Schools utilize the spring harvest in various ways, reaping the benefits of their school garden or collaborating with local farmers to meet the goal of getting more fresh veggies on student trays.
At Webster Public Schools in Massachusetts, the food service department has seen tremendous growth during the nearly five-year journey of their school garden initiative. The district received crucial support from USDA grants to kickstart the mission of integrating farm-to-school concepts into the curriculum just before the pandemic. Kelsey Sanders, Webster Schools’ Food Services director, has helped supervise the school garden expansion over the last two years.
“The gardens were started in 2020 with 2-4 raised beds and we now have 11 at the elementary and 10 at the middle school,” Sanders said. “This increase demonstrates a growing enthusiasm among both students and teachers, particularly fifth graders who have embraced the program as leaders.”
The gardens promote hands-on learning through planting and harvesting. This past year, the program established teacher representatives at the two schools to help coordinate the students’ planning and planting processes.
Twenty classes expressed interest in starting seedlings in the classroom and then transplanted them to the garden to maintain and harvest. The students were thrilled to harvest spinach and lettuce and then prepare salads with their harvest.
Looking ahead, there are plans to create an organizational structure and appoint a student representative from each school to serve on a garden committee and encourage parents, guardians, school faculty and community members to join the effort.
The school nutrition department of Georgia’s Barrow County School System partners with the local farming network to deliver fresh, locally grown veggies throughout the spring season. A farm-to-school grant has expanded their ability to purchase from local farms while also strengthening community ties. Nicole Trunk, Food Service Director, visits the local farmers market to meet and form connections with local farmers.
Managing the nutrition needs of 17 schools and three program schools that total over 15,500 students is a large task. The district’s farm-to-school initiatives rely heavily on logistic coordination to ensure success in reaching those students. Thoughtful and organized communication with farmers about the number of vegetables available and when and where they will be delivered to schools ensures that every student experiences fresh local produce.
Dirt Road Farm owner Beverly Hemphill from Winder, GA, has worked with Barrow County Schools for three years, delivering bi-weekly depending on the season and what is growing.
“We enjoy growing fresh, local produce for our schools and community. There’s nothing like homegrown nutritious food,” said Hemphill.
“Beverly texts me that she has lettuce, carrots and cabbage; I’ll tell her how much and which school location to deliver to. The schools will then distribute the food among themselves and incorporate the items into meals over a few days,” said Trunk.
The freshness and quality of local produce not only enhances the taste but also encourages healthier eating habits among students, which has a tangible impact. According to Trunk, students can distinguish the difference when the vegetables are local and fresh and tend to take a larger amount. While Trunk acknowledges that buying locally can be more expensive, she finds the benefits far outweigh the costs.
Barrow County’s approach to integrating local produce into school meals through farm partnerships serves as a model for districts looking to support local agriculture and promote healthier eating habits among students.
“It’s more expensive, but you know where it’s coming from. It’s local. It’s helping the economy,” said Trunk. “The grant funding has been instrumental in bridging the financial gap, making it feasible to prioritize quality and community impact over purely economic considerations.”