Power of Produce Clubs connect young and old to local food systems
Something amazing happens every Thursday night at Lake City’s farmers market. Children are eagerly tasting fresh vegetables, earning tokens, and shopping for their own produce to take home. This phenomenon is thanks to the Power of Produce (PoP) Club—an initiative designed to connect kids directly with their local food systems.
The program was originally piloted at the Oregon City Farmers Market in 2011. Thanks to co-organizers Manda Baldwin and Susan Draves, our local market embraced the PoP Club in 2018 as part of a University of Minnesota Extension pilot alongside 30 other Minnesota markets.
How the Power of Produce Club Works
The PoP Club focuses on children ages 4 to 12. Each week, kids visit the Power of Produce booth to try local, in-season fruits and vegetables. Participants are then given two $2 tokens to spend anywhere in the market.
The goal is two-fold: strengthen overall community health by promoting fruit and vegetable consumption among children, while supporting local vendors by increasing family attendance and spending.
A Visit to the PoP Club Booth
A visit to the booth typically starts with big smiles and high energy. Children are greeted with questions like, “Have you ever tried these snap peas or this zucchini before?” alongside fun food facts. Parents often join in, trading recipes or gathering tips on how to cook new ingredients at home.
The produce Baldwin and Draves feature directly reflects the farmers’ upcoming harvest. “We look at what vendors have each week so we can sample something the kids can actually buy that day,” Draves shares. “A few weeks ago, there was a lot of kohlrabi available, so we sampled that. Manda is really gifted at engaging the kids with fun facts about whatever we’re sampling.”
Even when kids are hesitant, or don’t like what they taste at first, Baldwin and Draves have witnessed many become more open to trying new foods over time, which they consider a huge success.
My own picky eater is an active participant in the club. Though not a big fan of fruits or veggies, there’s nothing he won’t taste in order to earn the tokens. Last week, Manda and Susan had him muddling cucumber with lemon and mint, adding sparkling water so he could sample a refreshing summer drink. They even let him add drops of simple syrup to adjust the taste to his liking and offered ideas for making his own version at home.
As the growing season hits its peak, the organizers get even more creative. Draves shares a few ways they’ve engaged kids through food:
“We have made Stone Soup, based on the book of the same title, and our most popular sample was ratatouille, which utilized a ton of market veggies! Maybe part of why it was so popular was the movie with the same name?!”
It’s these genuine connections they make with the kids, the active roles they empower them to take, and the creativity behind each sample that keep families coming back week after week.
The Token Economy
Kids leave the PoP booth with the tokens they’ve earned to shop the vendor booths. Baldwin and Draves love when they report back:
“One of our favorite moments is hearing a child proudly say, ‘I picked this myself!’ That sense of ownership makes a huge difference. Kids are much more likely to taste and enjoy produce when they’ve chosen it on their own.”
Parents frequently report that their kids ask to go to the market every week, eager to spend their hard-earned tokens on healthy food.
For the organizers, “it’s about much more than buying produce—it’s building confidence, encouraging healthy habits, and creating positive family experiences.”
Expanding Across Generations: PoP Plus for Seniors
The vibrant energy around the kids’ booth naturally caught the attention of older market visitors. Seniors began stopping by, sharing memories of how their parents cooked certain vegetables or offering their own favorite recipes. Inspired by this intergenerational exchange, the organizers saw an opportunity.
Many older adults face barriers to accessing fresh produce, so Draves helped develop and pilot PoP Plus for Seniors with the U of MN Extension team in 2021. “We designed and tested a model that would encourage older adults to shop at their local farmers markets while increasing access to nutritious fruits and vegetables,” she explained.
Similar to the kids’ program, eligible seniors receive two $2 tokens each week to purchase fresh produce directly from vendors. In Lake City, these incentives are paired with nutrition education, taste testing, and opportunities to connect with local farmers. Just like with the kids, Baldwin and Draves have seen seniors trying new foods and visiting the market more regularly.
Supported by Community, Loved
by Vendors
The local PoP program thrives thanks to generous support from the Lake City Rotary Club, Mayo Clinic Health System, and most recently, Pass It On.
Local vendors and farmers feel the positive impact firsthand. The PoP and PoP Plus programs bring new families and seniors to the market who love interacting with local growers, asking questions, and getting excited about using their tokens. Vendors praise the program for creating a vibrant, welcoming space that benefits both individual health and the local economy.
As Baldwin and Draves reflect: “It’s been super rewarding to watch a program we helped develop grow into something that benefits both individual health and the local food system.”