Sheldon, Iowa — The Sheldon Farmers Market will have a special feature this year. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host Power of Produce or “PoP” Club at the Sheldon Farmers Market on Fridays during June and July. The program is free for local 4-to 12-year-olds.
Extension officials tell us that each week, PoP Club will offer fun activities and games that teach the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables; a tasting that highlights one specific produce item; a $2 token for each PoP Club member to purchase their own produce to take home and enjoy with their family.
Mackenzie DeJong, human sciences program coordinator with ISU Extension and Outreach says that PoP Club is a fun way for kids to learn “‘where their food actually comes from’ and we have a lot of kids who discover that they actually LIKE healthy produce, such as broccoli or spinach, that they may not have tried before.”
PoP Club meets at the Sheldon Farmers Market for nine weeks beginning June 3 through July 29.
Participating youth and families can stop by the PoP Club table between the market hours of 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. each Monday night. Activities will take approximately 10 to 15 minutes after which youth are free to shop with their family.
She says it’s an informal gathering for youth each Monday night at the market. She says “One week, we might have a scavenger hunt for youth to do; the next week, we may play fruit and veggie bingo; and the next week, we might make our own zucchini racers. All activities are hands-on and fun with the goal of educating kids about healthy eating and promoting our local farmers market.”
There is no cost to participate; however, parents are asked to register their youth online at https://form.jotform.com/4Hregion1/PoPClub. PoP Club is supported and sponsored by the local farmers market and vendors, as well as Sanford Health of Sheldon and Peoples Bank.
For more information, contact Mackenzie at 712-737-4230 or mldejong@iastate.edu.
