Veggielution had a party last Saturday—a birthday party for one of our youngest volunteers. celebration kicked off what we would like to be a continuing presence of young volunteers at our workdays, especially as we launch our Family Day on March 13.

Sombra, 8, celebrated her birthday on February 20 with a dozen of her friends, siblings and cousins, plus some adults to help organize a handful of activities. Farming at Veggielution is an experience that we hope leaves lasting impressions on young minds, impressions that may lead them to help build a more sustainable future.

Veggielution provided the jars and the fava bean plants, and Sombra’s friends brought their keen eyes to hunt for bugs in the original plot—especially ladybugs. Afterward, Sally Neas, co-director of the VeggieYouth program we’re launching this spring, sat down with the kids to discuss what they found. They learned, for example, how ladybugs help the farm by eating the tiny aphids that like to nibble on our crops.

Playing with our friendly farm dog Stella, checking out all the animals here at Emma Prusch Farm Park, making plaster casts of their hands and harvesting some spicy wild mustard greens rounded out this unique party. For more photos click here.

“It was my daughter’s idea, so that tells me she’s already feeling connected to the experience,” says Iliana Silva, Sombra’s mother. She recalls Sombra telling her that her friends “probably don’t know about this place. I bet ’so-and-so’ doesn’t know how to farm. They’re going to learn,” Sombra said.

Iliana and her husband Adolfo Arroyo have been bringing Sombra and her brother Mateo to the Saturday morning workdays for more than a month now, sometimes with Sombra’s cousin Ixzell, 8, and other young relatives. “We kind of balance out things they want to do with what I want them to do,” Iliana explains, “it seems more organic and meaningful instead of just playing.”

“I like coming out to the farm because it looks like vegetables and fruit are everywhere. I just want to jump right in there and eat everything,” says Ixzell.

Family Day

Please join us with your family for our first Family Day on Saturday, March 13, and the second Saturday of each month after that. Having so many children and their energy at the farm is a joy for Veggielution, and each time we have young volunteers it helps us develop a broader array of kid-friendly activities and programs. We’re always open to new ideas!

A potluck lunch featuring freshly harvested produce from the farm follows each workday, which lasts from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Keep in mind that this is a working farm, so we ask that you keep an eye on your children as they dig into tasks and have fun. For children under 13, there needs to be 1 adult for every 1 or 2 children. If you’re going to bring a group of children, please let us know at info@veggielution.org.

We will also need you to fill out a Volunteer Service Agreement for yourself and your children when you arrive. Be sure to bring a hat, sunscreen and warm clothing so they’re comfortable during the workday. For more information about our workdays, visit our Get Involved page.