School Nutrition Composting Project
The Rowell Family has stepped up to become a Community Partner and Wellness Committee member of the Bartow County School System! Together we have begun the great journey to facilitate a relationship between our School Food Authority and a Local Farm entity with the intent to improve our Farm to School procurement of locally grown produce! We will involve our students in the process of learning how to compost their own food waste, test and produce compliable soil to grow our own produce for school meals!
BCSS Nutrition Composting Program Project Narrative
Purpose, Goals, and Intended Impact:
The BCSS Nutrition Composting Program is designed to address environmental, educational, and financial challenges within Bartow County Schools. With a goal to transform substantial food waste generated by 14,070 students into a valuable resource, the project aims to foster a Farm-to-School initiative. The purpose is threefold: promote sustainability, reduce waste disposal costs, and advance STEM education opportunities. By engaging local farmers and implementing composting practices, the project intends to strengthen ties between schools and the agricultural community, positively impacting both.
SFA Involvement and Impact:
Our School Food Authority plays a central role in this initiative. SFA will be actively involved in waste reduction efforts collecting in both kitchens and cafeterias. In collaborating with K & T Farms, and integrating STEM education, the curriculum ranges from the garden to the kitchen emphasizing Farm-to-School nutrition. The project directly impacts SFA by reducing procurement costs, enhancing local sourcing, and providing nutrition education opportunities for students in many aspects. We will ensure seamless integration into school systems by bridging the gap from the Nutrition department to School administration emphasizing all roles in promoting food sustainability and educational advancements.
Barriers and Opportunities:
In this project, we are keenly aware of the existing barriers and opportunities within our district related to scratch cooking infrastructure, menu development, and procurement methodologies. Our efforts involve a comprehensive analysis of our current systems, active engagement with the community, aggregators, and processors, and leveraging our pre-existing purchasing relationships. Our overarching goal is to identify areas of procurement we can do locally and create valuable opportunities for local vendors, establishing streamlined procurement processes, and contributing to the enhancement of our overall local food ecosystem.
Considering this farm's unique status as a historically underserved producer (being veteran-owned), we see specific resource opportunities. They are working towards extending farming season to better align with the school year's harvest times. Simultaneously, we are dedicated to raising awareness about the composting program, aiming to involve more farms and highlight the crucial need for local produce within our school system. This outreach extends to farms like Splendor Oaks and other local market vendors, emphasizing our collective endeavor to make local produce more readily available for our schools and their communities.