Joint Statement from Charlottesville City Schools, Local Food Hub, and City Schoolyard Garden
Charlottesville, Va., Sep. 29, 2016 – Charlottesville City Schools will celebrate Virginia Farm to School Week by partnering with Local Food Hub and City Schoolyard Garden on food sourcing and garden-based educational experiences throughout the week. Virginia Farm to School Week, October 3-7, is organized by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and coincides with National Farm to School Month, declared for the month of October by the U.S. Congress.
“Charlottesville City Schools is pleased to have such dedicated partners, who are creating opportunities for students to taste and learn about Virginia agriculture while supporting our local farming families,” said Jim Henderson, Associate Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction for Charlottesville City Schools. “We are educating the next generation of healthy eaters, and getting students excited about food and farming.”
Local Food Hub will supply fresh produce and meat for school meals throughout the week, and will hold an in-school event at Charlottesville High School. City Schoolyard Garden will host farm-centered activities for the eight schoolyard gardens throughout the week. The complete schedule can be found below:
Monday, October 3
9:00 – 11:00 a.m.: There will be a goat cheese tasting and a special visit from Alice the Goat in the garden at Jackson-Via Elementary. (Contact City Schoolyard Garden.)
3:15 – 6:30 p.m.: Buford Middle students will take a class fieldtrip to Vanguard Ranch in Louisa County. (Contact City Schoolyard Garden.)
Tuesday, October 4
During lunch, all schools will serve red potatoes with onions and peppers, and fresh apples, all sourced from Local Food Hub partner farms. (Contact Local Food Hub.)
2:00 – 4:00 p.m.: Volunteers will prepare the Harvest of the Month Snack item in the Central Kitchen at Charlottesville High School. Elementary students will taste the surprise snack on Thursday. (Contact City Schoolyard Garden.)
Wednesday, October 5
9:00 – 11:00 a.m.: Chickens will visit with students in the garden at Johnson Elementary. (Contact City Schoolyard Garden.)
During lunch, all schools will serve baked spaghetti made with pastured beef from Seven Hills Meat Company in Lynchburg, Va., plus Italian summer squash sourced from Local Food Hub partner farms. (Contact Local Food Hub.)
12:15 – 1:30 p.m.: At Charlottesville High School, Local Food Hub will present a lunchtime tasting, featuring Saunders Brothers apples from Nelson County, UV pasteurized apple cider from Morris Orchard in Amherst County, and grapes from Wenger Grape Farms in Augusta County. Seven Hills Meat Company will also join the event to chat with students and answer questions about cattle farming and beef production. (Contact Local Food Hub.)
Thursday, October 6
In all elementary schools, Buford classes, and during Charlottesville High School lunch, City Schoolyard Garden will present their Harvest of the Month Snack Program, featuring a surprise item (local green beans) sourced from Local Food Hub partner farms. Students will taste the snack in their classroom, learn about it, and take home food and gardening information to share with their families. (Contact City Schoolyard Garden.)
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.: Chickens will visit with students in the garden at Buford Middle. (Contact City Schoolyard Garden.)
During lunch, all schools will serve steamed broccoli and fresh apples, grown by Local Food Hub partner farms. (Contact Local Food Hub.)
Friday, October 7
9:00 – 11:00 a.m.: There will be a goat cheese tasting and a special visit from Alice the Goat in the garden at Burnley Moran Elementary. (Contact City Schoolyard Garden.)
The three organizations thank all of the Virginia farmers, community partners, students, and their families for making Farm to School Week possible.
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Charlottesville City Schools serves more than 4,000 students, offering neighborhood schools with a global orientation. To learn more, visit www.charlottesvilleschools.org.
Local Food Hub is a nonprofit organization that partners with Virginia farmers to increase community access to local food. It provides the support services, infrastructure, and market opportunities that connect people with food grown close to come. To learn more about Local Food Hub, visit www.localfoodhub.org. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @localfoodhub.
Launched in 2010 with a 4,560 square foot organic garden at Buford Middle School, City Schoolyard Garden (CSG) is an independent nonprofit with the mission to cultivate academic achievement, health, environmental stewardship, and community engagement through garden-based experiential learning. In partnership with Charlottesville City Schools and many other supporters, CSG also manages gardens at the high school and all six elementary schools in Charlottesville. To learn more, visit www.cityschoolyardgarden.org or www.facebook.com/CitySchoolyardGarden.
Contact:
Beth L. Cheuk, Charlottesville City Schools
434-245-2962
cheukb1@charlottesvilleschools.org
Laura Brown, Local Food Hub
434-244-0625/434-960-5561
laura@localfoodhub.org
Jeanette Abi-Nader, City Schoolyard Garden
434-260-3274
jeanette@cityschoolyardgarden.org
For a PDF of this statement, click here.