For parents having the problem of getting their children to taste and eat their daily MyPlate serving of half a plate of fruits and vegetables, help is as close as the Power of Produce (POP) Club tent at the Blythewood Farmers Market.
The Power of Produce is a national farmers market program that originated in 2011 at the Oregon Farmer’s Market in Oregon City, Oregon. Since then the program has been put into practice at thousands of farmer’s markets across the U.S. and Canada.
POP introduces children to local farmers, growers, gardeners, and foodies to inspire and empower kids to taste locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables and to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables with tokens received at the POP tent. Families with children head to the POP tent at the start of their market visit to pick up tokens to use at the market. Prisma Health sponsors the POP Club tent throughout the market season.
The Blythewood Farmer’s Market, a 501(c)(4) non-profit, is open on Wednesdays from April through November from 4 to 7 p.m. at Doko Meadows Park. Michaela Barno, market manager, founded the market in 2014 as a means to support local agriculture and small businesses, increase access to fresh nutritious food, and build community pride and resilience.
For the second year in a row the South Carolina Garden- based Learning Network’s healthy eating through gardening program presented a demonstration and activity with children entitled Fresh Fast Fun Food Gardens to Go in the POP tent. Children made salad necklaces to wear and watch microgreen seeds sprout in 24 to 48 hours. The necklaces are clear plastic portion cups. Children add soil and fast germinating seeds like tendergreen, curly mustard, or chia. After seeds are sprinkled atop the soil, a thin layer of soil is placed on top before children use misters to spray the soil. Then they place a cap on top of the portion cup to hold in the moisture. Children wear the mini-greenhouse salad necklaces around their necks. When the seeds sprout, they may transplant to the garden or harvest the cut and come again greens and use the microgreens in a sandwich, stir-fry, or salad, or to season soup.
Siblings compare salad necklaces.
An onsite model of other Fresh Fast Fun Food Gardens to Go included seashell gardens, detergent scoop gardens, eggshell herb gardens, and fruit cup gardens. Seed germination, plant propagation, and healthy eating are fun and easy for children with portable miniature gardening systems that teach and practice recycling, gardening, and nutrition simultaneously.
To plan your family’s visit to the Blythewood Farmer’s Market and POP tent, visit blythewoodfarmersmarket.com/plan-yourvisit#dates.
Spraying chia seeds
The salad necklace is a mini-greenhouse.
Loading Comments