Got Local?
Thousands of students throughout California are tasting delicious strawberries this month in classrooms via the Harvest of the Month program and with the help of the Sierra Cascade Nutrition and Activity Consortium (SCNAC), over 21, 000 students from a pocket of rural Northern California will meet a local strawberry farmer via the Farmer of the Month program.
Harvest of the Month was developed by The Network for a Healthy California (Network) and provides educators, prekindergarten through grade 12, with nutrition education materials to engage students in hands-on opportunities to explore, taste and learn about the importance of eating fruits and vegetables and being active every day. In our Northern California region alone, Harvest of the Month samples go out to over 750 classrooms each month.
SCNAC and the Network for a Healthy California -Sierra Cascade Region Children's Power Play! Campaign have teamed up to take Harvest of the Month one step further, by highlighting a Farmer of the Month each month and purchasing produce for tastings from local farmers whenever possible. This month, Seng Saechao is the highlighted strawberry farmer who grows her tasty strawberries in Chico , CA . As students taste strawberries in their classroom, their teachers share information about Saechao and her farm.
"Our goal is to honor and celebrate local farmers and help children feel more connected to the people within our community who grow our food. We hope that children will recognize, and seek out the Farmers of the Month at local farmers' markets, and encourage their families to purchase fresh, in season produce," says Gina Sims, from Sierra Cascade Region Children's Power Play! Campaign.
In addition to building relationships with local food producers, SCNAC works with teachers and families to help students understand the agricultural significance of their region and the diversity of food crops that are grown within a few miles from their home. "Our program has sparked a relationship between students, teachers, and farmers," says Amie Eisenhut, from SCNAC who works with local farmers to purchase and procure the Harvest of the Month samples. In addition to children learning about the benefits of eating healthy foods, farmers visit classrooms, kids write thank you notes to farmers, and local farmers have been highlighted in the media for their part in teaching children about the importance of eating fruits and vegetables and being active every day. "It's a win-win situation for our entire community," says Jennifer Dye, from SCNAC who organizes the production of all 21,000 tastings each month.
 Seng Saechao pictured with her strawberry crop
Harvest of the Month was created for use by low-resources school districts that are partners with the Network for a Healthy California (Network), with funding provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Stamp Program. For more information about Harvest of the Month resources visit www.harvestofthemonth.com and to learn more about Farmer of the Month, visit www.scnac.org or call 530-345-0633.
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