Video by Rebecca Taranto/ CNS-TV
CALVERT COUNTY, Md. – Public school students across the state are eating locally grown foods in an effort to help the local farming economy.
Windy Hill Elementary took part in the fourth annual Maryland Homegrown School Lunch Week, which was Sept. 12-16, with stations around the school that included corn shucking, live animals and a mini farmers’ market.
“We want to make sure that [kids] are aware of where vegetables come from and how it gets on their table and the process from farm to table,” said Kelley Adams, principal of Windy Hill Elementary.
Maryland is the only state to implement the program in all 24 of its school systems, said Karen Fedor, Agricultural Coordinator for the Md., Dept. of Agriculture. The Department’s school outreach effort extends to all 950,000 students enrolled in public schools throughout the state.
“There’s a whole movement to buy local because of the food miles–you’re getting food that’s close to the source of where you buy your food,” said Fedor. “You’re keeping those dollars in the local economy plus you’re helping the environment”
At least 30 farms in the state participated in the week’s push for local crops.
Windy Hill Elementary will take part in the festivities again next year, said principal Adams.