Henry County 4-H helps connect students to food

The Henry County 4-H program, as part of the Pick A Better Snack and Farm to School Grants, will be providing a local foods tasting at two elementary schools today, Wednesday, Sept. 18 and Thursday, Sept. 19.

Fresh locally grown watermelon will be handed out to students at Van Allen Elementary starting at 7:30 a.m. today, and at Harlan Elementary at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday.

Erin Heaton, the Henry County 4-H youth coordinator, along with Sadie Martin, 4-H youth program assistant, and Morgan Hoenig, Local Foods coordinator, are working together with the Mt. Pleasant school district to bring fresh, local, produce to the students at Van Allen and Harlan elementary schools.

From school gardens to local foods on school lunch trays, farm to school helps children learn about where food comes from, teaches them how to make healthier choices, and creates new markets for local and regional farmers and food producers. They are working to provide new opportunities to connect children to local food, school gardens and food and agriculture education.