Welcome to POP Club at the Lexington Farmers’ Market!
POP Club (Power Of Produce) is a farmers’ market-based children’s program that teaches kids ages 5-11 about fruits and vegetables, local food systems, and healthy food preparation through fun activities. Participants receive $2 weekly in POP Bucks to purchase fruits and vegetables from farmers. While they shop, they learn about new foods and how to eat seasonally, meet farmers, and make independent decisions about purchases, saving and budgeting. POP Club empowers children to explore healthy food options and a healthy lifestyle while adding income to local farmers.
How does it work?
Visit the Market Manager’s tent and sign your kids up!
We’ll make your child a POP Club passport to keep at the Market Manager’s tent, tracking their market visits. Each week, your child checks in and receives $2 to spend at the LFM on the fruits, vegetables, or food-producing plants that they want to buy. They visit the farms at the market and make direct purchases from the farmers. learning what is at the market and making their own choices.
Kids don’t have to spend any or all of their Bucks each week. Other markets’ POP Clubs have seen kids learn from farmers about fruits and vegetables, and also discover that budgeting and saving POP Bucks can let them buy more at a later time. It gives kids independence to make shopping decisions and discover new things. We know $2 won’t feed the family, but it’s just enough to empower kids.
POP Bucks can be used at any of the Tuesday markets from July 5 to October 29, and will expire at the end of the 2024 season.
What can kids buy with their POP Bucks?
POP Bucks can be spent at any farm at the LFM on fruits, vegetables or food-producing plants such as herbs, tomatoes or other edible plants. While we love them, things like apple cider donuts or blueberry breads don’t count!
Does it cost anything to join?
No, POP Club is free for all children between 5 and 12 years old! We’re hoping to connect with local businesses for sponsorship and receive grants in support of the program. Let us know if you can think of someone who would be interested!
Goals of POP Club
Our goals are to increase family participation at the LFM, empower children to explore healthy food options and a healthy lifestyle, and support local farmers.
As the season goes on, we plan on sharing activities and fun ways to explore the wonderful world of fruits and vegetables!
Here are the rules for POP Club at the LFM:
- Children sign in each week at the Market Manager’s table; they must be accompanied by a parent/guardian/responsible adult while at the market.
- Children should be supervised at all times.
- POP Bucks must be used during the 2024 season which runs from July 2 to October 29.
- POP Bucks do not have to be spent on the days you get them and can be saved to use at any point in the season.
- In the case of food allergies, please be aware of what your child buys, including when sampling foods