School farm stands provide produce, smiles

It was a beautiful early spring day yesterday, so I visited the school farm stand at John Burroughs Elementary School.

At the farm stand, which is open every Wednesday afternoon, two women filled bags with fresh apples, oranges, and "snack packs" of locally harvested nuts and dried fruit. The women asked when the farm stand would start selling vegetables again.

Later, a teacher led a group of children to the farm stand, and the children encircled the small stand. The kids held coins and crumpled dollars in their hands, and pointed with excitement to the produce they wanted to buy.

School farm stands like this one are popping up around the San Joaquin Valley, and are designed to make fresh, local produce more available and accessible to low-income communities. The thinking goes: If parents and children are able to purchase affordable produce at a convenient location, it will be easier for them to make healthy choices in their diet.

I think this Burroughs Elementary School student is the perfect spokeswoman for the school farm stands!

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZekIb7Pu7Wo]

Note: This blog was originally posted at www.blogs.vidaenelvalle.com.