Valley kids learn value of dollar at own ‘farmers market’
Sep 4, 2012, 7:34 AM | Updated: 7:34 am
PHOENIX — Local First Arizona and Junior Achievement of Arizona will officially launch a farmers market in Tempe on Tuesday evening to teach grade school students about the free-enterprise system.
At Junior Achievement’s Biz Town near Southern Avenue and Hardy Drive, students can learn how to run an economy for a day. Now a simulated farmers market has been added.
Ian Hamp with Junior Achievement said there’s a real connection between financial literacy and food literacy.
“We thought the farmers market would be a fun and unique way to introduce them to how to raise food and make good nutritional choices and what entreprenuership looks like,” Hamp said.
Harper’s Nurseries donated hundreds of packet of seeds that students can purchase with their “salaries” earned during their work at BizTown.
Students will learn everything from growing fruit trees to raising chickens to have fresh eggs every day.
Besides growing their own food, students will be able to sample granola packaged by the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center.