In 2010, Congress declared October as National Farm to School Month, recognizing the important role farm to school plays in promoting well-being among children and strong local economies. Union County partners with Cates Farm, Windy Hill Farms, and S&P Family Farms to provide our students with locally grown watermelon (including yellow and orange), cantaloupe, honeydew melon, jalapeños, snack peppers, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, and various other varieties of fruits and vegetables that are used in our Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program grant provided through the Kentucky Department of Education. We also use these fresh vegetables and fruits in our School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program. S&P Family Farms provide our students with locally grown and processed fresh beef burger patties and fresh ground beef to be used in our school cafeterias in various recipes. Our students get to experience the benefits of the fresh products not only from Kentucky, but from our local Western Kentucky area!
Farm to School programs have been sweeping across the nation for years now. From locally grown and produced foods on breakfast and lunch trays to school gardens, these programs help children learn about where food comes from, how it’s made, and how local farms impact local economies while also teaching them to be able to make healthy and nutritious choices. Children are more likely to choose these local products if they know where they come from, the person who grew them, or if they even had a hand in growing the food themselves. The younger the healthy choices start, the longer they will continue and contribute to the fight against childhood obesity. Farm to School is a program being implemented across the state, and the Kentucky Department of Education has resources available to help connect schools with local farmers and producers. For more information about Farm to School in Kentucky, contact Heather Vankleeck at [email protected]. Learn more about the Farm to School movement at farmtoschool.org.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.