You can stock your kitchen with fresh veggies and help students from nine Houston ISD schools learn how to grow produce and sell it by shopping at the Whole Kids Farmers Market at Whole Foods’ Montrose store, 701 Waugh Dr. (at West Dallas), from 10 a.m. -1 p.m. on Saturday, March 29.

Dozens of students will be at the store to sell seasonal produce grown in their Urban Harvest-affiliate school gardens, such as beets, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbages, kale, lettuces, Swiss chard, snap peas, edible flowers, and herbs. The students will also sell garden and craft products, such as pots, transplants, seed packets and potted plants. All proceeds will be reinvested in the schools’ garden or culinary programs.

If you get hungry while shopping, you’re in luck: Students from Jefferson Davis High School Culinary Team will be whipping up samples.

“Through this effort we not only tie in academia, but we also inspire entrepreneurialism, environmentalism, leadership and economics,” said Kellie Karavias, culinary arts/garden teacher at Gregory-Lincoln Education Center. “It’s a win-win for everyone, most importantly the kids.”

This is the first farmers market of its size in the Houston area to be run by children. The event was originally scheduled for Nov. 23, but was postponed due to inclement weather. A make-up date of Jan. 25 was later announced, but the market had to be postponed again because many of the crops after a hard frost. The schools also work with Urban Harvest to foster awareness about the edible education programs throughout HISD.

Participating schools include:
• Gregory-Lincoln Education Center
• Wilson Montessori
• Briargrove Elementary
• Travis Elementary
• Garden Oaks Elementary
• Helms Elementary
• Kolter Elementary
• Westside High School
• Jefferson Davis High School