BUDS
Farmer’s Markets
One of the great ways to teach children about locally grown fruits and vegetables is to plan a visit to your local farmer’s market. Children love the outdoors and having the opportunity to walk through the rows and rows of colorful produce can turn a hum drum trip into an exciting experience. Having an opportunity to sample helps with making this type of outing the perfect way to spend a Saturday morning with a budding foodie.
To get the most out of your market adventure, here are a few tips to get you going:
- Check your local newspaper for times and featured presentations for the day you plan to visit.
- Plan to arrive early. By beating the crowds you will have more of an opportunity to engage the growers to ask questions about their offerings.
- Ask for samples to taste before purchasing.
- Check out the information booth to learn about special programs that might be offered in your area to support your home garden. There are a number of educational programs on natural pest control, planting and composting that can prove to be very beneficial as you teach your children about gardening.
- To teach the lesson of recycling, be sure to take along your own reusable bags for your purchases.
- Plan to take your purchases home immediately rather than leave in a hot car in order to avoid spoilage
- Encourage your child to help with preparing a special dish from the items you purchase.
- Take photographs of your outing.
Coming up in the July issue: "Pick Your Own Farms"