Perth County youth build more than farm stands – they build community pride

One of the 10 new farm stands created by local high school students. The mobile farm stand hosted at Martinville Micro Market, is located at 3648 Road 122, Perth South.

Ten new farm stands featuring fresh local produce are now open across Perth County – each one built from the ground up by local high school students.

The Discover More Flavour Farm Stand Project is a community initiative that saw local high school shop students design and construct stands to celebrate what makes Perth County unique.

The colourful structures are on display this summer at participating locations as part of the broader Discover More Flavour campaign, which aims to boost business visibility and enhance the visitor experience.

The project was created to empower youth while showcasing Perth County pride.

“The Discover More Flavour Farm Stand Project was inspired by the broader Shareworthy Moments initiative to encourage visitors to share their experiences using unique infrastructure,” said Ricky Zhao, Perth County tourism officer and project coordinator. “We also wanted to blend community, creativity and collaboration.”

The initiative provides students with meaningful, real-world experience in both skilled trades and artistic expression.

“Through the hands-on building process, students not only developed practical abilities but also gained confidence, creativity and a sense of ownership in their work,” said Zhao. “The project strengthened the connection between young people and their communities by allowing them to contribute to something visible and valuable.”

For the broader community, the farm stands serve as symbols of rural pride and collaboration. They also promote local agriculture and encourage farm-based entrepreneurship.

According to Zhao, feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive. Teachers involved in the project said it was not only fun and engaging for their students but also a valuable opportunity to build practical skills.

“Local leaders have praised the initiative for empowering youth and fostering community pride, and businesses were eager to participate,” Zhao said.

“It’s incredible to see our youth engaged and empowered through hands-on learning,” added Deputy Warden Dean Trentowsky, County of Perth. “Projects like this highlight the value and importance of skilled trades, while at the same time helping ignite passion, instill confidence and fuel a strong sense of purpose in our future leaders.”

The farm stand project is currently a pilot, and the county will gather feedback from community partners – including students, educators, businesses and the public – to evaluate its impact.

Based on this input, the county will consider opportunities to continue or expand the initiative in the future by involving more schools or exploring additional creative elements to engage youth and support local tourism and agriculture.