Willits Farm to School

Farm to School

In the last few days of school Willits students look forward to the warm days and adventures of summer while reminiscing with friends about the memorable events of the past school year. Among those events possibly outstanding in students’ minds includes a celebration of health, community and change.

The event, “Food for Thought,” spearheaded by local non-profit North Coast Opportunities and the City of Willits Healthy Cities Grant brought a seasonal meal consisting almost entirely of local, organic ingredients to Willits High School on June 2nd. Students enjoyed a stir-fry entrée with vegetables and herbs (chicken option was also available) a shredded root vegetable side salad and strawberry crisp dessert. Local farmers Antonia Partridge of Brookside School Farm, Ellen Bartholomew of Ridgewood Ranch and WHS Agriculture teacher Becky Bowlds grew the majority of the food for the event.

The Peer Counseling class also contributed by helping with promotion at the high school and recruiting the school Jazz Band to perform outside the cafeteria before and during lunch.

Along with the music of their peers, students were welcomed to the school cafeteria by the Farm-to-School team and an educational spread about where the food for the meal was grown and the local farmers who produced it. Partridge and Bowlds both attended the lunch and brief speeches were given by Americorps VISTA, and Farm-to-School team member, Mason Giem and Brookside School Farm intern Dylan Rossi highlighting the importance of good nutrition and opportunities to get involved with local food production.

“Food for Thought” represents revolutionary steps towards creating a healthier food system in our local schools and there are hopes to continue the progress by expanding to all of the Willits public schools in the 2011-2012 school year.

This, however, is easier said than done.

Although this initial event was successful, it couldn’t have been achieved without the determination and supplementary help of Willits Unified School District food service employees and the volunteered training time of Ukiah Valley Medical Center Head Chef Jim Stuart.

“In order to make the beneficial changes needed in our school food systems we need more community involvement,” said Giem. “We want to achieve our goal of integrating local, nutritious food into school cafeterias without adding extra stress to the food service employees. This means participation from school administration, students, parents and community members.”

Some of the goals the Farm-to-School team would like to attain in the future include incorporating a Culinary Arts class into schools’ curriculum providing students the opportunity to learn about food production as well as receive hands on experience assisting in the school cafeterias, and seeing a more active and vocal community regarding health and nutrition in Willits schools.

For more information about Farm-to-School efforts or to get involved with the project please contact Mason Giem at 707-841-0464.