As spring arrives we begin to spend more time outside. The trees are beautiful, flowers are blooming, the weather is warm and farmers’ markets are opening up with fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables. It is a wonderful opportunity to meet the farmers that grow our food and to find new produce to serve to our families.
We have 12,400 farms here in Maryland. Our local farmers grow corn, wheat, soybeans, vegetables, fruits and nuts. Did you know they even grow your Christmas trees and Halloween pumpkins? They also raise Thanksgiving turkeys, spring lamb, goats, chickens for meat and eggs, hogs for ham and bacon, and cattle for hamburger and steaks. Dairy farms provide milk and homemade ice-cream. And there are over 80,000 horses on our farms across the state.
Going to the farmers’ market as a family is an easy way to learn more about the agriculture in your community. It is a great way to get your children interested in eating more fruits and vegetables. To add fun to a trip to the farmers’ market try one of these five ideas:
- Scavenger Hunt – All ages enjoy the challenge of a scavenger hunt! They are simple to create based on your child’s age and interests. For younger children you can give them a handful of colored markers or crayons, or a bracelet with colored beads, and see what they can find to “match” them. If you have older children you can ask them to find a fruit or vegetable that represents a different part of a plant (root, stem, leaves, flower, fruit and seeds). Or get creative and make up your own. If you would like to use a premade scavenger hunt you could download this Scavenger Hunt.
- A Budget and a Bag – This is a great way to get your child involved in both selecting produce and buying it! Give them a set amount of cash and a shopping bag and see what they come back with. You can bet if they buy it they will eat it! To encourage a reluctant shopper try asking them questions like:
-- What fruit would be tasty at breakfast?
-- Do you see any fruits or vegetables you would like for your lunch this week?
-- Could you find a new vegetable we can serve when (name of friend or relative) joins us for
dinner this week?
- Eating the Rainbow – going to your local farmers’ market is a visual rainbow of delicious produce that often entices children and adults to adventurously try new fruits and vegetables. Foods of different colors provide different nutrients, vitamins and minerals so by “eating the rainbow", or many different colors of foods, you are more likely to have a balanced nutritious diet.
If you would like some suggestions on your phone you could download this Eating the Rainbow sheet from Farmers’ Market Create-and-Play Activity Book.
- Create Your Own Recipe – If you have a child in your family that likes to cook, invite them to select a couple of items from the farmers’ market to create an original recipe! Here are a couple of suggestions to get their imagination warmed up:
-- Red, White and Blue Salad - Spinach with a sprinkle of BLUEberries, shredded RED cabbage
and chopped WHITE cauliflower as a festive salad for 4th of July.
-- Summer Stew – which seasonal veggies are family favorites? Put them in a pot with your favorite
seasonings, add chicken, beef or tofu and serve outside on a summer evening as the fireflies
start to flicker.
- Make Friends with the Farmers – The ideal time to chat with the farmers is when it's not too busy at the market. You will be surprised to discover how different each farmer and their farm is! Did you know some farmers work in an office by day and run their farm on evenings and weekends? Dairy farmers milk their cows 2-3 times a day, every day of the year? That not all farmers have grown up on a farm? Some farmers grow their tomatoes in high tunnels to protect from pests and hail? Brainstorm with your child questions you both would like to ask the farmer.
For more inspiration and ideas, download these free pages from the Farmers’ Market Create-and-Play Activity Book.
