October is National Farm to School Month and a time to celebrate the connections that are happening all over the country between local farms and schools!
Living in California, we have many, many farms throughout the state. I grew up in San Francisco at a time where we did not have these wonderful programs. You would be surprised how many children think that food comes from the grocery store (I mean that is where it was grown). 
What is so great is to see the amazement in their eyes when they grow food and see it start out as a plant and then turn into food. I remember how much my children enjoyed helping their grandmother pick strawberries from her yard and pull carrots from the ground.
And fresh food does have a better flavor and children pick up on that immediately. There are just so many benefits to kids getting their foods at school from the local farms. Help raise awareness of the importance of these programs if your child's school does not have them. This is a great introduction for children into natural (unprocessed foods) and their health benefits.
It was just a few years ago that this month was designated by the congress to be a recognized event. It was actually 2010 when the congress formally recognized the importance of local farms and their relationship to school. These programs are an important means to improving child nutrition, work with the local economy and help children learn about where food really comes from.
If children are provided with fresh, seasonal produce from local farms they are more apt to increase their fruit and vegetables consumption. Fresh foods are always healthier, taste better and are interesting for children to learn about.
These fresh foods can be used in the cafeteria for breakfast and lunch programs to increase nutritional food options to children. In some cases, consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables increased up to 1.3 servings per day!*
There are programs in every state. If you would like to start one at your school, here is some good information:
Getting Started with Farm to School
This fact sheet provides some simple first steps to develop a lasting farm to school program in your community. It also offers examples of successful programs.
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