Last month, during the last week of school at Traverse Heights Elementary School, second and third graders headed outside for their final garden lesson of the year. The scene was a perfect way to culminate nearly two years of my work as a FoodCorps service member connecting kids to healthy food in the classroom and in the garden.
Farmers in our region’s fields and orchards this summer are growing a variety of fruits and vegetables destined for the plates of children in seven school districts participating in the “10 Cents a Meal for School Kids & Farms” pilot project.
When it comes to school lunches, a dime can can mean the difference between canned peaches or fresh, juicy ones for students. And because of a pilot project in our region called 10 Cents a Meal for School Kids & Farms, it also means sales for local farms and related businesses like food processors or distributors.
Janis Groomes, food service director at Northport Public Schools, knows the power of school gardens to get kids interested in eating fruits and vegetables, even ones that are unusual.