Owen Chase

If you visited the Clark Collective Pop-up market at any time in the past few years, you know Owen Chase. Wearing his trademark tan cap emblazoned with a tomato, Chase has been a fixture at the markets since he started growing microgreens in his residence hall room during his sophomore year. A global environmental studies major with a lifelong passion for agriculture, Chase earned funding for his business, Just For Fun Farms, through the annual Clark Tank competition and the citywide Woo Tank contest. Along with the Clark markets, he set up shop last summer at farmers markets in Worcester; this year, he’ll expand to markets in Westborough, Westminster, and Ashland. He also sells microgreens to local restaurants.

The business provides Chase, a Worcester native, with an opportunity to tap into another passion, food justice, frequently donating the nutrient-rich greens to local food pantries. After the summer, he plans to take a gap year to focus on growing Just For Fun Farms and expanding his restaurant partnerships, and then will return to Clark to pursue a master’s in environmental science and policy.