Healthy living for kids

Romping Radishes at The Cooperage

ISABEL BRAVERMAN
Posted 3/16/17

HONESDALE, PA — Since its inception, The Cooperage has been a bastion of healthy, local community living, as is manifest at its weekly farmers’ market. Held both in winter and summer …

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Healthy living for kids

Romping Radishes at The Cooperage

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HONESDALE, PA — Since its inception, The Cooperage has been a bastion of healthy, local community living, as is manifest at its weekly farmers’ market. Held both in winter and summer seasons, the farmers’ market offers everything from farm-fresh vegetables to bread to coffee. Dedicated patrons line up every week and after some shopping get a bite to eat from The Anthill Farm Kitchen, oftentimes with their kids in tow. Now, there is a special program just for kids, held during the farmers’ market upstairs at The Cooperage, called “Romping Radishes.”

Cooperage Executive Director Ryanne Jennings began Romping Radishes a year and a half ago when the non-profit organization received funding from the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC) through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Cooperage volunteer Amanda Masters has also come on board as the program director.

Romping Radishes is a series of workshops designed to get children in preschool through grade two up and moving and excited about being healthy. Through movement, storytelling, hands-on projects and cooperative activities, they explore topics around physical, mental and social health, food production and nature. There is a different topic each week; topics in the past have included yoga, manners, dance, healthy eating and more.

The one-hour classes are led by Jennings and Masters, who follow a schedule for each topic. It begins with reading a story and then doing some kind of group movement and game. Then they break off into groups and do a craft project. For example, at the yoga workshop they made eye pillows. The program ends with a snack. Parents are encouraged to stay, and after the class can bring their kids downstairs to the farmers’ market and Anthill Farm Kitchen.

The program started as a two-hour class with eight kids. It has grown to around 30 to 50 kids each week; needless to say it is a huge success. Soon, the format will change. The last Romping Radishes of the season will be held this weekend, on Saturday, March 18 at 11 a.m.

The regular weekly farmers’ market will be replaced with Stourbridge Pie, a new event series at The Cooperage that strives to provide the greater Honesdale community with access to local agricultural products, artisanal goods, locally produced art and live entertainment. The market will be held the second Thursday of the month May through October from 4 to 7 p.m., and Romping Radishes will take place during that time.

Jennings and Masters said both the kids and the parents are enthusiastic about the Romping Radishes program. It’s no secret that kids may be less than happy about eating healthy foods or listening in a large group. However, Romping Radishes gets them excited about learning. Masters explained that during the class on manners and etiquette, they had the children set a dining table with real China plates and silverware. The parents were shocked that they were able to do it. “If we give them higher expectations, they often rise to them,” Masters said.

For more information visit www.thecooperageproject.org, or call 570/253-2020.

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