Rob works with nature.

Rob Works With Nature
Visiting the farmers' market is a great way to meet the people who grow your food.

Rob grows vegetables and then he sells them to restaurants and to people and their families.

When the weather warms up, he takes his produce to the Dane County Farmers' Market.

You can find farmers' markets that look like this all over the world! To find one near you, type the name of your city + "farmers' market" in your browser and hit "go!"

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Farmer Rob is an organic farmer in Stoughton, Wis. He grows organic vegetables for local farmers' markets and restaurants.

The restaurants value his products, and pay more for organic vegetables than they would for conventionally grown veggies.

"I'm just trying to work with nature in a way that doesn't interfere with natural processes," Rob says.

Rob also sells his produce directly to local families by offering seasonal shares.

Rob Offers Seasonal Shares

Delicious farm-fresh tomatoes ready for families to pick up

Seasonal shares offer families a way to eat locally produced organic vegetables that are in season and very fresh.

Participating in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and offering seasonal shares also guarantees that Rob can pay for his organic gardening practices.

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A seasonal share is when a family pays Rob for a box of mixed vegetables every week from May until October.

The food just tastes better.

Visit Nate and Andrew

Nate and his brother, Andrew, at the Rock County Farmers Market

Nathan and his brother Andrew belong to the Rock County 4-H Club. They have a table at the farmers' market during the warm seasons of the year.

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You can get around the expense

Organic food can often cost more than conventional food, so the shares can be expensive for some families.

But there are ways around the expense: Many health insurance companies offer subsidies every season to individuals and families that join a CSA. Many growers also allow some families that receive shares to work for their food.

Worker Shares

Some people pay work at the farm.

Families that purchase worker shares come to the farm once a week and help a grower and other workers harvest and clean the vegetables. In return they get a reduced price on their produce.

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Not only does it make the food cheaper, it helps the families:

• Have a connection to the food that they eat
• Learn firsthand how it is produced
• Participate in community building

Organic food advocates believe that connecting with the land and with others in our communities is as important to our well-being as organic food is to our bodies.

Grow your own

Organic food: is it worth the money?

Because of the popularity of organic food, many teenagers are learning how to grow their own. They're willing to spend more on organic foods because they believe it will help keep them healthier.

Public school programs around the country are helping them stay motivated. They're giving kids healthier choices in the cafeteria and in vending machines, and teaching them about healthy eating.

In Berkeley, Calif, Martin Luther King Junior Middle School students are participating in a program called The Edible Schoolyard.

Students learn about growing, harvesting and preparing nutritious, organic, and seasonal produce in a one-acre garden and kitchen classroom. The edible schoolyard idea is growing. You can show your teachers and parents the website to learn about how your school can do it too!

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Madison, WI

WRITTEN BY:

Katya

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