Athens/Jackson Farm to School at the Athens Farmers Market

With all the hype and discussion about childhood obesity and unhealthy options in school cafeterias, progress by groups focused on improving food quality often goes unnoticed. Athens/Jackson Farm to School is a group of individuals devoted to promoting the inclusion of locally grown produce in school lunches and connecting classrooms with local farms, chefs, and farmers. The Clarke County School District  (CCSD) serves over 10,000 lunches daily and 78% of students receive free or reduced lunches.  School cafeterias are learning laboratories where children receive valuable knowledge about nutrition and health, agriculture, and the origin of the foods they eat. The CCSD provides whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and low-fat meat and dairy products to children. Athens Farm to School supports sourcing fresh foods from local, Georgia farms whenever possible, however, cost and policy often get in the way. Bringing awareness to the fact that many kids consider French fries and ketchup as a serving of vegetables will help small programs like Athens/Jackson Farm to School continue to bring healthy, local fruits and veggies to the cafeterias!

Farmers are passionate about the food at the market because they put in the time to cultivate the ground, fend off pests, and harvest their produce. I believe letting children contribute to this process will sprout their interest in trying new vegetables. Allowing kids to watch the pink burst of a radish pop up from the ground will bring them an understanding and connection to the products of nature. My limited experience cultivating herbs, peppers, and tomatoes has only enhanced my love of growing the food that I eat. I feel proud of every pepper and sprig of thyme that comes from my yard. In the same way, kids feel a sense of accomplishment and ownership from growing vegetables, and are often so excited they will pull a carrot straight from the ground and take a bite!

What many people don’t know is that all of the Clarke County schools have gardens, and many in Jackson County do as well. Although the children are enthusiastic, more volunteers and resources are necessary to maintain them and even possibly expand them. Children often don’t know where their food is from, much less get to see their food grow. School gardens allow kids to be the farmers while also promoting physical activity and increased fruit and vegetable consumption.

This month CCSD will be spotlighting turnip and collard greens from Hearndon Farms in Lyons, GA, cabbage from Queen Bee Farms in Moultrie, GA, carrots from BFG Farms in Claxton, GA, and Red Mule grits from Mills Farm in our own Athens, GA. The kids are given nutrition education about the foods offered and are also shown what part of Georgia the food was grown in. Every month spotlights different vegetables from a wide array of Georgia farms, helping support our local growers!

The Athens Farmers Market strongly supports providing local food to schools and to your families. Athens/Jackson Farm to School will be present every week to offer educational and engaging activities to increase awareness and understanding of the importance of fresh, local food. Bring your kids to the Athens Farmers Market where they can gain exposure to new vegetables and local farmers. Creating chalk murals, tasting refreshing strawberry honey pops, and other fun activities at the market can be a new tradition to add to your weekend routine!

Here is some more information about volunteering to help create and maintain school gardens:

http://athensclarkecounty.com/index.aspx?NID=3986