Farm-to-school project gets tons of strawberries to children
Published: Wednesday, Jun. 16, 2010 - 12:00 am | Page 1D
The "eat local" movement has gone to school.
Two healthy-living initiatives converged in Sacramento strawberry fields and school cafeterias last spring.
Under an innovative new program, strawberries grown by local small family farms were rushed to local school cafeterias, supplying children with healthy fresh fruit – often the same day they were picked.
"A lot of these berries were grown within 10 miles of the schools," said Produce Express' Jim Mills, who coordinated Sacramento distribution. "You can't get more local than that."
Tons of berries from 10 farms have been consumed by children in the Sacramento City Unified School District as well as students in the Yuba City Unified, Roseville Unified, Buckeye Unified and Rescue Unified districts.
The 10 farmers earned a total of $15,000 for the 46,000 flats of berries. It was much-needed income for their small businesses.
Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/06/16/2824619/farm-to-school-project-gets-tons.html#ixzz0r17G8nI7