NEWS
The Kokomo Downtown Farmers' Market is proud to be the season-long sponsor of the national "Plant A Row for the Hungry" campaign. The program is rooted in the heartfelt tradition of gardeners sharing a bountiful harvest with others. Sign up to designate a row of your garden this season to feed local community members in need. Our Farmers' Market will serve as the weekly collection point.
The Community Foundation of Howard County has graciously provided a grant allowing us to have a "Seed to Market" program. The program's purpose is to provide 8-10 local middle school youth with an opportunity to participate along with our Farmers' Market members, Ivy Tech Community Garden, and a local food distribution agency. Participants will gain a better understanding of food systems and business enterprise, while building their skills in customer service, accounting, and public speaking.
This one of a kind program will be a "hands on" 5 week experience in which program participants will be part of the planning and planting of the Ivy Tech Community Garden. Youth will also visit a farm belonging to one of the Farmers' Market Members, participate in a Saturday Farmers' Market event and help harvest crops at the Community Garden. The 5 week program will conclude with a county-wide Youth Market Day at the Kokomo Downtown Farmers' Market, in which program participants will run their own market vendor booths, selling their own hand-picked produce. Community members will participate as "Market Mentors" for the day, assisting students with their vendor booths and with the distribution of remaining produce to a local food bank of their choice.
We plan season-long events with four weekly rotating programs:
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"Taste the Place" Chef Demonstrations --- cooking demonstrations featuring local chefs and fresh Market produce
"Art a la Carte" Guest Artist Program --- featuring local Artists and their work
"Street Beat" --- highlighting a variety of local musicians
"Community Connection" --- demonstrations and workshops from a variety of community members and organizations,
including composting workshops, wood carving demonstrations, and canning how-to's.
Art a la Carte for August 30
(to be announced)
Community Connection for August 30
EquiVenture
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Market Season 2008
Featured Non-Profit Organizations
May 10
Master Gardeners' Annual Plant Sale, including Dig & Hoe Garden Club
June 14
Humane Society --- "Ales for Tails"
Carver Community Center --- "Ribfest"
June 21
Master Gardeners --- "Garden Stroll"
June 28
Bona Vista
July 12
Wildcat Guardians
July 19
Samaritan Caregivers --- "Duck Derby"
They will also be promoting Urban Outreach, collecting fresh produce and canned goods. They also handed out bags at the County Fair asking people to fill them with canned goods and bring them to the Farmers' Market.
July 26
United Way --- "Taste of Kokomo"
August 2
Habitat for Humanity --- 20th Anniversary
August 9
Howard County Special Olympics
August 16
Kokomo Childrens' Choir --- Fall Choir
August 23
Girl Scouts --- Fall Enlistment Campaign
August 30
EquiVenture
September 6
Dig & Hoe Garden Club --- Fall Bulbs
September 13
Curtain Call Children's Theater --- Season Tickets
September 20
Literacy Coalition --- "Scrabble Tournament"
September 27
Big Brothers and Big Sisters
October 4
Kokomo Symphonic Society
October 11
Open date --- contact Debbie Flowers to reserve this date (455-2085)
Prizes!!!
We'll be giving away weekly T-shirts,
monthly prizes to be determined, and
at the end of the Market season a Nintendo Wii!!!
To qualify for the Wii drawing all you need to do is
spend $15 a week for 15 weeks out of the 18 week season.
You can get a contest card at any market by June 28!
