The USDA distributed a 2015 Farm-to-School census to over 18,000 public, private and charter school districts in the United States. 

 

The term “farm to school” represents a suite of activities centered on connecting local farmers and food producers to schools, teaching children where their food comes from, and expanding market opportunities for agricultural producers of all kinds. 

 

Becker Public School is working with Norm’s Farm in Becker to supply the cafeteria with fresh, quality produce to be used in student’s lunches. This week, Norm’s has been supplying the school with corn-on-the-cob and will soon be supplying other produce as the school year prolongs.

 

Paula Pruszinske, a reading specialist at the Intermediate School, put Food Service Director, Renee Arbogast in touch with Jean Johnson, a program assistant with the USDA and public relations administrator with Triple J Farms — a subsidiary of Norm’s Farm Market to procure the produce for the school’s lunchrooms.

 

Johnson has been hand-delivering ears of corn straight from the farm to the school early in the morning of each school day. She is the daughter-in-law of Norm and Margaret Johnson after marrying one of the parents’ four children.

 

Arbogast and Johnson met a few times at the school and at the farm to discuss the needs of the school and discuss details on the sale from Norm’s to the school. Norm and many of his children and grandchildren farm 65 acres of vegetables and over 2,800 acres for corn and beans. 

 

They also grow watermelons, muskmelons, potatoes, onions, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, cabbage, eggplant, zucchini, squash, rutabagas, beets, carrots and apples. When in season, they also grow raspberries, strawberries and sweet potatoes.

 

Johnson says Norm’s charges the school system the same prices an ordinary shopper would pay — making sure they aren’t undercutting anybody in the process. She said other schools are looking into this type of program and last year, Foley Schools participated with a local farmer as part of the Farm-to-Schools initiative. Other programs the USDA provides are Farms-to-Table, Farms-to-Pre-schools an Farms-to-Summer. Grants are also available for districts interested in the program.

 

Arbogast and Johnson are close to having Norm’s provide grape tomatoes, squash and cabbage as the weeks progress. Arbogast said she wants to bring in a variety of produce options and limit the starches as best she can.