New urban farm at Warford Activity Center joins other farmers’ markets opening this summer

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Some Amarillo kids are starting an urban farm at the Warford Activity Center and will be selling what they grow this summer.

“I’ve been working with the Warford kids through the summer, and we’ve been talking a lot about how to plant, how to prepare the soil,” said Jennifer Nickell, a community health agent with the Prairie View A&M University Cooperative Ext. Program. “We’ve talked about harvest, and we’ve also been talking about how they can actually build a business through selling their vegetables and their fruits.”

The community is also invited to enjoy the fruits and vegetables of their labor.

“Lunch box peppers, swiss chard, spinach, strawberries, squash,” said Nickell. “We’ve also been learning about the nutritional value of all of these so they know what’s good for them and what helps them with physiologically. And they’ve also been learning about the vitamins and minerals within them.”

Some of the kids say they are impressed with what they’ve grown in such a short time.

“It’s kind of beautiful because it’s all green and stuff,” said Alex Rosas, a 10-year-old who works on the urban farm.

“It’s green and purple and purple, pink some of it,” said Ziaden Crowell, a 10-year-old who works on the urban farm.

“And I like the way it looks,” said Rosas. “Plants growing out of the bricks.”

Nickell says Square Mile Community Development and Nuke City Veg will be helping the kids this summer with the farm and the market days.

The next urban market at the Warford Activity Center is set for July 26 from Noon until 3:00 p.m.

They’re joining a list of other urban markets opening this summer that are fulfilling a need for local produce and bringing a sense of pride to the community.

“This urban market hopefully will bring just a sense of community to the kids give them a little bit of sense of responsibility,” said Brandon Smith, a supervisor at the Warford Activity Center. “It’s pretty refreshing for when the kids come out here and work in a garden and then we’re able to sell some of their produce to the community. And like I said, it gives them a sense of pride a sense of belonging.”

Other markets opening up this summer include the Golden Spread Farmers Market and the Canyon Farmers Market.

The Golden Spread Farmers Market opens July 2. The market is located at 3701 Plains Boulevard at Sunset Center and is open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 7:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m.

The Canyon Farmers Market opens June 29 through Sept. 28 in Canyon at the downtown square.

The market will be open on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. until Noon.

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