“Green Thumb Kids” is a project of the Cape Breton Farmers’ Market in collaboration with the Sydney Post-Carbon Group in Nova Scotia, Canada.

The goal of this project was to get children into growing tomatoes and beans for their own consumption or for sale at the Farmers’ Market. Excellent cooperation was received from teachers in the Cape Breton Victoria District School Board. Notices were sent to homes of all grade three students inviting them to join the project. Approximately 50 students registered; they came to the Market with a parent/guardian who signed consent for the child’s participation.

Each child received two heritage tomato plants as well as a dozen Romano beans. The beans had originated with Italian immigrants who came to Sydney Mines in Cape Breton over 100 years ago. The children were given written instructions regarding the required planting and care. They were also invited to return to the Farmers’ Market to sell their produce.

Most parents have stated that the plants grew well and that the children were excited to have grown their own vegetables. Some of the problems that the children encountered were poor soil conditions, forgetting to water their plants, or tomato plants blowing over in the wind. One child gave some tomatoes to her grandmother. One mother expressed delight that her son had actually eaten the beans, something he had never done before. One mother, a teacher, was delighted that her son had learned so much through the process.

The project was coordinated by three vendors, namely, Frances Oommen, Michelle Smith and David Brennick. Members of the Farmers’ Market were happy that some of the young gardeners brought their produce to the Market. On two Saturdays in October, two groups of families came with their “novice vendors” – complete with signs, displays and petty cash – to sell their tomatoes. No one sold any beans, but from all reports “the families had eaten them all!”

All in all, the Green Thumb Kids project was a huge success. Many of the families are anxious to repeat the project again next year.

As an indication of the interest of the Cape Breton Farmers’ Market in the “future of food” three dedicated vendors of the Market attended from October 26th through October 30th, 2006 the World Meeting of Food Communities (Terra Madre) in Turin, Italy. Information regarding this is available at: www.slowfood.com. For more information about the Cape Breton Farmers’ Market and the Green Thumb Kids, visit them online at www.sfm.cb-ns.org.