Take a tour of the Marin Farmers Market and share a fresh experience with your students. Meet the farmers and learn how they grow their crops, where they come from, what is in season, and why they choose to farm. Also get to know local artisans, bakers, food purveyors and a MFM market manager. We believe that a day at the farmers market will get your students excited about making healthy food choices by building a sense of connection to the people who grow our food.

MAI, in partnership with MFM, offers a variety of tours at the Civic Center Farmers Market on Thursdays. Choose to attend a market orientation, participate in a self-guided farmers market treasure hunt, or take a tour with a MFM market manager. Tours are available from 9am-noon.

We have two options for your field trip:

1. Guided tour- You will be met by a market manager who will give you a brief history of farmers' markets and what his/her job entails. Then you will be lead on a tour through the farmers market to:

• Talk with real-life farmers; learn what it is like to be a farmer, how they grow crops, where they come from, seasonality of crops, and what a typical day in their life on the farm is like!
• Meet a food purveyor; learn from a baker what it is like to make their own bread and then sell it at the market!
• Meet an artisan; learn about their craft they make, how they market their art, and what it is like to be a vendor at a farmers' market.

2. Self-guided treasure hunt tour- Have the Market Manager meet you before you enter the farmers' market. We will give you a brief history of farmers' markets and what his/her job entails. Then you will be given a treasure hunt sheet to use while you visit the market in your own groups. Each hunt is specially written for that market day and grade level. Hunt to find different things in market to learn about California agriculture like what crops grow above ground or below ground or how many different varieties of citrus can you find.