From field to classroom

Times Reporter   

  

October is Farm to School month, an initiative that has been happening for a number of years in the U.S but is relatively new to Canada. Farm to School programs bring healthy, local food into schools, and provide students with hands-on learning opportunities that foster food literacy, all while strengthening the local food system and enhancing school and community-connectedness.  Farm to School empowers students and

school communities to make informed food choices while contributing to vibrant, sustainable regional food systems that support the health of people, place and planet. 

The Calgary Zoo, as well as other agencies across the province, offer the Little Green Thumbs program which provides indoor growing boxes, vermi-composting, lights, soil and seed as well as support to start teaching kids about how to grow their own food, where it comes from and how to prepare and cook it.  

 “We’re really trying to advocate for schools to bring food literacy into the curriculum,” said Cathy White, advisory member with Farm to Cafeteria Canada (F2CC).

“It really is about overall health and well-being and that schools model positive food choices and that we consume nutritious food … the stats aren’t good for the health of our children and many kids are getting chronic diseases that they shouldn’t be getting as children, whether it’s from inactivity,  poor eating or there may be other factors, but a lot of that is preventable.”

“It’s about building more local, sustainable communities, rather than relying on food being shipped from so far, it’s about teaching people those skills, and its environmental awareness, can we keep sustaining that.”

White said what she loves about F2CC is they try and get kids active, they’re out in the garden and in nature getting fresh air, they’re eating healthier food and they do find that the kids are eating more fruits and vegetables. This also will translate into promoting healthier lifestyles and choices into the future and for future generations. 

Anyone wishing to find out more information, or wanting to get involved can go to www.farmtocafeteriacanada.ca or contact Cathy White at 403-356-6407, or via email at Catherine.white2@albertahealthservices.ca.