Geneva Green Market: Geneva, Illinois – A Local Food Green Farmers Market

Join in The GGM membership! Your contributions support educational programs, lectures and the commitment to the health-giving nature of locally grown food, sustainability and conservation of resources. Your contribution also helps support the free Kids corner and Chef demos at the market and your individual membership includes a range of benefits that are feature below.

• Seed Membership ($25 or more donation) – you will receive a coffee mug/GGM discount card – honored at concurring businesses/events.  Membership Specials.
• Planting Membership ($50 or more donation) – the above membership and  $10 off the each lecture/workshop/class you choice during the 2009 season.
• Sprouting Membership ($100 or more donation) – the above membership and a lunch for two at the Geneva Green Market.
• Growing Membership ($250 or more donation) – the above membership and (20% off home cooking demonstration by Jennifer Downing, Nourish) Learn useful cooking techniques with locally grown food.
• Harvest Membership ($500 or more donation) – the above membership and a basket filled the freshest products from the Geneva Green Market
• Geneva Green Market Benefactor ($1000 or more donation)  – the above membership and will receive a dinner for two at Niche Restaurant in Geneva. (Excludes alcohol and gratuity)

Mission Statement
Geneva Green Market, a non-for profit distributional and educational association which:

• Promotes the sale of locally produced products from local family farms and local food producers who provide freshness, biodiversity, the highest quality organic/sustainable food and the basis of regional cuisine.
• Provides an educational forum for consumers to learn the uses and benefits of quality, locally grown or prepared food products. To establish an appreciation of nutritional value of produce and to provide more flavor, freshness and variety of locally grown product.
• Preserves the environment for future generations while improving the quality of food.
• Supports a partnership between local chefs, farmers, producers and merchants to mutually enhance, develop, and promote the local food economy.
• Promotes the green community, and become the town crier of the events of the Fox River Valley.
• Creates partnerships with other non-for profits organizations that promote green living, preservation of our natural resources, gardening information, and other aligned interests.

Thus far the Geneva Green Market, NFP is entirely run by volunteers. Unlike other farmers’ markets, we only charge our vendors a minimal donation fee that goes towards necessary expenses. This helps our vendors remain economically viable. In time we hope to build up membership enough to support a salaried market manager position to help the Geneva Green Market run smoothly for years to come. Serving on the board of directors for the Geneva Green Market, NFP are Karen Start, president, Connie Weaver, co-founder, Georgine Bosak, treasurer, Diana Morin, secretary, Trisha Margulies, member, Ted Richter, farmer, Beth Propst, farmer, Jennifer Downing, chef, Jennifer Echert, member. This not-for-profit group of volunteers seeks to educate and support the community in their efforts to eat locally.

To join the GGM,NFP membership click here to email or send email to info [at] genevagreenmarket [dot] org or call 630-208-9321

1. What you get when you Shop Locally: Food with exceptional taste and freshness. Preservation of the environment by preventing the shipping of outside produce, Support endangered family farms. Local honey may even help you develop antibodies for local allergies.
2. Diversify your diet: Eat seasonally. Vegetables and fruits in season are at the height of flavor and nutrition.
3. Eat less Meat: It takes 2500 gallons of water ti produce a pound of meat, but only 25 gallons of water to produce a pound of wheat.
4. Eat more Chocolate: Fair trade chocolate like Equal Exchange.
5. Boil Once, Cook Twice: Use the residual heat from pasta water to blanch broccoli for your dinner.
6. Buy a side of Beef: From a local farmer. Why? The practice directly supports local farmers with a vested interest in taking care of the environment.
7. Roast a whole Chicken: Less processing and packaging mean less waste. Use left over bones to make your own stock and save a can (or box).
8. Fill up your freezer: Freeze your own in season produce. Preserve the bounty for the winter when the grocery store strawberries are white inside. Keeping a full freezer also uses less energy that an empty one.
9. Pack your own lunch: A simple way to reduce consumption of take out and processed food. Also saves money produces less packaging waste.
10. Plant an heirloom garden: Whether you plant vegetables or flowers, plant heirloom varieties that have not been genetically modified.

Heritage Prairie Farm Camp for Kids – don’t miss out on the opportunity to enroll your child in hands on experiences that give children the knowledge to begin his or her journey into understanding food and farming, tolerance and self-respect, community and responsibility. Children will have fun while experiencing productive and worthwhile work, in turn feeling a sense of accomplishment. Our peaceful and engaging environment is a great place for new friends and experiences with our knowledgeable and friendly staff. Sign up today!

Camps for ages 7 – 12: Camps run for 2 weeks, Monday thru Thursday 9:00 a.m. – Noon

Garden Explorers: (July 21 – 24 & July 28 – 31) *Sign up by this Friday!*

In this fun outdoor camp children will experience planning, preparing, and planting a garden. We will get our hands into soil testing and bug exploration, as well as the life cycle of plants; from a seed to seedling to a full grown plant. The campers will experiment planting with seeds, transplants, fruits, and trees. Enroll your child now and lay down the roots of life with the hands on, fun, and educational experience of Heritage Prairie’s Garden Explorers Camp.

Fun With Food: (August  4 – 7 & August 11 – 14)

Campers will harvest ingredients from the ground and then engage all five senses with the art of cooking. Campers will be evolved in the processes of cooking from helping select ingredients to measuring, mixing, cooking, and then of course sampling. Also, your child will become a certified food detective and learn how to make healthy food selections while shopping in the grocery store. We want to connect children to their food and to their community by introducing food system maps, which cover important social, economical and environmental concepts. Where does my food come from? How does it get here? Who am I really paying? How do my choices effect others and the environment? As a grand finale, we will take a field trip to the Geneva Green City Farmers Market and experience local farmers and local buyers.

Camps for ages 4 – 6: Camps run for 1 week, Monday thru Thursday 9:00 a.m. – Noon

Farm Critters: (July 21 – 24) *Sign up by this Friday!*

Campers will experience and explore the animal life on the farm. Come and join in the fun of the feeding, care, and responsibilities involving the animals on our farm.

Nature Crafts: (July 28 – 31)

Using nature as our inspiration and palette, campers will enjoy making creative functional items as well as original works of art. Campers will learn about famous artists as well as discovering the artist within.

Budding Farmers: (August 4-7)

Children will enjoy the outdoors while learning responsibility and sensitivity to the natural world. Activities will include animal care, picking vegetables and flowers, stories, games and crafts.

Garden Explorers: (August 11-14)

This camp is all about getting your hands dirty and having fun! Campers will join in with peers and counselors planting, weeding, and harvesting gardens throughout the farm. Learn about the bugs in and around the farm, and dig into composting.

See attached for registration forms, pricing, and detailed descriptions.
Download a registration form here
For a printable brochure of camp programs, click here.

Heritage Prairie Market
hpmfarm.com
630-443-8253