Fostering Connections Through Local Food
go.ncsu.edu/readext?1048657
en Español / em Português
El inglés es el idioma de control de esta página. En la medida en que haya algún conflicto entre la traducción al inglés y la traducción, el inglés prevalece.
Al hacer clic en el enlace de traducción se activa un servicio de traducción gratuito para convertir la página al español. Al igual que con cualquier traducción por Internet, la conversión no es sensible al contexto y puede que no traduzca el texto en su significado original. NC State Extension no garantiza la exactitud del texto traducido. Por favor, tenga en cuenta que algunas aplicaciones y/o servicios pueden no funcionar como se espera cuando se traducen.
Português
Inglês é o idioma de controle desta página. Na medida que haja algum conflito entre o texto original em Inglês e a tradução, o Inglês prevalece.
Ao clicar no link de tradução, um serviço gratuito de tradução será ativado para converter a página para o Português. Como em qualquer tradução pela internet, a conversão não é sensivel ao contexto e pode não ocorrer a tradução para o significado orginal. O serviço de Extensão da Carolina do Norte (NC State Extension) não garante a exatidão do texto traduzido. Por favor, observe que algumas funções ou serviços podem não funcionar como esperado após a tradução.
English
English is the controlling language of this page. To the extent there is any conflict between the English text and the translation, English controls.
Clicking on the translation link activates a free translation service to convert the page to Spanish. As with any Internet translation, the conversion is not context-sensitive and may not translate the text to its original meaning. NC State Extension does not guarantee the accuracy of the translated text. Please note that some applications and/or services may not function as expected when translated.
Collapse ▲
Buying local foods is an excellent way to engage with your community, forge new connections, and encourage healthy eating habits. Have you ever visited a farmers market and been astonished by how fresh the produce is, or made a new friend by chatting with the farmers who grew the goods? Local food brings people together.
In Haywood County, NC, the community promotes the use of local food in school classrooms, cafeterias, and during field trips. They collectively work towards providing more nutritious and balanced meals in school programs while sparking curiosity about how the food is produced and where it originates. Farm to School aims to help students understand that “food doesn’t just come from grocery stores… it comes from somewhere else first” – Alison Francis.
The school district is working towards transforming the school cafeteria into a learning lab. To this end, it is incorporating the students into a taste-testing program(to try out new meal options), sharing what farm produce is being used, and developing a holistic farm-to-table approach both inside and outside of the classroom. The goal is to spread awareness about different food options and promote the idea that fresh foods can taste equally, if not better, than something like chicken nuggets.
It is recommended that you contact your county extension agent first to reach out to your local farmers. They can connect you with GAP-certified farms. The certification allows farmers to grow food that is automatically safe to sell to schools and county food nutrition programs. The USDA provides support in buying local foods, helps with the certification process, and provides additional resources for a farm that wants to collaborate but doesn’t know where to start.
Ultimately, the town of Canton and the rest of Haywood County look to foster a mindset that someone is “more likely to start eating strawberries instead of drinking soda”-Sally Dixon, it is a healthier and more sustainable way to live.
For more North Carolina farm to school stories, please visit our YouTube page at youtube.com/@NCSUFarmtoSchool