Farm-to-table. We talk about it all the time. How the chef down the street says he knows the farmer who grew that delectable radish in your salad.
Farm-to-table at home. Where an outing to a local farmers means you met the person who harvested kale for you just that morning.
What about farm-to-school?
That's another movement – this one connecting schools with local farms. It’s about how the formal process of food procurement for schools but it’s so much more. It’s about more fruits and vegetables on cafeteria plates, fun taste testings and the chance to work in the school gardens for students, food-related school curriculum ideas in math, science and language arts for teachers and a better understanding of how food is grown and affects our health and wellness.
The kids meet the farmers. Maybe go visit a nearby farm and see tomatoes on the vine and watermelon in the fields, get close to a cow or see chickens scratching in the dirt. Their school meals reflect what’s growing that season and in that area.
Parents get children who are more willing to try new things at the dinner table and encouragement from their same kids to make healthy choices at meal time.
The farmers get a new market that’s close to home and strengthens the connection to the families in their communities.
Five years ago, the Georgia Department of Agriculture launched “Feed My School for a Week” to provide more farm-to-cafeteria opportunities.
Farm-to-cafeteria means teachers get resources from food safety activity books to materials like coloring sheets, word search games and fact sheets on agriculture and farming.
School cafeterias get access to fresher produce, help with recipes serving local foods, assistance navigating the food procurement process and even forms for taste tests.
This week Georgia Grown’s “Feed My School for a Week” recognized eight schools from across the state that are setting an example by purchasing local products for their school nutrition programs and incorporating ideas for healthy eating throughout the school day.
Metro Atlanta schools on this year’s list include C.J. Hicks Elementary in Rockdale County, A.L. Burruss Elementary of Marietta City Schools and Greater Atlanta Christian School of Norcross.
These schools are recognized for the innovative work they're doing, but all Georgia schools can benefit from the resources offered by the state at feedmyschool.org.
Collectively, our Georgia schools are the largest food service provider in the state. Think of the impact across the entire community when they make the decision to purchase and serve local.
Being recognized by Georgia Grown for “Feed My School for a Week”? Very rewarding. The benefits of farm-to-cafeteria for all of us? Priceless.
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