Education
- At the Market
- In the Community
- Programming for Toddlers
- Programming for Children
- Programming for Seniors
- Community Events
- In Print
- Online
- Vendor Features
- Recipes
- Recipe E-Books
- Kids Corner
- Fruit and Veggie Read Alouds
- Seasonal Coloring Pages
- The Okra Recipe E-Book
At the market ~ Chef Demonstrations
Market Chefs serve to educate and inspire our farmers market shoppers, vendors and community members. Market Chefs shop the market for fresh fruits, veggies, meats, and/or pantry items, and then prepare food live and on-site while inviting and answering questions, giving out free samples, and acting as an approachable resource for everyone curious about local and seasonal produce, farmers, cooking techniques and tools, and more!
Market Chefs introduce new ingredients, flavor combinations, and cuisines to market shoppers of all ages while preparing versatile and approachable dishes such as salads, soups, pasta or grain bowls, loaded toast, pancakes, and dips. Customers can take the recipe, purchase the produce, and replicate the sample at home. This adds a benefit to farmers, as people are inspired to purchase produce that otherwise, they might not have even thought about eating!
Recipes and techniques are always replicable and accessible in both time and cost in order to impact and inspire the majority of our community audience. Market Chefs are available to discuss how to create the recipe with substitution ingredients or with different tools or methods to achieve a similar result.
In the Community
At CFM, we believe that an integrated local food system brings farmers, chefs, and community members together, not only at the farmers market but also throughout the community. CFM’s Outreach and Education department facilitates opportunities for our communities to come together where neighbors live, work, and play, gathering around locally-grown food.
Our educators, farmers, and chefs present seasonal recipes at neighborhood association meetings, demonstrate cooking techniques at school PTA meetings, share locally-sourced snacks at community events, lead hands-on cooking lessons with classes of students, and facilitate school-wide taste tests of seasonal produce. Our programs aim to empower community members with an understanding of how to access locally-grown food, how to prepare seasonal produce for their family, and the connection between locally-grown food and their personal health, the health of their environment, and the health of their local economy.
Programming for Toddlers
Our Educational Outreach team understands the challenges parents face in introducing new foods to their children. Through our educational programming at public libraries and early care centers, young children are introduced to seasonal produce that our local farmers grow through fun storytimes, sing-alongs, and sensory experiences.
Programming for Children
Children and families are the focus of many of our Educational Outreach programs. In schools, at afterschool programs, and camps, our team leads interactive hands-on cooking and taste testing activities to encourage children to try new seasonal produce. Then, our hope is that they will come to the farmers market and purchase that produce item from their neighborhood farmers to prepare that dish for their friends and family at home.
Programming for Seniors
For over a decade, our Educational Outreach team has prioritized building relationships with residents at our local senior centers. We visit monthly to build community, host a hands-on cooking class, and enjoy a dish together. We also facilitate group visits to the farmers markets and coordinate transportation when possible.
At Community Farmers Markets (CFM), we believe that an integrated local food system brings farmers, chefs, and community members together, not only at the farmers market but also throughout the community. CFM’s Outreach and Education department facilitates opportunities for our communities to come together where neighbors live, work, and play, gathering around locally-grown food.
Our educators, farmers, and chefs present seasonal recipes at neighborhood association meetings, demonstrate cooking techniques at school PTA meetings, share locally-sourced snacks at community events, lead hands-on cooking lessons with classes of students, and facilitate school-wide taste tests of seasonal produce. Our programs aim to empower community members with an understanding of how to access locally-grown food, how to prepare seasonal produce for their family, and the connection between locally-grown food and their personal health, the health of their environment, and the health of their local economy.
