Students at Conway Elementary School, in Mount Vernon, Wash., learned a few things about carrots last week. First, they don’t start out as “babies” in bags; they grow in the ground and have green tops. And second, as the third grade boys can attest, they’re good for an impromptu sword fight. Bugs Bunny likes them because they are crunchy, tasty and good for you all at the same time. Students here were chomping down for all those reasons, but also because the carrots came from a farm just down the road.
Ralph’s Greenhouse supplied the carrots to Conway Elementary, while across the state Oxbow Farm, Full Circle Farm, and Local Roots Farm provided produce to Riverview School District. And last week in Vancouver, students at Fort Vancouver High School brought potluck dishes made with produce grown in their school garden.
More than 20 school districts around the state participated in Taste Washington Day, an annual celebration of local foods in schools. Many school districts invited farmers to talk with students and share samples of their products, others put up signs and displays highlighting the origins of the food, while other districts hosted “pop-up” farmers markets on school grounds. Local officials and guests of honor were out in force to join the state’s celebration of local food in schools.
At Newbery Elementary in Wenatchee, First Lady Trudi Inslee spoke to the kids as they enjoyed fresh locally grown produce and locally raised beef. Don “Bud” Hover, Director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture, joined Inslee in Wenatchee, and quizzed the kids during lunch.
“Where does your food come from? Does it come from the store?” Some hands went up.
“And where do the stores get it?”
One kindergartner ventured, “A farm?”
“Yes!” Hover smiled.
Last year Wenatchee kitchen managers purchased about 30,000 pounds of apples, pears, soft fruits, and a variety of locally grown vegetables from 10 regional farmers to ensure student access to the freshest and tastiest produce for school meals. “Every day is Taste Washington Day at Wenatchee Schools,” said Kent Getzin, Wenatchee School District’s Food Service Director and long-time proponent of using locally grown foods in school meals.
Taste Washington Day is promoted statewide by the Washington School Nutrition Association and Washington State Department of Agriculture, who work together on suggesting menus and recipes each year, providing templates for posters and promotional materials, and helping match farms with schools. Washington Sustainable Food & Farming Network plays a critical role in central Washington, helping Wenatchee schools connect with local farmers.
From carrots to corn, beef to beets, students across Washington are chomping down on local foods. Learn more about what other Washington schools were doing on Taste Washington Day, and this fall take a moment to celebrate the taste of your own state.
Editor’s Note: To learn more about the USDA Farm to School Program, sign-up for the Farm to School E-letter.