School Garden to Cafeteria

 
Fredando Jackson (Executive Director of FRF), Jordan Parker (School Garden Coordinator), and Kristen Caso (DOCO Schools Nutrition Partner of Excellence) planting romaine lettuce at Radium Springs Elementary School.

Fredando Jackson (Executive Director of FRF), Jordan Parker (School Garden Coordinator), and Kristen Caso (DOCO Schools Nutrition Partner of Excellence) planting romaine lettuce at Radium Springs Elementary School.

At the start of the 2020 school year, Flint River Fresh received a “School Garden to Cafeteria” USDA-FNS Grant aimed to create a farm to school pilot program with the Dougherty County School System.

With this grant, Flint River Fresh was provided the opportunity to work with DOCO school’s Nutrition Services department to grow regional produce in school gardens and utilize produce in school cafeterias at three elementary schools-- Turner, Radium Springs, and Robert H. Harvey Elementary schools.

Ms. McCary’s 5th grade class planting brussels sprouts at Turner Elementary School.

Ms. McCary’s 5th grade class planting brussels sprouts at Turner Elementary School.

Ms. Harvey and her students planting a pollinator bed at Radium Springs Elementary School.

Ms. Harvey and her students planting a pollinator bed at Radium Springs Elementary School.

Currently, Radium Springs has 12 raised beds that have been prepped and planted to support Albany’s Feeding the Valley. Robert H. Harvey now has 4 additional new double stacked raised garden beds, totaling the school garden to 10 raised beds, and Turner Elementary has 10 newly renovated double stacked beds. Cold crop planting, including lettuce, broccoli, kale, and collards, will take place at the schools towards the end of January, leading into Spring planting in February and March.