food. They are professionals when it comes to finding new restaurants around the city, Foster said.

Foster explained how their friendship has also brought the Farmers’ Market board closer together through shared events like Friendsgiving dinners and potlucks.

While Pernebo and Foster both prepare to graduate from Georgetown and start their post-graduate lives in New York City, they’re excited to see where the Farmers’ Market will go next.

“I am just proud of the impact we’ve been able to leave, and it’s 100% a shared impact,” Pernebo said. “I’m so happy about where we’ve taken the market. I know it’s in such great hands, and I’m excited to see what the board does with it next.”