School gardens are sprouting across the Commonwealth as Kentucky leads the way in the National Farm to School program. The state was allocated thirty one $5,000 mini grants to implement a non-traditional market for local producers. Kentucky Department of Agriculture Spokeswoman Tina Garland says she sees the program as a cornerstone of rural development.
“Not only will this generation be healthier but they will also be a more informed consumer, who values the farmers and supports local food systems. You know not as a novelty, but as a way of life.” Garland said.
According to Garland, while Kentucky faces an obesity epidemic, it’s also facing a hunger problem. She says students often consume empty calories through processed foods. Garlands says the majority of the projects go toward school gardens. While most of the produce is grown for educational purposes, some is used in the cafeteria as well. The goal is to replace many of the empty calories consumed in processed foods with nutritional locally produced food.
