WAPS celebrates Farm to School Month

The first people through the lunch line on Monday at Winona Senior High School weren’t the 9th graders or 10th graders. And they weren’t the 11th or 12th graders, either. 

Instead, the first people to sample a tray full of local meat and produce were representatives from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Department of Education, local farmers and farmer advocates, Winona Area Public Schools administrators and elected officials — all in celebration of Farm to School Month. 

WAPS was one of several districts around the state to host a special event highlighting National Farm to School Month, a time to celebrate the connections between schools and local food producers. 

WAPS Director of School Nutrition Jennifer Walters has made it a priority to purchase as much food from local farmers as possible, taking advantage of various grants and funding sources to do so. One such source is the Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) program, which awarded more than $1 million to schools and early childhood centers around the state last year — including WAPS. 

The program featured a brief overview of the Farm to School program at WAPS. Some of the local farmers/producers include Cold Spring Stock Farm in Winona, Hidden Stream Farm in Elgin, Big Woods Beef in Kenyon, Steve Nielsen in Kellogg and Ferndale Farms in Cannon Falls. 

After a brief tour of the district’s hydroponic lettuce garden — which is always a hit with visitors — the group enjoyed a lunch featuring Ferndale Farms wild rice turkey brats and other local produce. 

Among those in attendance were state Sen. Jeremy Miller from Winona and state Rep. Andy Smith from Rochester, is the vice chair of the Agriculture Finance & Policy Committee, as well as Jeanne Poppe, a former state house member and current staff member for U.S. Sen. Tina Smith.