Outside maybe frozen, but Farm2School is still working full speed!

          There is no dispute that this winter has been one for the record books. We have been struck by two polar vortices in which temperatures dipped to -50°F(with windchill), the ice layer on Lake Winnebago is currently over two feet thick, and for the first time in five years ice caves on the Apostle Islands can be accessed along Lake Superior. These cold temperatures keep us curled up inside more than we would like, dreaming of the days warm enough to go outside without a jacket. As those days approach, our time inside can be spent planning for the warm weather days. Whether or not Punxsutawney Phil is right, we still need to eat! Either by making a warming dish at home or going out to try a new restaurant, food is one of the pleasures we can still fully appreciate this time of year.

          During these cold winter days the Farm2School program has been sampling up a storm in schools all across Winnebago County. We have been serving Wisconsin Winter Moon and Potato Fusion blends for February Fun Food of the Month. Both products are locally grown /processed and offered by The Fifth Season Cooperative Food Hub through Reinhart Foodservice. WI Winter Moon is a medley of carrots, butternut squash, golden potatoes, and beets; the Potato Fusion is a mix of red, russet, and golden potato varieties. These blends are very versatile; they can be served sweet or savory, for breakfast or lunch. Depending on the seasoning you can have Italian, Tex-Mex, or Herb inspired dishes. Root vegetables are very comforting foods that most students enjoy. Along with serving these blends on the lunch line, we have been offering extra samples school wide in Oshkosh, Omro, Lourdes and Winneconne elementary schools.

Many students were able to try a beet for the first time, helping to develop their vegetable vocabulary. While some were hesitant to say they really liked eating the blends, many gave their support to eat them again if served. It’s the little wins that make these samplings worthwhile. As one endearing fifth grader from Omro put it, “These blends are better than McDonald’s!” Now, to the budding foodie who seeks out culinary adventures of celeriac soup and kale smoothies, this might not have much weight. However, in terms of gaining kids’ trust to try more local, fresh, produce this is a huge breakthrough. Fast Food is often a familiar comfort food. For students to independently develop their thoughts that a locally-grown product served for lunch is a better choice could mean more consumption of healthy choices in the future. These blends will continue to be ordered and served until they are no longer available. Hopefully by that time we will be breaking ground for school gardens and planning for samplings of locally-grown asparagus and fresh greens!

Look for future posts about school chef events, school gardens, and more Fun Food of the Month school- wide samplings! 

Medical Marijuana is a Drug, Let's Treat it Like One

Medical marijuana is working its way into state legislative discussions around the country as most and Wisconsin is no exception. Senate bill 363 was introduced in October of last year. While the public hears stories of how medical marijuana can help children with a rare seizure disorder (Dravet syndrome), adults with chronic pain, or people suffering from nausea as a result of cancer therapy, legislators should proceed with caution on how medical marijuana might be legalized here.

SB363 suggests the State of WI Department of Health Services (DHS) establish a registry for persons who use marijuana for medical use, where individuals would be required to submit a signed application, a written certification, and pay a registration fee. The bill would also require DHS to license and regulate non-profit corporations known as “compassion centers” to distribute marijuana and drug paraphernalia. This model is used in other states and includes a list of treatable conditions approved by the DHS.

This model creates a confusing gray area in drug prescription and regulation procedures. Currently, unless a drug is “over the counter,” it must be prescribed by a doctor or other healthcare professional with prescription privileges and distributed by a pharmacy licensed by the Department of Safety and Professional Services. If we want to treat marijuana as a medicine (aka “prescription drug”), then why are we creating a separate system? Enforcing established guidelines already in place for controlled substances with information about active ingredients, dosage, uses, and warnings should suffice.

Additionally, when a person is prescribed a drug for a condition or disease, the prescription is limited and monitored. There are limits on the number of refills, and follow up with the doctor to make sure the medication is treating the symptoms. If a person is prescribed pain medication for surgery recovery or healing after an accident, the patient is carefully supervised because pain medications are often addictive. There should be no exception for marijuana. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana is addictive for approximately 10% of recreational users. If marijuana use begins during the teen years, addiction rates rise to 17%.

For those suffering from pain or rare diseases, medical marijuana may indeed be a wonder drug. But it is critically important to regulate marijuana as a drug, especially if the patient or recipient is a child. There is already a process in place to ensure the safety of a drug when made available to the public. Shouldn't medical marijuana be treated the same way? The gold standard for a drug becoming legal is to withstand double-blind, randomized trials.

There are now some clinical trials underway for a strain of medical marijuana used to treat children with Dravet Syndrome. The marijuana strain is being called “Charlotte’s Web” after a girl with the rare disease. If the public is to trust that medical marijuana is truly being used to treat diseases and reduce pain and suffering, and is NOT a backdoor into recreational drug use, then why are we using street drugs as a model for naming conventions? Naming the strain after a children’s book delegitimizes its medical purpose and may appeal to youth.

Proponents of medical marijuana do not favor physician or pharmacy involvement mostly because they have not endorsed medical marijuana in the past. However, just as public opinion is changing, so are attitudes towards medical marijuana within the medical community. Medical marijuana may hold promise and should be studied and regulated like any other prescription drug.