Yesterday, Haldane students got to try the first of what will become a once a month selection of Farmer's Choice local vegetable dishes served in the cafeteria. The dish was a butternut squash puree with maple syrup. The recipe was given to us by Mark Gandara of Fork and Glass Catering Co. The squash came from Madura Farm in Middletown, NY. (You can visit their stand at the Cold Spring Farmers' Market every Saturday) The maple syrup came from 3 Chicks Sugar Shack of Garrison. (Also at the farmers' market)
I was in the cafeteria observing the lunch, talking to the kids and getting their reactions. It was an incredibly positive experience. Many of the students requested the squash. And those that did not, were offered a spoonful to try. The upbeat encouragement on the part of the servers turned many skeptics into takers. I sat with one group of 2nd graders who all had the squash on their trays. I was later informed that seven out of eight of them really liked it. There was also a buzz among teachers wanting to get the recipe.
All around it was an extremely successful beginning to our new Farm to School Initiative. Next month, we will be adding the educational component to the Farmer's Choice monthly vegetable. Each month one class will get to vote on the vegetable for that month, and our local chef and food educator Mark and Sunny Gandara will come into that classroom and collaborate with the children on a recipe. They will also talk about the vegetable's origin, how it grows, where it grows and its nutritional value.
Next month, we will be starting with Mrs. Comerford's first grade class, and they have already voted on the vegetable: Broccoli.
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