Harvest Lunch Project

_If a community wanted to have local fresh foods in its public schools, what
could it do? If they wanted to demonstrate that kids could appreciate
healthy ingredients and that the schools could work with farmers to
procure local vegetables, fruit and meat, where would they go? If
community schools supported farm families and local businesses, what
would that look like?

It would look a lot like the Harvest School Lunch Project in the North
Fork Valley elementary schools. In September 2010, a collaboration the
Western Colorado Food & Ag Council, the Paonia Rotary, the Kampe Foundation
and the Cocker Kids Foundation joined with the Delta County School District
to make local, fresh food a reality in Hotchkiss K-8, Paonia Elementary and
Crawford Elementary schools.

Together, diverse members of the community built bridges that enabled
farmers & ranchers to sell products directly into the schools. Miners’ kids,
farm kids and new age kids joined in enjoying the bounty of our valley. Parents
and grandparents came to lunch, too. Over 600 meals were served each day!
It was a celebration & a tribute to the community of the North Fork Valley!