A Day at the Avondale Farmer’s Market

On a sunny Friday in late September, the Avondale food service department, led by Chartwells Food Service Director Megan Haase, hosted a special farmers market event for the district's 297 fifth-grade students. The event took place at the Avondale Schools Administration Building and was attended by students, parents, teachers, and administrators, all eager to learn about and celebrate fresh, local Michigan produce.

The students arrived by school bus for this very special field trip and once they got off the bus they received a boxed lunch, a shopping bag and “veggie bucks” coupons for students to “purchase” a variety of fresh produce during the event. Haase explained that her inspiration for the project stemmed from her own passion for farmers markets and nutrition education. “The Farmers Market offers a fantastic opportunity to teach students about vegetables—their growth, flavor, and origins—while providing a joyful, healthy activity outside the café and traditional classroom setting," she said.

Collaboration with key partners was crucial to the event’s success. "At Avondale and Chartwells, we are fortunate to partner with an outstanding vendor, Tom Maceri & Sons," Haase noted. "When we shared our vision for the Avondale Farmers Market, they were all in and eager to help us achieve our goals." Maceri contributed by providing a beautiful display of fresh apples and a plethora of fresh vegetables. 

Additionally, the United Dairy Industry of Michigan (UDIM) was on hand to assist with taste-testing fruit and vegetable smoothie recipes that were made with a Smoothie Bike. They also helped students celebrate National Chocolate Milk Day, which coincidentally fell on the same day as the Farmers Market.

The Avondale School District supported the event by arranging transportation for all fifth graders to and from the Avondale Administration Building, ensuring equitable access for all students to participate. Additionally, Chartwells brought in Chef’s and a cadre of volunteers to ensure the Farmers Market was a success. 

"A unique aspect of this event is the collaboration between our food service department and Chartwells associates from across the state, supporting a district initiative that unites all fifth graders for a memorable occasion," Haase added. "As this is their final year in elementary school before moving on to middle school, the Farmers Market serves as the first opportunity for all fifth graders to meet as future classmates in the Class of 2031."

Although the Farmer’s Market itself was the star of the event, several other activities were provided to students to enhance their Farmer’s Market experience. Here’s what the students got to experience:

Live Cooking Demonstration

Chartwells’ Regional Executive Chef, Aaron, showcased his culinary skills with a live cooking demonstration featuring our Cauliflower Fried Rice recipe, made with fresh produce from the market. All participants had the opportunity to watch Chef Aaron prepare this delicious dish and sample it right after – the kids loved it!

Carving Demonstration

The Director at Gibraltar and Trenton Schools, Chef Brian Bahr, performed live pumpkin carving demonstration. The Pumpkin Patch also included a planting station, pumpkin seed tasting, and a fun contest to guess the weight of our giant pumpkin. This was one of the most popular stations during the event!

Apple Tasting Station

At this station, students explored a variety of Michigan apples with descriptions, displays, and taste-testing opportunities for all the different varieties. Students were asked to “score” their favorite apple from a variety of samples. 

Tomato Tasting Station

Here, a range of tomatoes, including grape, compare, and heirloom varieties were featured & taste tested by students. One student remarked at how fresh the tomatoes tasted!

Pickle Tasting Station

At this station, students learned how pickles are made from pickling cucumbers while sampling three different kinds—dill, bread & butter, and sweet was a big hit with the students! They even had a   “Guess How Many Pickles are in This Jar” contest!

Popcorn Tasting Station

At this station students learned how popcorn comes from corn on the cob, with displays of corn stalks still attached. Students sampled various lightly flavored popcorn options.

Fresh Herb Cart

At this station, students learned how herbs can enhance the flavor and quality of food. Students used their “Veggie Bucks”  to purchase fresh herbs from the Fresh herbs display.

The event was a huge success and fun was had by all.  Students went home with shopping bags teeming with fresh produce to enjoy with their family. The best part of the event was the impact on students, When talking to 5^th grader Aarin, I asked him what he liked the most about the Farmers Market he exclaimed “Everything is awesome! Everything looks so good! I bought 2 corn, 2 bell peppers, 3 apples and a red onion. I’m so excited to take this home for my Mom!” Another 5^th grade student, Marissa, remarked that “this was the best field trip we ever had!”