Project aims to supply schools with local food

From the Hendersonville Times News at http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20070827/NEWS/708270313/1042/NEWS/NEWS/Project_aims_to_supply_schools_with_local_food

BlueRidgeNow.com

Aug 27, 2007

--T-N Staff

The demand for local food is spreading beyond grocery store shelves and into school cafeterias. Currently school systems in Madison, Mitchell, Rutherford and Yancey counties, as well as Asheville City Schools, are buying produce from local farms. Last week, the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project organized 20 key stakeholders, including representatives from the Henderson County Public Schools, Flavor First, Henderson's Best, the Health Department, Partnership for Health, local farmers, Western Carolina Community Action and N.C. Cooperative Extension, to meet at Bruce Drysdale Elementary School to discuss the potential for farm to school in Henderson County. In addition to sourcing local food for school cafeterias, the role of school gardens, farm field trips and nutrition education were also discussed as part of an action plan for the county. Still in the planning stages, farm to school in Henderson County is moving forward. Christina Dodd, child nutrition director for the school system, will be meeting with staff of the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service to discuss needs, availability and logistics for sourcing Henderson County produce.