Sprouts Event For August!

It’s already August (how did I miss posting about July’s event?), and we’re gearing up for this month’s Sprouts event – it’s our very own corn party out at Urbana’s Market at the Square.

Corn’s very important to Illinois and especially our part of Illinois – bring your favorite Sprout out to taste corn in its many forms, to check out some corn stalks, to meet the farmers that grow some of the best sweet corn in the world, and much more! The event is happening at the Market this weekend – August 21 – from 9 AM – 11 AM. Just bring your Sprout(s) to the City tent at the northwest entrance to the Market to get started.

All Sprouts will receive a certificate of participation, which also happens to be good for 15% off any toy purchase at Art Mart toys made before the end of the day. We’ll also have Sprouts T-shirts for sale for the kids and the bigger Sprouts, too.

Hope to see you out there! If you need more information, you can email Lisa or call 217-384-2319.

Sprouts v 2.0

Hey, Sprouts fans – it’s time for another installment of Sprouts at the Market! Our second event of the season will be taking place this weekend, June 19, 2010, from 9-11 AM. Jen Hewitt is back for the next few months with her army of budding nutritionists to help kids and their caregivers learn more about eating healthy and to help connect kids with the folks who grow their food.

This weekend, Jen and friends will be helping kids understand all these words people keep saying around the farmers market –  words like organic. Local. Seasonal. What do these words mean? How can kids Eat Here? Jen and her volunteers will have several stations throughout the market featuring foods available at the Market and information about each and every one of these concepts. While the activities are geared toward the older end of the 3-8 age range, Jen’s volunteers will be able to help ALL the kids understand, and the points will be driven home by the tastes and scents of freshly-picked, locally-grown produce.

Every Sprout will go home with a seasonality chart, and kids finishing all five tables will receive a Certificate of Participation and a coupon for a free apple from Common Ground Food Co-op. Art Mart Toys is also offering a 15% discount to all kids presenting their certificate in the store by 2 PM Saturday.

Many thanks to all our partners and donors – among them this time are Blue Moon Farm, Moore Family Farm, Tomahnous Farm, Prairie Fruits Farm, Tiny Greens, Meyer Produce, Omega Farm,  Common Ground, 88 Broadway,  and Art Mart. We couldn’t do Sprouts without their support!

First Sprouts Event of the 2010 Season

It’s shaping up to be a great season for Sprouts activities. Workshops for your young Sprout age 3-8 will be offered at the Market on these days this season:

MAY 22

JUNE 19

July 24

August 21

September 18

October 23

The first and last workshops this season will focus more on the food system rather than food itself, due to the more limited nature of available produce at that time, while the middle four events will focus on trying new fruits and vegetables, meeting our local growers, and learning about what makes these foods so super-good for kids and grownups alike.

The May 22 event is co-sponsored by Urbana’s Market at the Square, Market vendor Tiny Greens, and Champaign County Extension’s Master Gardeners. Sprouts will learn from the Master Gardeners about how all our food – even animal products – really starts from humble little seeds and the foods that grow from them. Then MGs will then show your Sprout how to plant sunflower seeds into starter pots and will help them understand what the seed needs until the young plant is ready to go into the ground.

The workshop is free and will be happening continuously from 9-11 AM on Saturday, May 22. Just come by the Sprouts tent, located near the NW entrance to the Market – registration is not required. All kids and caregivers are welcome, but the workshop will be geared toward younger children. All Sprouts will receive a certificate of participation.

Questions? Suggestions? Contact Lisa Bralts, the Market’s Director, via email or at 217/384-2319.