Oaklawn Elementary students crunch into locally grown apples to support Farm to School Month!

Get ready. Get Set. Crunch.  re:TH!NK Farm to School and Oaklawn Elementary joined students of all ages, from preschool to college, along with individuals across the Great Lakes Region states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio in celebrating  National Farm to School Month and Food Day by participating in a very exciting event called the first annual “Great Lakes Great Apple Crunch”, on October 23^rd.

Just like “Earth Day”, Food Day is on it’s way to becoming a national holiday. Food Day is typically celebrated October 24^th with a message to inspire Americans to change their diets and food policies. October is also National Farm to School month and is the perfect time to introduce nutritious local foods in schools. The first annual Great Lakes Great Apple Crunch is a great way to celebrate Food Day and National Farm to School Month. This collective crunch encourages healthy eating and supports Farm to School and other local food purchasing initiatives throughout the region. 

 

Joined by Todd Hanson, the owner of Apple Blossom Orchard and Market, and Alice in Dairyland, the most recognizable spokesperson of Wisconsin agriculture, approximately 130 4^th and 5^th grade students bit into a locally grown apple after a countdown by the farmer. Todd spoke about his farm and the apples, while Alice discussed Wisconsin agriculture and why we celebrate Farm to School Month.  Everyone who participated in the event, including the food service director Peggy West, and Scott Johanknecht, thought the Honeycrisp apples were delicious. One student claimed, “this apple tastes better than my cookie”. Another student said, “this apple is a lot better than the usual snack apples I eat”. The students had a lot of fun with this event as they not only enjoyed the apples, but learned a lot about Wisconsin agriculture and how apples grow.

 

 

 

 

Why celebrate Food Day? America’s food system contributes to childhood obesity, diabetes, heart disease, other health related problems and promotes environmental degradation, unfair working conditions, and animal cruelty. With America’s resources, there’s no excuse for hunger, diet-related diseases, low wages for food and farm workers, or inhumane condition for farm animals.

 

Join the Movement! All of us are united by a vision of food that is healthy, affordable, and produced with care for the environment, farm animals, and the people who grow, harvest, and serve it. We envision a just food system for all and want to celebrate it when it works and help fix it when it’s broken.


 

 

For more information on Farm to School or the Great Lakes Great Apple Crunch click here.

Want to know more about Food Day? click here.