Visiting a Farmers Market
Westside Urban Agriculture Program
This assignment is a major grade due by Monday, December 2nd, 2013
Objective: the student will visit a farmers market, interact with vendors/farmers,
research what is being sold, sample new foods, purchase raw foods, prepare a meal
at home and share with the family in an effort to learn more about farmers’
markets, connect themselves closer to the origin or their food as well as make
more healthful food choices.
Guidelines:
At least once each semester this school year, we ask you to visit one of our local
farmers markets (see list from class and posted to Urban Ag page). While at the
market, introduce yourself as a student of Westside High School and a participant
in the Urban Agriculture program. You are encouraged to inform the vendor/farmer
about our program, your experiences in it as well as its purpose and goals. We
want more people to know about our program and to get involved with us. See if
you can establish that relationship for us!
While at the market, you are also encouraged to sample foods prepared at the
market, especially those that are made from produce sold at the market.
Additionally, we encourage you to purchase raw foods (fruits, vegetables, meats,
herbs, etc) that are to be taken home and prepared as a meal by you for your
family.
Also, we ask you to research and record what produce and other goods are being
sold and for how much. Especially look for the products that we can make and
grow at Westside. This information is important to our success in participating as a
vendor in famers markets so detailed information is the most helpful. This
information will be included in the report submitted.
Additionally, the report will identify the following information:

Name of market attended

Date and time span attended

Names of at least 3 vendors/farmers that were met, from where they come
or where they farm, what the sell/grow, how long they have been farming
and/or working at farmers’ markets

Describe and connections you made with the vendors/famers and any
potential interest or partnership that you helped create. Identify the person,
their contact information and how we might be able to collaborate.

Information about at least 10 products and prices of goods being sold at the
market. Those products and goods that are possible for us to duplicate at
WHS are most useful. This must include the per unit or per pound price of
the good. For instance, if sweet potatoes are sold by the number of potatoes
in the group (unit) or by weight (pound), we need to know this.

Describe what was purchased, sampled, eaten and what you liked or disliked
about it.

Describe what meal was prepared by the student at home, what it was and
how it was received by the family.
Student is to take a photo of self in front of the sign that identifies the market
attended. The photo is to be inserted into a powerpoint slide file and enlarged to
be the entire size of the slide. The photo file and report are to be emailed to the
instructor at lawernce.spence@gmail.com by Monday, December 2nd. This is a
major grade for each semester.
Enjoy!