Farm to School grows community in Bruce County!

Bruce Peninsula District School
Lion’s Head, ON
2018-2019 (Grant Year 1)

Bruce Peninsula District School is a JK – 12 school that already had a daily Cafeteria Program, school wide composting program and a school and community garden. When the opportunity to apply for the Farm 2 Cafeteria Salad Bar grant came to our attention we knew it was a perfect fit for our school.

The Students are so excited!!

With a stormy winter season, and many days of bus cancellations and school closures, we experienced a few set-backs trying to launch our weekly Salad Bar.  We were finally able to start providing the Salad Bar as our Tuesday Cafeteria option in February. From the first day the Salad Bar was offered we have had students telling us that they are trying vegetables that they have never tried before! They are so excited every Tuesday for Salad Bar day. The primary students often cheer “Yay, it’s Salad Bar day” when I arrive at their classroom door to bring them to make their salads. 

One Tuesday, a Grade 1 student was being picked up early to have a special lunch and outing with his Mom. When he realized that he was going to miss the Salad Bar he started crying. Our Principal brought him to the Cafeteria to make a salad to bring with him!

Everyone is involved

Our primary classes began growing microgreens and sprouts that we have been using every week since April. They love tending the greens all week and then having the opportunity to try the “baby lettuce” on their Tuesday salad. 

The intermediate grades continue to work the school garden and are excited about the things they have planted that we will be able to harvest in the fall!

Secondary Shop Class Helps!

While we love our Salad Bar unit, it did not come with a table. We initially used one of the cafeteria tables and then our Secondary Shop Class worked to design and build a beautiful wood table! It is on casters to easily roll into place, has sides and ends that flip up to provide a place for the students to put their bowls while they build their salads, and a place at the end for the dressings, bowls and forks. The first day that the primary students came down for Salad Bar with the new table several of them exclaimed “It’s kid height now!”What a difference for them serving themselves as they can easily reach now.

The Community Supports!

We were able to provide the Salad Bar free (using the portion of the grant allotted for this) for all staff and students from February 19th to March 26th. We announced on the school Facebook page that day that beginning the next week the Salad Bar would now cost $3 for JK – Grade 4 students and $4 for Grade 5 -12. Within hours a community member made an anonymous donation to the Cafeteria to continue providing the Salad Bar for free to the end of the school year!! 

Thanks Farm to Cafeteria Canada!!