To mark the 2nd Anniversary Celebration of Stroud Farmers’ Market, junior children from 4 Stroud Primary Schools became market stall holders for a day, shaping the way for young consumers of the future.

TV crews and crowds flocked to this small Cotswold Town, now firmly in the public eye thanks to its thriving Farmers’ Market.

It was an inspired project, initiated by the celebrity chef, Robert Rees. Robert, who runs The Country Elephant, is a member of the Government’s Food Standards Agency. He has worked closely with Carol Endacott of the Stroud and Mid-Gloucestershire Education Business Partnership (SMGEBP) for many years, helping to link the worlds of education and business, and Clare Gerbrands, Gloucestershire Association of Farmers Markets co-ordinator.
His involvement with Stroud’s bi-monthly Farmers Market sparked the original idea for the schools’ project.

“Children are the food consumers of the future – as well as the business people and the politicians of tomorrow. They have a key role to play in developing shopping and eating trends,” said Robert.

The scheme received The Silver Pathfinders Award for Primary School Projects.

Activities included:-

• Sales of Pickles,
• Spiced Vinegars,
• Flavoured Oils,
• Herbs
• Lavender bags.
• Jams and Preserves

Entertainment for the crowds included:-

• Celebrity chef cookery demonstration
• Country Dancing
• Rap Poems
• Hand bell ringing
• Recorders
• Singing and guitar playing

In School Activities involved:-

• Fruit and Vegetable Tuck Shops
• The Finances of Running a Business
• Marketing Food
• Accountancy
• Finding out about Food Producers
• Preparing and cooking nutritious meals
• Designing menus
• Running an Allotment
• Visits to Farms
• Debating, Farmers’ Markets v Supermarkets
• Visits to Food Producers
• Surveys into Shopping Habits
• Holding a ‘Gardener’s Question Time’
• Making a Video Documentary

Resources
Very little money was available therefore few direct costs were incurred. SMGEBP paid most of the costs-for transport and other costs, the Sustain visit lunch, the Made In Stroud shop expenses for publicity for the Junior Farmers’ Market etc. Schools provided the cash as start up funds for their produce stalls e.g. seeds and pots for herb growing, ingredients for flavoured oils and vinegars. Businesses were extremely generous and provided jars and bottles at cost price.

However the cost in time devoted to the project was immeasurable. Teachers gave their time, and businesses lost money in the short term for long term gain-educating the children about food production marketing etc. Many other adults including parents, friends of the schools, The Environmental Health Officer, The Trading Standards Officer, Robert Rees and Clare Gerbrands all gave their time free.

If your school would like to replicate one of these projects - CLICK HERE

LEARNING OUTCOMES and BENEFITS OF THE JUNIOR FARMERS’ PROJECT

The learning outcomes and benefits of the project were not always the obvious ones. Key Skills were very high on the list with children learning valuable lessons in:

• animal husbandry
• accountancy
• bacteria
• bottling
• business studies
• communication
• community spirit and awareness
• construction (propagators/lavender bags)
• debating
• design (logos, brand identity, labels)
• entertainment
• environmental health
• farming
• food
• hygiene
• hospitality
• initiative
• jam making
• labelling
• marketing
• media
• nutrition
• opportunities
• politics, at national and local level
• questioning
• sales techniques
• tourism
• value for money
• working for a living

Awareness of business and enterprise and the world of work were foremost. The growth in self confidence for many children was an unexpected plus. The debate in the Council Chambers needed considerable research and communication skills. Similarly the questioning of customers and video recording and editing by St Matthews School developed many different skills.
Designing questionnaires, collecting data, processing it and presenting their conclusions to an audience required some sophisticated and very adult skills, which many of the children relished. They also used their experiences to produce poetry and songs. All schools involved were able to make a presentation to a large audience at the EBP annual lunch (a marketing event for members of the community).

EVALUATION OF THE PROJECT

‘Brilliant!’……
was how one child described the project.
And one parent said,
“Thank you for giving our children this opportunity.”

Much of the evaluation and evidence was visual and anecdotal, rather than a tick box of results. The unanimous feed back was that the project had been an overwhelming success. The importance of the project and the learning achieved, being almost too much to put into words.
Children loved the visits and being out of the classroom, enjoyed meeting different adults, they loved making the produce and selling it! One school made £330 on their stall at the Farmers’ Market (a real achievement) and another child wants to do work-experience at the herb farm when he is old enough.
One school commented that the project had already improved their connections with the community and that it had directly affected the children’s eating habits.

The children loved the biscuit making competition and providing the entertainments. Their parents and all involved hoping that their culinary skills and knowledge of food and its preparation, will remain with them for life.

The success of this project was very much the result of the goodwill and time commitment given by the experts, the businesses, the teachers and the parents.

A Whole School Approach

School Dinners

"A Year In the Life of the Farmers' Market" project

Setting up a Junior Farmers Market

Setting up a Fruit Tuck Shop

A Children's debate on farmers' markets

Farm Visits

Apple Days           

Bees In The Curriculum

Wheat, Barley and Oats