In the Schools — Seed to Tray

Growing and Sharing

Fresh, local food

The goal of the Farm to School program is to serve the freshest local produce in school meals, while teaching students about the connection between growing healthy food and growing healthy bodies.

Since 2011, we have been moving forward to create a program that provides diverse learning – and eating – and opportunities! You can discover which school dishes feature local produce each week by clicking the dish on the online menu.

Local Salads

as a part of our school menu throughout the growing season

We are fortunate that our local growing season corresponds almost perfectly with the school year. Throughout the year, school salads contain aquaponic leafy vegetables grown in our region, in addition to local tomatoes, cucumbers and green peppers.

In addition to food purchased from local farms, school gardens at 17 schools are producing salad fixings for school lunches.

Salad made with local tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce

Our Programs

Local Harvests

In addition to the four core vegetables we always purchase from local farms when in season – kale, lettuce, peppers, and cucumbers, we frequently offer additional seasonal products on the lunch line for weeks at a time. Throughout the school year students are offered sweet potatoes, white potatoes, tomatoes, bell pepper, greens, yellow squash, zucchini, carrots, napa cabbage, okra, broccoli, bok choy and satsuma tangerines, all grown locally!

Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

Sixteen elementary schools in our county are part of the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Program. This program offers children a fruit or vegetable snack every day, introducing them to a variety of fruits and vegetables in an effort to combat obesity. Florida produce is often part of this program, some of in grown on county farms.