Did you know that there are 44,275 students enrolled in DC Public Schools? - On average, 70% of students participate in the school lunch program, and about 30% participate in the school breakfast program. Of those 44,275 students: 63% receive Free Lunch and 6.3% receive Reduced Lunch which will be FREE to students in the 2010/2011 school year - which is 70.2% of the students are either on Free or Reduced Lunch. I feel that these kids should receive healthy, fresh good food. Many organizations (and the Healthy Schools Act) are making a difference in what children eat in schools...which is helping their health and educations.
Support area kids, schools, and farms while celebrating the local October harvest during D.C. Farm to School Week. Participating D.C. schools will serve and highlight healthy, locally-grown foods in their school meals to increase student exposure to the joys of eating farm-fresh foods. Additionally, the D.C. Farm to School Network will help a number of schools coordinate both educational farm field trips where students can harvest local produce and interactive chef demonstrations where students can prepare and taste local produce!
Check out DC Farm to School website - with all this great information:
How can you celebrate at home?
Taste the season!
- Discover what fruits and vegetables are currently in season the mid-Atlantic region.
- Shop for locally-grown food at the Farmer’s Market – many take WIC/EBT. Use DC Food Finder to find a market near you.
- Cook local, seasonal food at home with your kids. Try some of these some family-friendly recipes using seasonal produce.
- Visit a restaurant that supports local growers and the D.C. Farm to School Network, like Bar Pilar, Bread and Brew, Busboys and Poets, Eatonville, Cafe Saint-Ex, Clyde’s Restaurants, Farmers & Fishers, PS-7, ris, Coppi’s Organic, Blue Ridge Restaurant, or any that are a part of the Neighborhood Restaurant Group.
Get out to a farm!
- Visit an urban garden or farm in DC, such as Common Good City Farm, the Washington Youth Garden, or the Neighborhood Farm Initiative. Find a comprehensive list of community gardens HERE.
- Take your family on a day trip out to a farm to harvest or volunteer; there are a great number of working farms just outside the city:
Check out other food/farm educational events around town
- Participate in D.C. school garden week events http://dcschoolyardgreening.org/dcschoolgardenweek.html
- Fruit Trees Workshop. Thursday October 14, 5:00-6:30 pm Washington Youth Garden, US National Arboretum. Suggested donation of $10 to cover refreshment, garden bags and tool. Click here
- 7th Annual Fall Schoolyards Tour. Saturday, October 16, 9:00am to 3:00pm. Meet at Tyler Elementary (1001 G St, NE) Click here to download the registration form.
- School Garden Bike Tour. Saturday, October 16, 9:00am to 12:30pm . Meet at Tyler Elementary (1001 G St, NE). Ten-mile bike loop on city roads throughout Southeast, Northeast, and Northwest, DC. Click here
- Check out the Spuds Unearthed Exhibit at the US Botanic Garden until Monday, October 11 http://www.usbg.gov/education/events/Spuds-Unearthed.cfm
- Learn the makings of apple cider- Saturday, October 9 at Water Penny Farm http://www.waterpennyfarm.com/visit/
- Engage your senses with a day about Chile Peppers – October 9, 1- 4 pm at the National Herb Garden at the National Arboretum http://www.usna.usda.gov/Education/events.html#October
- Visit the National Arboretum’s Fall Fruit and Foliage Exhibit- October 23 – November 7, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm http://www.usna.usda.gov/Education/events.html#October
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