On a recent beautiful Saturday afternoon, happy kids, parents, and other community members descended on Isabelle Farm in Lafayette, Colo., for great food, farm-based fun and live music. All proceeds from ticket sales, hayrides, crafts and more went to Growe Foundation'sGarden to Table program, which helps elementary schools start their own organic gardens, complete with lesson plans on healthy food and the environment for teachers to integrate into their regular curriculum.
According to Growe founder Bryce Brown, however, this event was "less about raising money and more about getting kids on the farm." (New Hope Natural Media was one of the sponsors; I'm so proud!)
Wish you were there? Check out these pictures and learn more about what we hope becomes an annual event.
Growe founder Bryce Brown
I'm pictured here with Growe founder Bryce Brown, who came from a healthcare management background, which led to his epiphany that "good health has to start with kids." With its commitment to a village approach—involving parents, schools, children, and community supporters—Growe is working to establish organic gardens and lesson plans in every elementary school in Boulder, with a scalable model for beyond. Right now they're at 17 out of 34 schools, and counting!
Kids come first
The primary motivation behind the farm day, said Growe founder Brown, was to get children to experience a live, working farm. "It's all about the kids," he says.
Isabelle Farm farm stand
Isabelle Farm, a local and organic business in Lafayette, Colo., was the event's main sponsor. I managed to score some late-season organic peaches and excellent peppers from their farm stand. (Next up: My Halloween pumpkin.)
Kids get creative on the farm
One favorite activity: making zucchini cars. (And you thought there was no way to use up all that zucchini!) Races on a nearby ramp proved fast and furious.
Get your zucchini moving
Here's how you customize a zucchini car, with nontoxic art supplies courtesy of Clementine Studios.
Farm-fresh food
Some of Boulder's most renowned chefs, including Antonio Laudisio and Hosea Rosenberg, brought their talents to the table working with local ingredients and other sponsors. Here, a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich; chicken sausage, courtesy of sponsor Whole Foods; and Rosenberg's famous apple-cabbage slaw.
Top chef Hosea Rosenberg
Growe supporter and Top Chef Hosea Rosenberg manned his station with gusto, creating delicious grilled cheese sandwiches, grilled veggies, and even grilled watermelon with pomegranate seeds.
Cottonwood Farms hayride wagon
Hayrides and farm tours provided attendees with a closeup look at a working organic farm.
One way to go green
Face painting: a perennially popular activity.
School of Rock rocks the music
Boulder's School of Rock provided the first set of live music—I loved that these kids contributed to the focus and ownership of the event.
Thanks to photographer Beth Ricciardi, boo-creative.com & SBB photo.
