The Farm-to-School program, which matches participating schools with farmers or small networks of growers who are paid fair market value to supply produce, is proving successful in many British Columbia schools. With Foundation support it is preparing to expand across Canada, widening its focus to Farm-to-Cafeteria to work with hospitals, long-term care facilities and even ferries!
Recently highlighted in the Globe and Mail, the program teaches students about more than just the food chain, by integrating health, environmental studies, sociology, economics and agriculture.
The integrative B.C. curriculum seems to have won over young palettes to the joys of the salad bar while regenerating community interest in growing fresh produce. Students are lining up for lunch at the 50 or so salad bars that have cropped up across B.C. school cafeterias.
Read the full Globe and Mail article here.