My Backyard

Wrentham and Plainville Schools takes part in Massachusetts Harvest for Students Week, serving fresh and locally grown food in cafeterias

Left to Right: Judy White, Director of Food Service, Representative Ross, Dr. Jeffrey J. Marsden, Superintendent, and Dr. Melissa Peterson, Principal)

Wrentham and Plainville, MA—Schools across the state are purchasing and serving fresh, locally grown food to students in celebration of Massachusetts Harvest for Students Week, September 21-25, 2009. During the Week, schools are highlighting local foods on their menus and supporting their local economy by purchasing food grown in Massachusetts.

At least 100 public school districts, private schools, and colleges will be promoting the taste and nutritional benefits of local foods in cafeterias across the Commonwealth, as they feed well over 250,000 students.  Studies have shown that students served fresh locally grown items often eat significantly more helpings of fruits and vegetables. Currently about one quarter of the school districts in Massachusetts are preferentially buying local products, and during Mass. Harvest for Students Week this number will grow!

The Food Service Director, Judy White for Wrentham and Plainville Schools has prepared a menu for the week that highlights locally grown produce from Lanni Orchards in Lunenburg MA. Some of the fresh, seasonal produce that will be featured includes Butternut Squash, Lemon Zest Broccoli, Paula Red, Honey Crisp and Macintosh Apples.

Of special note is that Representative Richard Ross and the school committee members of both districts  joined students for a special local foods luncheon on Thursday and Friday, Sept 24^th and 25th. Students at the Delaney School in Wrentham and the Wood School in Plainville were told of the importance of good nutrition, eating locally grown food and the importance of agriculture to the Massachusetts economy. 

Wrentham Superintendent Jeffrey Marsden favorite local menu item  is Paula Red Apples and Plainville Superintendent David Raiche enjoys the lemon zest broccoli.

For more information about Massachusetts Harvest for Students Week or the Mass. Farm to School Project, please call 413-253-3844 or visit www.mass.gov/agr/markets/Farm_to_school/

 Massachusetts Harvest for Students Week is coordinated by the Massachusetts Farm to School Project, a grassroots effort sponsored by the Massachusetts Dept. of Agricultural Resources, working in partnership with the Mass. Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education, MassDevelopment, Mass. Farm Bureau Agricultural Preservation Corp., Project Bread, and the School Nutrition Association of Mass.