Yancey County farmers Harold and Sandra Davis were the first Farm to School farmers in Western North Carolina. In 2003, NCDA made special grant monies available for local school systems to use to purchase food from local farms. About the same time, Harold and Sandra participated in the ASAP Transition Program and received a $5000 grant to expand their hydroponic system. This system made it possible for them to grow lettuce year round and supply the Yancey County school system. The Yancey County Health Department proposed a proclamation, written by the Yancey County School Board, to support purchasing food from local farmers.

The staff at ASAP  knew that tobacco was on the way out and recognized that Farm to School might provide a new market for growers. In rural areas, where there might not be thriving farmers markets or a wealth of restaurants, places to sell local food can be scarce. But  every rural county does have a school, and that school has many mouths to feed.

ASAP and the Community Food Security Coalition  wrote a grant proposal to USDA/ Risk Management Agency to fund a regional Farm to School workshop. The workshop was funded. In May of 2004, farmers, Child Nutrition Directors from six school systems, Extension agents, parents, and others gathered to discuss the benefits of and barriers to Farm to School programs. Farmers learned about the struggles of school food service and Child Nutrition Directors expressed interest in learning more about local agriculture. Everyone went home with the sense the initiative was growing.

ASAP has been working ever since to facilitate schools purchasing local produce and to offer Farm to School promotional events. Local food is now served in school cafeterias in Henderson, Madison, Mitchell, Rutherford, and Yancey Counties, as well as in Asheville City schools. In Yancey County, where all this began, Sandra and Harold Davis are still supplying the schools with their hydroponic lettuce and other field crops in season.

Farms offerings will expand as parnterships with schools grow. Get your school involved.