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PAGE 8 FARMERS AND CONSUMERS MARKET BULLETIN – 404-656-3722 – agr.georgia.gov WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2020
FarM to school:

Douglas County turns things around

Editor’s Note: The Georgia Farm to School Program is a
partnership of the Georgia Department of Education, the Geor-
gia Department of Agriculture, Georgia Organics and the Geor-
gia Department of Public Health. Farm to School is an effort
to bring locally grown foods to schools and educate children
about nutrition and agriculture. For more information, go to Georgie’s Drive
www.gafarmtoschool.org.

By Alexandra Woodford Thru Tifton
alexandra.woodford@agr.georgia.gov
Hello! I’m Georgie, the Georgia Grown mascot. I travel the
School System: Douglas County state of Georgia promoting our No. 1 industry – agriculture!
Meals served: 1,695,301 (2018-’19 school year) Can you remember what travel was like before the Interstate
Number of Students: 7,800 Highway System came along? When President Dwight D. Ei-
Most popular menu items: Chicken tenders and senhower was Supreme Allied Commander of the Allied Ex-
mac and cheese peditionary Force in World War II, he became frustrated by
how long it took for troops and supplies to make it from their
It was in 2016 that Douglas County School Nutrition few points of origin to American seaports. His administration de-
were aware of the many good things the nutrition department vised the Interstate System to expedite that process. Today,
had in motion through its farm-to-school program. we have interstate highways connecting every corner of the
Thus in 2017, the nutrition department began revamping the lower 48 states. The numbering system starts with the low-
county’s menu items and the selections and presentations in or- Students at Mirror Lake Elementary School in Douglas County enjoy est odd numbered highway on the West Coast – Interstate 5
der to better satisfy its students. fresh, Georgia-grown watermelon. connecting Canada and Mexico – and continues numerically
Danielle Freeman, Douglas County School Nutrition Execu- to the East Coast with Interstate 95 connecting Canada and
tive Director, said that “the foundation took hold and allowed us items came, as well as conducting cooking sessions with Doug- Miami, Fla. The even-numbered highways start in the south
an opportunity to engage students in eating good food that was las County School Nutrition Brand Ambassador, Rose Genter. with Interstate 10 connecting Jacksonville, Fla., with San-
healthy for them and had been grown either here in Georgia or During the sessions, students prepared and consumed zucchi- ta Monica, Calif., and increase going north and ending with
our bordering states.” ni muffins and strawberry smoothies while learning about the Interstate 90, connecting Seattle, Wash., and Boston, Mass.
The team within the nutrition department knew that to suc- benefits of eating locally grown food. The U.S. Hwy. 41 bypass built around Tifton in the 1950s is
cessfully capture the interest (and stomachs) of their students, The nutrition department has worked aggressively to not said to be the first interstate segment completed.
they would need to ensure that the food looked good, was acces- only maintain but build upon these humble beginnings and is
sible, and easy to consume. Policies were enforced that spoke to proud to see the outcome of its input, Freeman said. The stu-
these specifications, such as all fresh fruit being cut, vibrant dents now look forward to seeing a variety of fruits and vegeta-
line displays, and options like orange wedges and strawberries. bles that weren’t always available.
“These changes generated great pride in the team,” Free- “We continue to use these opportunities to get into class-
man said. rooms with nutrition information and agriculture education,”
Those minor improvements made for a major difference in she said of the team’s efforts beyond the lunchroom. To help
results and morale. The team became so engaged in the pro- reinforce this, the department also provides samplings of new
cess that they would flood their office with pictures of their line menu items to students along with hosting round-table discus-
presentation or the smiles on students’ faces while they were sions concerning trends in the food industry.
eating. These additional implementations have given Douglas
The department’s hard work now receives great recognition County students control of their menus and satisfaction in the
as the Douglas County district won a Gold Golden Radish for its results of their contribution, Freeman said.
efforts during the 2018-2019 school year, making this its third “We look for innovative ways to encourage our children
consecutive Golden Radish. The award honors Georgia school to appreciate the contributions of food grown locally and the
districts for best practices in farm-to-school programs. Criteria farmers who grew them,” she said.
for the award include food procurement, exposing students to Douglas County schools buys from Royal Food Service, an
new foods through taste tests, and incorporating gardening and Atlanta-based distributor of Georgia-grown produce, and Mer-
cooking activities in the curriculum, all of which the Douglas cier Orchards in Blue Ridge, among others.
County nutrition department have simultaneously integrated The Douglas County School Nutrition department has a
since improving its program. saying that “this is not a job, it is a love” and “they are not the
Some of the tactics the county was recognized for includ- students, they are my children,” Freeman shared.
ed its Georgia Grown poster customizations for every month For more information on all things Douglas County Nutri- The Eisenhower Memorial Garden off I-75 in Tifton celebrates the
to reflect the item of the month and the farm from which the tion, visit https://www.dcssga.org/departments/school_nutrition. interstate highway system. (Lee Lancaster/GDA)

Forestry Matters: Georgians rise to the challenge of COVID-19

By Chuck Williams fight the spreading deadly virus. Working with check with your local officials. (Fire danger and
Director, Georgia Forestry the Georgia Emergency Management and Home- fire activity maps, along with a great deal of in-
Commission land Security Agencies and the Georgia Depart- formation about wildfire, weather and GFC fire
ment of Public Health, GFC personnel are car- services can be found at GaTrees.org.)
If there is a silver lining to the reali- rying out a number of duties, including logistics The annual EPD summer burn ban begins
ty of a global pandemic making its way that are essential to the fight against COVID-19. May 1 for 54 Georgia counties. Any similar
into our own back yards, it has to be They have been delivering needed medical sup- burn bans for air quality would come from the
the way Georgians are rising up to the plies, including numerous loads of N95 masks, Georgia Environmental Protection Division,
challenge. First responders, medical to facilities statewide. They have transported not GFC. You DO need a permit before burning
professionals, truckers, and hundreds and erected yurts and tents to be utilized at area – get one at GaTrees.org, or call 1-877-OK2-
of other essential behind-the-scenes hospitals. They will remain on call for the fore- BURN. Need assistance with your burn? Be
workers are proving that duty and compassion are alive seeable future. F O R E S T R Y sure to check out our Forestry Services Con-
and well – and being freely shared statewide. For everyone, Being nimble and responsive are proven M A T T E R S tractors directory to find someone near you:
there surely has never been a better time to do our part for strengths of other agency departments as well. https://gatrees.org/directories/forestry-ser-
the betterment of the whole. The GFC remains open for business! At the Governor’s di- vices-contractors-directory/.
The Georgia Forestry Commission is well known for rection, we are working remotely wherever and whenever Looking ahead, the deadline for forest landowners im-
providing leadership, service and education in the protec- possible. Email and telephone enables us to answer ques- pacted by Hurricane Michael to sign up for federal aid is at
tion and conservation of Georgia’s forest resources. Not as tions and provide our wide variety of services – though to hand. Applications for assistance under the Georgia Farm
widely recognized, however, is the critical role GFC plays limit personal contact, some onsite services have been nec- Recovery Block Grant are being accepted online only and
during times of emergency. And while our skills have been essarily and temporarily curtailed. must be submitted by 11:59 PM on April 8. Complete de-
honed on wildfires, ice storms, tornadoes and the like, As a reminder, our wildfire emergency teams are on call tails can be found at farmrecovery.com.
they’re proving crucial in response to COVID-19 as well. 24/7. In addition, burn permits continue to be issued when Recovery is actually an encouraging word to focus on
In recent weeks, GFC staff have been deployed to assist local conditions are suitable. GFC has not, nor do we have right now. With redbuds in bloom and pollen on the pick-
in the delivery of critical medical supplies throughout the any immediate plans to, implement any outdoor burning up, Mother Nature’s the best reminder that we’ll get there,
state to ensure healthcare providers have what they need to bans. Some local governments may have bans in place, so together.