Cherokee Schools Nutrition Celebrates Farm To School Month

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — October is National Farm to School Month. Cherokee County School Nutrition staff toured a local farm on Oct. 14 during the district's professional development day, learning more about how local produce is grown as well as engaging in some fun fall educational activities, such as pressing apple cider and grinding dried corn.

The staff spent a few hours at Buckeye Creek Farm in southeast Cherokee County, where representatives of Cherokee Farm Bureau and the UGA Extension Office assisted in educational tours and activities with the group, along with a beekeeper from Ross Berry Farm.

Cherokee Schools' School Nutrition department has won multiple awards for its relationships with local farms and use of local produce in school lunches.

Last year Cherokee Schools cafeterias served 1.1 million breakfasts, 3.7 million lunches and 121,486 after school snacks, as well as providing 15,778 breakfasts and 24,094 lunches during the summer of 2019.

Cherokee County school cafeterias have an average health inspection score of 99, All School Nutrition Cafe Managers and Assistant Managers are ServSafe Certified (food safety certification), and they undergo training bi-annually in basic first aid and CPR.