|
|
|
Brighton, N.Y. —
Regionally grown vegetables will now be delivered year-round to the Harley School and the University of Rochester as part of a new pilot program called Farm to School.
Run by Rochester based organization Headwater Foods, the program officially kicked off on Nov. 28 with its first batch of deliveries.
While many schools may have the desire to serve its staff and students with local, sustainable and fresh foods, it can be difficult to do so and meet the volume of food it needs on a day to day basis.
Chris Hartman, owner of Headwater Foods, said the pilot program is looking to step in and fill that need.
“With school calendars as they are, there’s a challenge with the local food season,” said Hartman. “The fact that we’re able to process the summer bounty and freeze it gives a year-round supply.”
In addition to providing a steady stream of freshly grown vegetables, Hartman said he’s looking to have a much broader affect by creating an economy that is connected to local food systems and local farmers.
Suzanne Smith, co-food service director at the Harley School in Brighton, said the staff and students have made it a priority to connect with the local food system.
“It’s been tremendous, the kids are very excited about,” said Smith. “We’re able to support local farmers, and it will be fresh frozen as if it just came out of the garden. Normally you wouldn’t be able to get these fresh products.”
In total, Headwater Foods will deliver 1,000 cases of frozen regionally-grown vegetables to the University of Rochester and the Harley School in its first year.
Hartman said the food will be coming from about a dozen farmers in Rochester and in central New York.
“There’s a real economic development possibility,” he said. “There are millions of dollars being spent on food that is quickly disappearing from our community, and we have the potential of capturing those dollars locally.”
Regionally grown vegetables will now be delivered year-round to the Harley School and the University of Rochester as part of a new pilot program called Farm to School.
Run by Rochester based organization Headwater Foods, the program officially kicked off on Nov. 28 with its first batch of deliveries.
While many schools may have the desire to serve its staff and students with local, sustainable and fresh foods, it can be difficult to do so and meet the volume of food it needs on a day to day basis.
Chris Hartman, owner of Headwater Foods, said the pilot program is looking to step in and fill that need.
“With school calendars as they are, there’s a challenge with the local food season,” said Hartman. “The fact that we’re able to process the summer bounty and freeze it gives a year-round supply.”
In addition to providing a steady stream of freshly grown vegetables, Hartman said he’s looking to have a much broader affect by creating an economy that is connected to local food systems and local farmers.
Suzanne Smith, co-food service director at the Harley School in Brighton, said the staff and students have made it a priority to connect with the local food system.
“It’s been tremendous, the kids are very excited about,” said Smith. “We’re able to support local farmers, and it will be fresh frozen as if it just came out of the garden. Normally you wouldn’t be able to get these fresh products.”
In total, Headwater Foods will deliver 1,000 cases of frozen regionally-grown vegetables to the University of Rochester and the Harley School in its first year.
Hartman said the food will be coming from about a dozen farmers in Rochester and in central New York.
“There’s a real economic development possibility,” he said. “There are millions of dollars being spent on food that is quickly disappearing from our community, and we have the potential of capturing those dollars locally.”
