Along with partners such as the Viroqua Public School District, Americorps, and the Great Lakes Regional Farm to School Network, VSN is helping to bring locally grown produce into the public schools. VSN joins a national movement to improve nutrition in our schools.
The Vernon Area Farm to School program is a collaboration of local schools, farmers, distributors and community supporters with the goal of incorporating fresh produce and locally-grown foods into the Vernon area public schools.
Viroqua and Westby school districts have thriving Farm to School programs in all grades of their schools. They also have school gardens. For more information or to get involved: Contact Marilyn Volden, Food Service Director, Viroqua School District, or call 608-637-1645.
2010 Harvest Challenge
October 15, 2010 will be the 2nd Annual Reception and Tasting Gala at Viroqua High School Cafeteria. For detailed information, click here.
2009 Harvest Challenge
Laurel High School, the winning team from 2009′s Harvest Challenge, recently competed in the Cooking up Change 2010 national competition held at the Farm to Cafeteria Conference in Detroit Michigan. Read more about their experience in this Viroqua Food Coop newsletter article.
View the Harvest Challenge Photo Gallery for 2009
The Harvest Challenge is a community event that seeks to create healthier students and stronger rural economies by linking school food service programs with local food producers.
Sponsored by: CROPP Cooperative-Organic Valley, Viroqua Public Schools, Valley Stewardship Network, Viroqua Food Co-op, and Vernon Area Farm to School Initiative and the Great Lakes Farm to School Network.
The Harvest Challenge is a competition and unique event that brings students, teachers, farmers and local chefs together to learn about the National School Lunch Program and to work creatively to plan healthier and tastier school lunches.
Each participating high school has a team of students, a mentor teacher and a local chef working together to create a school lunch menu that complies with the National School Lunch Program guidelines, meets school food service budget requirements and incorporates fresh, wholesome, locally produced products.
Viterbo University Dietetic Interns are supporting all teams by analyzing recipes for nutritional value. Also assisting in planning and facilitation of the teams is the Vernon Area Farm to School Initiative Committee and AmeriCorps Farm to School Coordinator, Bjorn Bergman.
Participating local chefs are encouraging the students to learn about nutrition, the importance of local agriculture, and the culinary arts, while also emphasizing creativity in order to envision a future for school lunch in Vernon Area Schools.
The four local chefs involved are Frank Wildingway of Driftless Cafe, Kristen Woodhouse of Organic Valley, and Julie Ruef from Organic Valley and Marty Di Sciascio from Di Sciascio’s Restaurant in Coon Valley.
Bjorn Bergman, Farm to School AmeriCorps member for the Vernon Area Farm to School Initiative is helping each team to source local ingredients through area farmers, the Viroqua Food Coop and Organic Valley Cooperative.
Farm to School in the News
In 2008 the 5th Season Harvest Project resulted in 100 gallons of ratatouille made from local tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini and other ingredients which became part of Viroqua’s school lunch menu throughout the school year.
The 5th Season Harvest Project has gained national recognition as a leading model for rural farm to school programs. Below are some articles that highlight our efforts:
“The Movement to Make School Food Better” - Rodale Institute, April 2010
“Dinner – healthy, tasty – is served” – Vernon County Broadcaster, April 2010
“Harvest Challenge lets students get creative in the kitchen” – Vernon County Broadcaster, December 2009
“Eat Well, Eat Cheap, Eat Local” – Kickapoo Free Press, December 2009
“Women Fight to Improve School Lunches” – Coulee Region Women, December 2009
“Farm to School: Students Eating Fresh Produce Grown Locally” – La Crosse Tribune, December 14, 2008
“Farm to School Programs are Getting Local Food Into Cafeterias” – Plenty, September 2008
“Farm to School Program Kicks Off with ‘Ratatouille’” – Vernon County Broadcaster, September 3, 2008
Farm to School Program
Along with partners such as the Viroqua Public School District, Americorps, and the Great Lakes Regional Farm to School Network, VSN is helping to bring locally grown produce into the public schools. VSN joins a national movement to improve nutrition in our schools.
The Vernon Area Farm to School program is a collaboration of local schools, farmers, distributors and community supporters with the goal of incorporating fresh produce and locally-grown foods into the Vernon area public schools.
Viroqua and Westby school districts have thriving Farm to School programs in all grades of their schools. They also have school gardens. For more information or to get involved: Contact Marilyn Volden, Food Service Director, Viroqua School District, or call 608-637-1645.
2010 Harvest Challenge
October 15, 2010 will be the 2nd Annual Reception and Tasting Gala at Viroqua High School Cafeteria. For detailed information, click here.
2009 Harvest Challenge
View the Harvest Challenge Photo Gallery for 2009
The Harvest Challenge is a community event that seeks to create healthier students and stronger rural economies by linking school food service programs with local food producers.
Sponsored by: CROPP Cooperative-Organic Valley, Viroqua Public Schools, Valley Stewardship Network, Viroqua Food Co-op, and Vernon Area Farm to School Initiative and the Great Lakes Farm to School Network.
The Harvest Challenge is a competition and unique event that brings students, teachers, farmers and local chefs together to learn about the National School Lunch Program and to work creatively to plan healthier and tastier school lunches.
Each participating high school has a team of students, a mentor teacher and a local chef working together to create a school lunch menu that complies with the National School Lunch Program guidelines, meets school food service budget requirements and incorporates fresh, wholesome, locally produced products.
Viterbo University Dietetic Interns are supporting all teams by analyzing recipes for nutritional value. Also assisting in planning and facilitation of the teams is the Vernon Area Farm to School Initiative Committee and AmeriCorps Farm to School Coordinator, Bjorn Bergman.
Participating local chefs are encouraging the students to learn about nutrition, the importance of local agriculture, and the culinary arts, while also emphasizing creativity in order to envision a future for school lunch in Vernon Area Schools.
The four local chefs involved are Frank Wildingway of Driftless Cafe, Kristen Woodhouse of Organic Valley, and Julie Ruef from Organic Valley and Marty Di Sciascio from Di Sciascio’s Restaurant in Coon Valley.
Bjorn Bergman, Farm to School AmeriCorps member for the Vernon Area Farm to School Initiative is helping each team to source local ingredients through area farmers, the Viroqua Food Coop and Organic Valley Cooperative.
Farm to School in the News
In 2008 the 5th Season Harvest Project resulted in 100 gallons of ratatouille made from local tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini and other ingredients which became part of Viroqua’s school lunch menu throughout the school year.
The 5th Season Harvest Project has gained national recognition as a leading model for rural farm to school programs. Below are some articles that highlight our efforts:
“The Movement to Make School Food Better” - Rodale Institute, April 2010
“Dinner – healthy, tasty – is served” – Vernon County Broadcaster, April 2010
“Harvest Challenge lets students get creative in the kitchen” – Vernon County Broadcaster, December 2009
“Eat Well, Eat Cheap, Eat Local” – Kickapoo Free Press, December 2009
“Women Fight to Improve School Lunches” – Coulee Region Women, December 2009
“Farm to School: Students Eating Fresh Produce Grown Locally” – La Crosse Tribune, December 14, 2008
“Farm to School Programs are Getting Local Food Into Cafeterias” – Plenty, September 2008
“Farm to School Program Kicks Off with ‘Ratatouille’” – Vernon County Broadcaster, September 3, 2008
Changing what America’s students eat, school by school
http://www.rodaleinstitute.org/20100417_The_movement_to_make_school_food_better
http://www.vernonbroadcaster.com/articles/2010/04/28/features/01feature.txt Dinner — healthy, tasty — is served Broadcaster April 28, 2010
http://www.vernonbroadcaster.com/articles/2009/12/16/features/03feature.txt Harvest Challenge lets students get creative in the kitchen – Broadcaster Dec. 19th 2009
http://www.kickapoofreepress.com/news.php?viewStory=585 ( Eat Well Eat Chaep – Kickapoo Free Press December 2009