Washington School Nutrition Association (WSNA) and the Washington State Department of Agriculture Farm-to-School Program are partnering to celebrate Washington agriculture on September 29^th with TASTE WASHINGTON DAY.  Schools around the state will be serving a locally-sourced meal and providing education and activities to celebrate the farms that feed us.

WSDA Farm-to-School Program will provide support to match up farms and schools and facilitate the purchasing process.  We would love to include your farm as a participating farm. Many school nutrition directors are off for part of the summer, so we’d like to start the process as soon as possible.

WSNA has recommended the two menus below, or schools can make their own menus.  We encourage schools to try alternatives if they have willing farm partners who grow other things.  For instance, a district might decide to use another kind of potato, or to do a bean or lentil chili, or to add carrots with tops or another available vegetable to round out the offerings.

We will also help schools add educational activities to the day, whether that’s posters in the cafeteria, inviting a farmer to lunch, or visiting or lunching in a school garden.  We want Washington’s kids to spend that day considering the farmers who grow their food, and we want you to help us bring that to life!

For more information, to be listed as a participating farm, or to get help linking to your local school districts, please contact Tricia Kovacs, WSDA Farm-to-School Program Manager, at tkovacs@agr.wa.gov or 206-256-6150.