At-School Youth Farmers Markets: Can Hands-on Experience Purchasing Fruit and Vegetables Grown on BIOAg Farms Influence Valuation of Local Farming and Family Shopping Habits? Final Report

This final report summarizes a BIOAg-funded Extension education project that used school-based youth farmers markets to increase children’s familiarity with local produce and biologically intensive agriculture. The project worked with 154 third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students at Garfield Elementary School, where students received tokens to shop for seasonal fruits and vegetables sourced from local farms through the Southwest Washington Food Hub. Follow-up activities included classroom discussions, an apple taste test, and a visit to the Olympia Farmers Market, where 45 students received additional tokens to spend. Reported outcomes included increased willingness to try new fruits and vegetables, higher family consumption of produce, and stronger interest in farmers markets and local food. The project also strengthened connections among WSU Extension, SNAP-Ed, schools, local farms, and market partners, while showing strong potential for replication in other schools and communities.