Sacramento has been called America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital in recent years. The region has 1.5 million acres of farmland that grows more than 120 crops. There are 40 farmers markets. And they even host California’s largest Certified Farmers’ Market.
So, it only seems appropriate that kids are on board and literate about food, too.
Recently, I attended the International Food Bloggers Conference in Sacramento. For several days, food bloggers from across the United States and Canada learned about this regional food initiative, and saw and tasted local food.
One program that caught my eye was the Food Literary Center, a non-profit organization in Sacramento. Founded by Amber Stott in 2010, the center is focused on helping students learn more about healthy and nutritious food. In other words, they want kids to eat their fruit and vegetables.
The Food Literacy Center — with a staff of five, and more than a hundred volunteers called “Food Geniuses” – is not only inspiring Sacramento kids to improve their diets, but to share this knowledge with their families. In fact, parents are an important secondary audience of the educational program.
Also coming to the plate is the new “Broccoli Headquarters.” It’s a 2.5 acre urban farm at the Leataata Floyd Elementary School campus in the Northwest Land Park neighborhood of Sacramento.
When the project is completed in late 2017, the Food Literacy Center will expand its food literacy programming from eight Sacramento schools to more than 16 throughout the district.
The Broccoli Headquarters will offer farm and garden education, such as composting, biology and beneficial insects. There will also be cooking and nutrition classes, with food science, history and culture components. And there will be more and more kids learning about healthy diets and local foods, while keeping the region’s farm-to-fork traditions alive.
A big hat tip to the Food Literacy Center for encouraging kids to embrace healthy diets, cooking skills and local food.
You might also enjoy:
- Sacramento is America’s Farm to Fork Capital. We take a look.
- A few hours south in Ventura, Chris Massa grows a farm/school, which he hopes becomes a national model. His work has been recognized by the University of California’s 30 Under 30 program, which supports UC’s Global Food Initiative.
- We chat with Anupama Joshi, who co-founded the National Farm to School network.
- A historical look at school gardens.