SPOTLIGHT ON OUR ASSOCIATES………………………..………………………….... Florida Fairs Lead the Nation
in Adopting New and Innovative IAFE Program Each winter, Fair management
South Florida Fair, Blue Rib-
bon Experience Best in Class, awarded by IAFE and Growums
from across North America gath- ers in Florida to celebrate our industry and learn from each other. Many say it’s the famous Florida weather that compels the yearly pilgrimage to our “Fair” state, although there are other reasons why the finest talent in the Fair business meet here. Perhaps the biggest is the repu- tation that Florida Fairs have for their creativity, innovation and dedication to Ag education. This positive mind-set was demon-
strated once again this year as three of Florida’s best known Fairs – The South Florida Fair, The Florida Straw- berry Festival and The Miami Dade County Fair – were the first in the nation to adopt a new and unique Ag education program known as the Blue Ribbon Experience. Developed by the Growums® organization in West Palm
Beach, FL, in cooperation with the International Association of Fairs and Expositions, the Blue Ribbon Experience is a ground-breaking opportunity for Fairs and area schools to work together to promote agriculture awareness in our youth and the importance of healthy living. Not only does it show students how cool it is to grow their own vegetables and herbs, it gives them a chance to earn money for their school – and then have fun at the Fair! What’s more, it’s an incredible way to encourage good eating habits, help the environment, bring families closer together and teach chil- dren important gardening skills that can last a lifetime. The Blue Ribbon Experience begins with a Growums
Fundraiser at area schools, during which students sell Growums Garden Kits to help meet their school’s financial goals. The kits come in six fun themes (Pizza, Taco, Herb, Stir-Fry, Salad and Ratatouille), and each contains every- thing a child needs to start a complete vegetable and herb garden, whether it’s in the ground or in a container: four types of seed, eight seed-starting pellets, colorful plant tags and in- teractive growing instructions like no other… Children register their garden kits
onl i ne f or f r e e at
www.Growums.com, where fun- loving animated Growums charac- ters come alive in engaging, edu- cational videos that teach kids how to grow and care for their gardens every step of the way, from plant- ing their seeds to harvesting their vegetables. Belle Peppa, for exam- ple, teaches kids how to prepare their garden site or containers be-
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"Duke the Cuke makes a friend"
fore planting. Duke the Cuke shows them the best way to water their garden, while Hal E. Peño uses his spicy flair in talking about beneficial insects and how to stop insect pests and plant diseases in a planet- friendly way. Growums is the only known children’s garden kit that offers such an entertaining, interactive learning platform. After participating in the
Growums Fundraiser at their school, eligible students are given the opportunity to use what they’ve learned to grow a plant (or plants) that they can enter in the Fair. Every stu- dent who enters wins a free ticket to the Fair, as well as a well-deserved Blue Ribbon. (Extra prizes are awarded to the top plants in each growing category.) The Blue Ribbon Experience is an incredible opportunity
to educate, entertain, inspire and change the lives of stu- dents everywhere! It captures kids’ interest, introduces them to healthful foods, teaches nurturing skills, gives children a sense of pride in their accomplish- ments and helps create a greener world. By working together, Fairs and area schools can help promote the benefits of gardening and Ag awareness through this fun, engaging program – and help students be health- ier for it!
"Growums President, Micheal
Ferraro and Duke the Cuke con- gratulate Blue Ribbon winner"
Dave Schlabach and President, Michael Ferraro of Growums, thank Judges Walter Webb, and South Florida Fair Directors Bill Sneed and Cindy Griffin.
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