Cartoon Network hosts a biweekly, lunchtime farmers market inside the studio with organic produce from Stevenson Elementary’s Pirate Patch garden during the summer. On July 18, studio employees perused fresh fruits, herbs and vegetables brought by garden volunteer Claire Torrey and her Stevenson students.
Red and yellow tomatoes freshly picked from the vine, artichokes, amaranth, small apples, chard and pomegranates were popular. Along with a bevy of herbs, including mint, basil, Thai basil, lavender, parsley, thyme, dill, sage and lemon verbena, the farmers market sold out within minutes.
More than $100, including some generous donations, noted Torrey, was raised for the Stevenson Pirate Patch at Friday’s farmers market. Her seven-year-old daughter, Anya Kallianpur, was kept busy bagging produce and helping out customers.
“It’s good advertising for our employees,” commented Zita LeFebvre, Cartoon Network’s Director of Operations and Community Relations. “We got a new volunteer for the garden today, too.”
“The garden is really a good outlet. To leave the office and go work in the garden is really theraputic,” LeFebvre added.
Cartoon Network employees have been planting in the Stevenson garden for many years, she continued, remembering a fig tree planted 10 years ago that continues to bear fruit.
Two apple trees, a lemon tree and rose bushes are some of the other plants placed in the garden over the years by studio volunteers, in addition to benches and planters.
The Stevenson Elementary Pirate Patch Farmers Market will set up a table at the Ladies and Gents Night Out on July 25 in Magnolia Park, said Torrey.
The farmers market table will be located in front of Romancing the Bean cafe and they hope to have some freshly picked figs available for purchase, along with out vegetables and fruits from the school garden.
Future farmers markets at Cartoon Network expect to have zucchini, tomatoes, figs and more items as they come into season.
