Community supports school in serving local foods

MOSCA — “Farm to School is Rock and Roll” exclaimed an enthusiastic kindergartener as he took a bite of a quinoa/carrot muffin. Carrots, pinto beans, black radishes, lettuce, and quinoa were all sourced from local farms and beautifully served to Sangre de Cristo School students and teachers recently as part of a Farm to School event. Barb Grandell, food service director for the district, is a powerful advocate for the local foods system and, with the help of her staff, expertly prepared these foods to the delight of students.

Grandell purchased from the Valley Roots Food Hub, though the food itself was sourced from farms in the region: the organic carrots from Southern Colorado Farms in Center, the pinto beans from Adobe Mills in Dove Creek, the organic black radishes and quinoa from White Mountain Farm in Mosca, and the lettuce from Grow Haus in Denver.

On the menu were turkey tacos with shredded carrots and pinto beans in the filling and lettuce to top, miniature quinoa/carrot muffins, a quinoa-based frog-eye salad, and a quinoa tabbouleh and black radish slices for students to sample.

Francis Slane, Sangre’s head custodian, enjoyed eating the crunchy radishes. Slane grows watermelon radishes in her own garden along with a variety of other produce. A group of kindergarteners said they loved farm to school day and recognized that trying new foods is necessary for being healthy and growing up.

Several parents of students also came out to support the food service staff and Farm to School Task Force in hosting a Harvest of the Month Celebration. Renee Mackey, Alison Artaechevarria, and Kendall Rapp all have students enrolled at Sangre. These parents helped serve the local dishes and samples to students. After the students sat down to eat, Mackey made rounds with a bucket of uncooked quinoa and a whole black radish so that students could see the transition from raw food to the dishes they were eating. Ernie New and Michelle Mason of White Mountain Farm were also in attendance. Mason passed out samples while New spoke with students about farming and quinoa as they waited in line for lunch.

Mackey had this to say about Farm to School: “Allowing kids to experience food grown where they live is no small act. When a student tastes a new food, meets a farmer, and begins to think about where their food comes from, amazing things can happen. The ripple effect of one excited kid who tried quinoa and fresh sweet carrots at school can spread to their families, and their friends, and eventually begin to benefit the health and economy of their communities. Kids are powerful creatures… just feed them good food and they can change the world!”

On the way out of the cafeteria students were given the opportunity to vote on whether or not they enjoyed the quinoa tabbouleh dish: 42 percent of students said they loved it, 35 percent liked it, and 23 percent said that they weren’t sure but would be willing to try it again.

Farm to School takes healthy school food and infuses it with a taste of place and a sense of community pride while at the same time investing important community dollars into the local food economy.

Captions: Cooking Matters Coordinator Zoila Gomez, left, and parent Kendall Rapp, right, dish quinoa tabbouleh into sample cups for the kids./Courtesy photos

web Food Service Director Barb Grandell slices Black Radishes into bite-sized samples.

Food Service Director Barb Grandell slices black radishes into bite-sized samples.

web Francis Slane, Head Custodian for Sangre School, discusses all that she grows in her own garden after enjoying a bite of Black Radish.

Francis Slane, head custodian for Sangre School, discusses all that she grows in her own garden after enjoying a bite of black radish.

web Student Keenan Mackey prepares to serve items from the salad bar to younger students.

Student Keenan Mackey prepares to serve items from the salad bar to younger students.