What is
Art Contest
NC Farm
Winners
to School?
The NC Farm to School program has been
supplying school cafeterias across the state
with the freshest, locally grown produce
from NC farms since 1997.
The program is run through the North
Carolina Department of Agriculture and
Consumer Services’ (NCDA&CS) Food
Distribution Division in cooperation with
the Marketing Division.
In the
Truck
Recognized
Winners of the first NC Farm to School Calendar Art Contest
were honored during a reception at the N.C. State Fair.
Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler addressed the group,
which included families of the winners, their teachers, and
Child Nutrition Directors. “We’re proud of the Farm to
School program, and we’re proud to honor you today. There
will be new calendars each year. But you are part of a select
group that was chosen to be included on the first calendar.”
Chosen from among 1,302 entries, the 14 winners received a
$50 savings bond sponsored by the NC Farm to School
Cooperative. In addition, each student received a one-year
subscription to Our State and Edible Piedmont magazines.
Austin McLendon, whose work graces the cover, also
received an NCDA truck signed by the Commissioner.
Week November 14 – Romaine lettuce, Apples,
Collards, Apple Slices
Week of December 5 – Broccoli Crowns, Apples,
Cabbage, Sweet Potatoes
NC Farm to School Team
NCDA&CS Marketing Division:
Heather Barnes, [email protected]
Tommy Fleetwood, [email protected]
NCDA&CS Food Distribution Division:
Gary Gay, [email protected]
Ted Fogleman, [email protected]
Steve Troxler, Commissioner of Agriculture
NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
www.ncfarmtoschool.com
On your
Grower Spotlight– James Sharp
plate…
This month NC Farm to School trucks are
carrying romaine lettuce from Fresh-Pik Produce
in Kenly (Johnston County).
Farmers in N.C. can grow spring and fall crops of
romaine. Grown on black plastic, romaine can be
planted before or following other crops, including
watermelons, allowing farmers to use the same
plastic to produce two crops.
Romaine may be the oldest form of cultivated
lettuce. A tall, upright lettuce, romaine can reach
20 inches in height. Romaine is sensitive to dry
conditions, requiring daily irrigation. In the field,
romaine is ready for harvest within 45 days after
transplanting. The crop is harvested by hand and
packed in waxed cartons.
As a child growing up on
a tobacco farm, James
Sharp started a garden,
selling produce to the
farm’s employees. At age
15 he named his company
Fresh-Pik Produce. The next year, with driver’s license in
hand, James began selling produce to a local grocer, Bailey
Red and White, then Piggly Wiggly.
From that garden, Fresh-Pik Produce has grown to 350 acres of
cantaloupe, watermelons, sprite melons, strawberries, cabbage,
collards, field greens and romaine lettuce.
Fresh-Pik sells produce across the U.S. and into Canada but
James also sells at Deans Farm Market in Wilson,
(http://www.deansfarmmarket.com/index.php)
which
he
opened in 2002. In addition to seasonal produce, the Market
also has jams, jellies, honey and pick-your-own strawberries.
They also offer educational activities for school groups,
including fall hay rides and Santa’s Workshop.
Romaine should be stored unwashed in a plastic
bag or kept in the waxed carton with the lid
closed. Storing romaine this way ensures it will
be crisper and keep it’s natural mositure. Store in
a separate location from apples (i.e. not in the
same box or refrigerator drawer), as the ethylene
gas fruits release will cause vegetables to ripen
faster. Fruit will also pick up the flavors of
stronger vegetables.
Romaine is an excellent source of Vitamin C and
has few calories. The darker green the leaf, the
more vitamins it contains. In schools, romaine is
used on sandwiches and in salads.
What (and Who) is the NC Farm to School Cooperative?
The NC Farm to School Cooperative was incorporated in 2008 by farmers across the state who had been supplying
produce for Farm to School when it was run in conjunction with the Department of Defense. According to the Articles
of Incorporation, the purpose is to “bring about a more effective service…in selling locally grown fruits and vegetables
to schools…” The initial directors were John Bulman, James Sharp, Brent Jackson and George Wooten.
Members of the cooperative are engaged in the production of fruits and vegetables in N.C. Currents members are from
all over the state, including Pasquotank, Pender, Nash, Johnston, Stokes, Rowan, Madison and Henderson counties.
They have a GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) or third party food safety audit each year, liability insurance and are
members of NCDA&CS’s Goodness Grows program. Any farm in the state that meets these requirements is eligible to
join the Cooperative. For more information on the Cooperative contact Tommy Fleetwood.
NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
www.ncfarmtoschool.com