Local students to eat more locally grown food

Fairfield Community School District students will be eating more fresh, locally grown foods for their lunches.

Auxiliary services director Fred McElwee said the district is to receive $3,000 this year and $5,000 next year from the Hometown Harvest of Southeast Iowa?s Farm to School Project.

The funds, he explained, will be combined with matching funds from the school district to purchase locally grown produce, like apples this fall.

?This is a fun one,? McElwee told the school board. ?We?re looking forward to more fresh items on the menu.?

The school district will be able to purchase locally grown fruits, vegetables and other non-processed foods from small- and mid-size family farms in and around Jefferson County.

Elisabet Humble, will serve as coordinator for the project. She will help school officials identify the types of food they can get locally for their lunch programs and then link them with farmers in the area who grow it. Mary Carter, Hometown Harvest Buy Fresh Buy Local co-coordinator, also will be helping connect schools with local food producers.

For the complete article, see the Friday, Oct. 16, 2009, printed edition of The Fairfield Ledger.