Get involved in the annual Kids' Farmers' Market

Ahead of the annual Kids' Farmers' Market at the end of the month, organisers are calling for new children and families to get involved.
The Kids' Farmers' Market will be held at Burke Street Park, Warragul on Friday February 27, between 4pm and 6pm.

Organiser Sallie Jones said children "big and small" were invited to run their own stalls and sell anything they've had a hand in making or growing, including seedlings, vegetables, herbs, seeds and baked goods.

"The event is all about encouraging entrepreneurship, confidence and community connection from a young age, while creating a fun, family-friendly afternoon," Sallie said.

As more families move to the West Gippsland region, Sallie encouraged new children and families to get involved with the Kids' Farmers' Market.

"We're calling on new families with fresh ideas and energy to help shape the future of the market," she said. "In 2017, we held our very first kids-focused market in Warragul. It was driven by a group of local mums and their young children, giving kids the chance to run their own market stalls and sell something they had made or grown. Those kids are now teenagers - and it feels like the right time for a handover to the next generation."

Two of the now-teenagers, Issie Rowe and Maya McDonald, reflected that their time running stalls at the Kids' Farmers' Market helped prepare them for their first part-time jobs. Both girls ran their first stalls when they were seven years old.

"(The market) has given me a lot of confidence in dealing with money and talking to people," Issie said.
"You have to be very switched on when talking to customers, and that's what the Kids Farmers Market's helped with."
"It helped with communication skills and learning about customer service," Maya added.

Anyone interested in getting involved with the Kids' Farmers' Market are encouraged to contact Sallie at Sallie@warragulfarmersmarket.com.au.