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Leverett Elementary Students Get a Lesson in Healthy Food and Local Economy as They Visit the Fayetteville Farmers' Market
Students from Leverett Elementary sampled fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, green beans, and radishes as they chatted with growers about farming, on a recent field trip to the Fayetteville Farmers' Market.
View a slide show of the field trip here.
Each group of students was given a set amount of money to spend at the farmers' market and had to make collective decisions about how to spend it – learning about working with others and using math, in addition to tasting healthy foods.
The field trip was sponsored by Apple Seeds, Inc., a local nonprofit dedicated to helping elementary school students make nutritious food choices and form healthy eating habits.
View a short video about Apple Seeds, Inc. here.
"The farmers really enjoyed having the school kids come to market and having the opportunity to interact with them. The kids were very excited to be there and the feeling was contagious," said Farmer's Market Assistant Manager and Apple Seeds' Board member Cara Corbin.
Eating locally grown fruits and vegetables offers several benefits. Chief among them: money stays within our community instead of going to growers in other states or countries, less fossil fuels are used in transporting food, and often the produce just tastes better since it is fresher. Being able to talk directly with the farmer means one can ask questions like whether pesticides have been used or how animals have been raised.
The farmers' market and the accompanying bustling town square atmosphere add greatly to the quality of life in Fayetteville. As many Fayetteville residents can attest, the farmer’s market is the place to be on Saturday mornings. Residents can bump into neighbors, drink some coffee, and listen to live music while they shop for locally grown food.
The Fayetteville Farmers' Market is open from 7 am – 1 pm on Saturdays until November 21st, and will start up again at the beginning of April 2010. The market is also open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 am – 1 pm until October 29th. On Saturdays, in addition to food, crafts, and plants, the farmer’s market offers live local music.
Note: Fayetteville Public Schools' Food Services Director Lisa Jenkins is committed to bringing locally grown produce to the cafeterias in our schools. See a video about FPS' Farm to School program here.
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