October is National Farm to
School Month. Since its Congressional dedication in 2010, schools are
encouraged to collaborate with local farmers to bring fresh, local produce into
school cafeterias throughout October. However, School Cafeteria Lunch Manager
Mary Dellapenna does not wait for October. For the past five years, she has
been out in the community working with farms to source fresh, local
ingredients.
Fresh fruit is on the menu
every day at Byron-Bergen schools and, if a student chooses an apple, it likely
came from Roanoke Apple Farm. The family owned and operated farm is located
twelve miles from the school. The proprietor Linda Williams delivers the
handpicked fruit directly to the school.
“It’s all about the
community,” said Williams. “Even though this is an agricultural community, a
lot of the kids don’t know where their food comes from or how it gets there. I
like knowing that we help them eat fresh and clean.”
Not just the apples have a
quick commute to the school. Dellapenna also locally sources green beans,
cucumbers, cabbage, onions, and squash from Torrey Farms in Elba. Torrey Farms
has been family owned and operated for twelve generations with seasonal
employees with forty years of experience with the company. While Torrey Farms
generally sells to stores and wholesale distributors, they make an extra effort
when it comes to schools.
“We are here for the schools
who want to make it work,” said sales team member Shannon Kyle. “It can be a
logistical challenge but we are willing to go above and beyond for Mary
(Dellapenna).”
However, getting the food to
the school is only the first challenge. Dellapenna and her team must choose
recipes that the students will enjoy.
“The fresh produce goes over
very well with the students who regularly choose it over processed food,” said
Byron-Bergen Jr./Sr. High School Cook and Manager Rozanne Klycek. “The local
apples and cucumber wheels are definite favorites.”
Much of the local produce
requires preparation. Unlike canned green beans, fresh green beans are washed,
snipped, and cooked in the school kitchens and Dellapenna must keep an eye on
labor hours. But Klycek and her staff understand the importance of bringing the
students fresh food.
“The health benefit of
locally grown produce is that it is ‘fresh’, meaning there are no preservatives
or additives like salt or sugar,” Klycek adds. “Also, the vitamins in fresh
produce are at their optimal nutritional value as compared to canned fruits and
vegetables.”
As the local growing season
ends, Dellapenna will need to rely more on preserved and imported produce for
the schools. However, come spring, she will be back out on the farms seeking
out the best local produce for the Byron-Bergen students.