Earlier this year, a work group consisting of The Farmers Market.co, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Social Services, Community Health, Germanna nursing program, Head Start, Fredericksburg Area Food Bank, Dr. Nimali Fernando, and others gathered to develop a "buy fresh buy local" educational program for the Greater Fredericksburg area.

That program became the Vegucation Station and debuted this past June at the Fredericksburg, King George, and Spotsylvania farmers markets. Vegucation Station is a fresh-food education program that includes food demonstrations, sampling, and recipes.

What a hit! The program ran all summer at the markets, made stops at a few local schools this fall, and ended the year at the King George Winter Holly Jolly Holiday Market.

A heartfelt thank-you to Elizabeth Borst, De Laura Padovan, Gayle Price, and Mike Morrelli (The Farmers Market.co), Ashley Eisenbeiser (VCE-Spotsylvania), Eileen Alwang (Virginia Department of Health-WIC), Greta Haggerty (Germanna nursing program), C&T Produce, G. Flores Produce, and the many booth volunteers. I would like to especially thank University of Mary Washington intern Julia Pouliot for helping to create the Vegucation Station curriculum and the market vendors for sharing their delicious produce.

What a joy! The success of the program hinged on this wonderful collaboration of great folks. I am anxiously awaiting another great run next year.

Pegi Wright

King George

Ms. Wright is family and consumer science extension agent, King George.