Farmers Markets...and the Kids (of All Ages) that Love 'em

My earliest farmers market memory was when I was a preschooler. I recall holding my uncle's hand at a Houston market as we wove through a parking lot, delivering a case of homemade preserves from his cannery. There were so many colors, so much noise--I was enchanted.

In the four decades (gasp!) since that Saturday morning in South Texas, I've visited many different kinds of food markets on three continents. And I've had the good fortune to check out fruits and veggies (plus bread, flowers and antiques!) in most Western European countries as well as England, Canada, and Argentina. 

Big or small, I've loved them all. And I always hoped that I'd pass that passion along to my own kids.

In fact, after Tater Tot was born, one of the first short outings that I made alone was to a tiny produce stand set up behind a Texas feed store. At the time, that was the closest thing to a farmers market here for many, many miles. During a trip to Seattle when Tater Tot was 16 months old, he and I schlepped through downtown with his dad to check out the world-renowned Pike Place Market where we all marveled at the sights and sounds. 

This year, Tater Tot's made several trips to our local farmers market, and within the last few weeks he's begun to clamor for a visit. When we pass the church parking lot where it is now held, he cranes his neck in his carseat to see if his friends--"duh farmuhs"--are out. He always seems a little disappointed when he discovers, from their absence, that it isn't Saturday morning after all.

Kinda cute, huh?

At our house, we derive inspiration from the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education, which encourages parents and teachers to let children's individual and budding interests guide instruction. With that approach in mind alongside my intention to nurture support for sustainable agriculture at home, I asked the children's librarian at our local library for a book recommendation related to Tater Tot's nascent market curiosity. She quickly pulled Farmers Market, written by Carmen Parks and illustrated by Edward Martinez. It's intended for older children who are learning to read, but my toddler loves the vibrant illustrations and the simple language. In short, it's a great book for any child who loves to go to market, to market. I recommend it highly. 

Enjoy!



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