Program focuses on buying locally produced food products

Contributed photo
Area students are benefiting from the Farm to School program where schools buy and feature locally produced, farm-fresh foods.

Farm to School is a program where schools buy and feature locally produced, farm-fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables, eggs, honey, meat, and beans on their menus. It enriches the connection communities have with fresh, healthy food and local food producers by changing food purchasing and education practices at schools.

One of the benefits of the program is that Farm to School reaches kids while they’re developing taste preferences and eating habits that will carry forward for the rest of their lives. Participating kids are more willing to try new foods and eat a wider variety of fruits and vegetables.

Eleven school districts in Becker, Clay, Otter Tail, and Wilkin Counties have received Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) Farm to School grants in the last three years. They received funding to purchase food from area farmers and equipment to make it easier to prepare or serve local foods.

Two of those Farm to School grant awards include:

• PartnerSHIP 4 Health has been partnering with Fergus Falls Schools since 2012 and Parkers Prairie Schools since 2023. The organization has supported these districts with physical activity and food service equipment training, a Bike Fleet, and resources and opportunities such as the MDA Farm to School grant.

Fergus Falls School Food Service Director Lance Wells has reimagined their program. For instance, he’s had an opportunity to add high quality menu options such as local eggplant, squash, and peppers.

When he was awarded the Farm to School grant, he purchased a blast chiller used to rapidly decrease the food temperature from 175°F to around 40°F. This shorter cooling process keeps the inner moisture of the food inside, thereby conserving its texture and taste and enabling the chilled food to be stored.

“Blast chillers can cool something like taco meat from 220 to 40 degrees in less than an hour. It also freezes fruits and vegetables preserving their shape, texture, flavor and nutritional value. Having a Blast Chiller helps you be your own factory,” said Wells.

Parkers Prairie School District has been partnering with PartnerSHIP 4 Health since spring 2023. Some of the items that have been served thanks to Parkers Prairie School district Farm to School grant are apples from Country Blossom Farms and grape tomatoes, bell peppers, and yellow watermelon (as pictured below) from Peppas and Poppies.

“It’s fun to see how excited the students are to try new healthy foods,” said Food Service Director Deb Burgess.

For more information about Farm to School or other PartnerSHIP 4 Health opportunities, contact Karen Nitzkorski at (701) 371-9644 or knitzkorski@gmail.com

Learn more about PartnerSHIP 4 Health (local public health in Becker, Clay, Otter Tail and Wilkin counties) at www.partnership4health.org