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Kids POP by Farmers Market for fun, free program

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The Power of Produce (POP) Program provides a free and fun opportunity for children to engage in the food system through direct interaction at the local Farmers Market. Marshfield’s POP Program Coordinator, Kim Zahn of Zahn Farms and India Visser said they expect high participation in the program this year.

“POP is a children’s program for anyone ages 5-12. It’s a fun nutritional program for kids to be involved with anytime they come to the Farmers Market,” Zahn explained. “Each time they visit the market they’ll check in and receive $2 in POP tokens which they can use to buy fruits, vegetables, or a plant that produces food with.”

“Participants also get a free token tote and shopping tote for joining,” Visser said. “The coolest thing about this is that it’s 100% free to children and runs off of community funding.”

According to Zahn, parents simply find the POP booth and fill out a form to register their child. Each time they attend, they receive $2. There is also a club within the club, called the two bite club.

“The two bite club isn’t required but it is encouraged,” said Zahn. “We have 12 dates this year where kids are encouraged to try a fruit or vegetable that we bring… and they have to try it twice. You can’t just look at it and tase it one time. It’s called the two bite club!”

“My kids love it, there are fun activities every week,” added Visser. “During school it’s come when you can but in the summer we have all kinds of planned demonstrations, from planting seeds to how to make sushi… it gets gets excited about produce and trying new foods.”

The club has other perks such as coupons to local restaurants and rewards for certain activities, the idea is to drive participation up and keep kids excited about produce. The more they come back, the more they are able to get out of the program.

According to the ladies at the booth, children can join anytime throughout the year, as long as they still have financial capacity. The program is first come, first serve until they run out of space due to funding.

“Remember that you can’t have a POP program without the Farmers Market,” said Zahn. “The hardest thing about the program is community funding but Marshfield has stepped up the past few years, so we need to remember to support the market to help support these kids programs.”

The Marshfield Farmers' Market opened for the season on April 30. They will be set up at Young's Shopping Center (900 W Washington) every Friday from 2:30-6:30 p.m.

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