Event will allow children to dig into their food sources

A weekend event organized by local healthy eating and living organizations will help some of the area's youngest residents learn a bit more about the work that goes in to growing food by digging around in the dirt themselves.

The Cape Marketeers Club will gather at the Red Star Community Garden, 1223 N. Main St., on Saturday to help with planting and learn about plant pollination and anatomy.

The club is a Cape Riverfront Market program, funded in part by the American Chemical Society and the Missouri Department of Health and Human Services through the Healthy Environments and Active Lifestyles (HEAL) grant, distributed through the Healthy Communities Coalition. The Cape Girardeau Community Gardens and local master gardeners also will be part of the event.

Jamie Mayfield, Cape Marketeers Club committee chairwoman, said those who have been to previous Marketeers events will notice Saturday's is unique. The free educational program for children ages 5 through 12 typically is held at the market.

"We thought we could do a bonus day outside of the market because we're kind of limited to what we can do at the market on Marketeers Day, because it's on a parking lot," she said.

The event also is an opportunity for Marketeers to earn $5 in market tokens to buy fruits and vegetables at the Cape Riverfront Market at 35 S. Spanish St.

Those attending Saturday will help plant summer squash. Emily Scifers, a founder of the Riverfront Market and community gardens coordinator for Cape Girardeau, helped organize the planting by reaching out to longtime community gardens advocate and volunteer Robert Harris, who initially planted the Red Star garden.

"It worked out well because Robert was getting ready to plant summer squash anyway," Scifers said. "So I asked him, 'Hey, what about this?' And he said, 'That's great.' A big part of his vision is getting kids involved in gardening. ... All of this kind of came perfectly together."

Jaime Koehler, master gardener and assistant manager at the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center, will lead the activities Saturday. Mayfield said besides planting, children will learn about plant anatomy and play plant pollination games. The goal is for children to leave with a better understanding of the food on their plates and the work that went into putting it there.

"We eat three times a day, but so many kids don't really get what it takes to grow food," she said.

The Marketeers Club Day will be from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Red Star Community Garden. Water will be provided for the participating children. Parents must stay for the entire event and are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.

More information about the Marketeers and the Cape Riverfront Market is available at CapeRiverfrontMarket.com.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

1223 N. Main St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

35 S. Spanish St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.