On-Farm Market for High Quality, Locally Grown Products and an Experience for School Children

On-Farm Market for High Quality, Locally Grown Products and an Experience for School Children

Summary

Recognizing and using available resources can provide a viable alternative to conventional farming. The objectives of this project are to capitalize on location and family abilities to transition from a traditional livestock and grain farm to an on-farm produce market. The coordinator wants to be competitive with local grocery stores and to connect parents and children to their food supply. The coordinator is striving to produce high quality fruits and vegetables for an in-season roadside market and to use a greenhouse for fresh produce out-of-season. She is developing curriculum for children, centered around a pizza garden, pumpkin patch scavenger hunt, and corn maze in the shape of Michigan with signs describing products grown across the state. Increased customer base, greater variety of produce, and mutual benefits of the urban-rural connection are allowing the project coordinator to realize the goal of making the on-farm produce market a viable component of the operation.

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