Power of Produce

Welcome to our first week of POP Club! This week, our theme is strawberries. We’re reaching the end of this delicious berry’s season at the market, but some of our vendors have a kind that grows way longer – until the end of summer!

Strawberries are a tasty early summer treat at the farmers’ market. They are the first of many berries to be grown around us, like blueberries, blackberries, and even more unusual kinds like gooseberries and Saskatoon berries, which you’ll all see at the market over the course of the summer.

Strawberries are a great source of vitamin C, which does many important things in your body, like help you heal from a wound. It also has plenty of fiber, which helps you feel full (and to go to the bathroom!).

 

Activity

Although strawberries are delicious to eat, today we are going to use strawberries in a science experiment! We’re going to get DNA out of a strawberry.

What is DNA? Our bodies are all made up of many, many tiny cells and each cell has its own job. Some cells make up our muscles, some make up our bones—and all together they make up our bodies! But how does each cell know what to do? That’s where DNA comes in. It tells the cells what to do. DNA is like the boss of the company. It gives cells instructions.

Plants, like strawberries, have cells and DNA too. DNA looks a little funny – like a swirly ladder (Google it to see for yourself!). When we get DNA out of a strawberry, it won’t look like this because it’s way too small to see. But if you used a microscope to look at it, you might see what the DNA looks like up close!

Here’s how to do our experiment:

 

Recipes

After doing the experiment, you might just want to eat strawberries! We don’t blame you – they smell, look, and taste so yummy. Here are some recipe ideas that are easy for kids and their parents or caregivers to make together. Don’t forget to grab some fresh strawberries from the farmers’ market!

 

Breakfast:

Super Strawberry Fritters – just 4 ingredients, no added sugar, and a yummy energizing treat in the morning.

Dinner:

Strawberry and Spinach Salad – the spinach will help you feel strong, and the strawberries let you sneak something sweet into dinner!

Sweet treat:

Strawberry Oatmeal Bars – this recipe takes a little longer, but is a fun and delicious way to get baking.

Other:

Quick Strawberry Jam – super easy and a great way to preserve strawberries to last longer!

 

Share with us your photos doing this week’s activities by messaging us on Facebook (at Saratoga Farmers’ Market) or tagging us on Instagram (@saratogafarmersmarket)! Stay tuned for next week’s activities, going live on Wednesday, July 15.