 What's It All About?
A community farmers' market can help teach children that fruits, vegetables, herbs and dairy products come from a farm before they get to the grocery store. Your school can organize a virtual farmers' market that includes fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs, a hen's nest, a "virtual" cow to milk, and a churn to churn butter. Children can purchase produce and other goods with play money and sample a variety of foods.
How do we start?
 Students' involvement in planning and organizing a farmers' market will vary depending on grade level. Older students can research types of fruits and vegetables that are grown locally. A teacher can contact local farmers to donate fresh produce for the farmers' market. If a real cow is not available for the market, students and teachers can create a "virtual" cow to milk. You can create a "virtual" cow from an old mailbox by painting black and white spots on it and adding a cow's face and tail. To milk the "virtual" cow, pour milk into a latex or rubber glove that has pin holes pierced in the fingertips. Place the gloves under the cow to form an “udder” and have the students squeeze the mild-filled glove into a bucket.
What else?
Local vendors can help support the virtual farmers' market by donating produce and staff to work with the children. For instance, a local dairy farmer can demonstrate how to milk a cow. A watermelon farmer can teach everyone how to choose a ripe watermelon, and then have a watermelon for sampling.
 Students can visit each of the vendors' booths at the farmers' market and sample foods where available. By learning where foods come from, students can develop an understanding of the link between agriculture and nutrition.
And more...
Teachers can incorporate this activity into several subject areas.
- Art teachers can have the students decorate paper bags to bring to the farmers' market and after the activity draw scenes from the market.
- Health teachers can use the activity during their nutrition component to teach the students about the Food Guide Pyramid.
- Science teachers can help create the link between agriculture and good health by demonstrating how plants grow and become our food.
- English teachers can have the students write essays and poems about farming and farmers' market fresh foods.
- Social studies classes can teach about a variety of foods grown in different regions of the country and the cultural history of agriculture.
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