Students set up shop for farmers’ market
There is a buzz at Warragul Primary School ahead of Australia’s first ever Kids Farmers’ Market on Friday from 4pm to 7pm.
This market is strictly for kids only. Many have been busy growing, harvesting and preserving food for months. Adults are welcome – but only to attend and buy!
Whilst the market is being organised by Warragul Farmers’ Market and Warragul Primary School, kids from any local school, kindergarten or daycare are welcome to attend and sell their produce.
“It’s just all about the experience and we’re just encouraging all participation,” said Sallie Jones of Warragul Farmers’ Market. “It’s an amazing opportunity for the kids. The act of them setting up a shop and feeling proud of what they do.”
Whether you have a punnet of tomatoes or a stall full of produce, Ms Jones is urging all children to participate.
She added it was a great opportunity to promote eating fresh fruit and vegetables whilst also teaching consumer service related skills.
From their research, Ms Jones believes it is the first Kids Farmers’ Market in Australia.
Warragul Primary School principal Rosemary Allica said all year levels would be represented at the market and it had been an amazing learning experience to prepare and sell produce.
“It’s about the whole cycle of paddock to plate,” said Ms Allica. “It started from helping kids to focus on maths in real life.”
She said students had made butter, grown tomatoes and herbs, made pots with seedlings, made honey, collected eggs and also would be selling passionfruit, lemons and apples.
“We’ve been making pots and at home people have been growing stuff to sell at the farmers’ market,” added grade two student Lily Dewar-Oldis.
Ms Jones said Warragul Primary School was one of the sites originally looked at for the monthly Warragul Farmers’ Market.
“It’s always been in the back of my mind that it’s a gorgeous location for a farmers’ market,” said Ms Jones.
She added the heritage feel, mature trees and fenced in for safety made it the perfect location for the kids’ market event.
Visit Facebook page “Warragul Kids Farmers Market” to learn more.