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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe area considered local to a school district is somewhat broad under the grant. The Fayetteville City Schools district works hard to tap into as many\u00a0Lincoln County resources as possible. The district has worked with Tennessee Grassfed in Clarksville, Scott\u2019s Orchard, Taylor Made Farms, Pilaroc Farms, and Fleur de Lis Farm.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An added advantage is that the local nutrition department connects directly with the producers and farmers to arrange the purchase of their goods and issue payments. The department then applies for reimbursement from the USDA through the grant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hall said, \u201cThe grant can also help cover certain temporary storage if needed to accommodate the amount of local foods and shipping and delivery. If the farmer or producer is not set up for delivery on a regular basis, the grant can help cover the extra expense for them through the school system.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The grant provides financial relief to the district, allowing the purchase of meat, milk, and vegetables at no charge when using local producers. The byproduct is its\u00a0positive impact on the community and the stage it sets for future collaborations. The interactions between the school nutrition departments and area growers improve community relations as they support local businesses and farmers, investing money to support local producers.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe have always tried to support local but were never given the extra funds or know-how to actually do it. This grant has allowed us a guide to reach out further and help our local farmers,\u201d said Hall. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But the benefits don\u2019t end there. Students demonstrate a willingness to try new things made possible by the grant. Children aren\u2019t always naturally drawn to new food choices, but most students give it a chance. The menus are constantly evolving to make the most of the available items, many of which are seasonal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hall said, \u201cWe have had wonderful results with everything so far and have a few more non-traditional items planned for spring.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n While Farm 2 School enables partnerships with local growers and food-related businesses that feed students healthier options, it\u2019s also building a stronger community for tomorrow. The program opens the door to a practical learning process that sparks the interest of future farmers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt helps students see the hard workers we have around us and question and learn where their food comes from,\u201d said Hall. \u201cIt is a step in the learning process for teaching future farmers and trying to help them learn that eating wholesome food can be fun and not as complicated as some may think.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n In a community known for the support it provides its residents daily and in times of need, the program is right at home. GN<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" THE SCHOOL lunches of our childhood memories vary greatly depending on the era in which you pulled up a seat at the cafeteria table. The most mature readers likely ate at home. When the Great Depression rolled in, the National School Lunch Program appeared, ensuring hungry students got a hot meal. World War II brought […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":21579,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21577","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/fayetteville\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/02\/2-1024x683.png\")
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