[farm.school] MA Producing Farm to School Cookbook

[Heather Albert-Knopp]

Hi all -- I thought this might be of interest to Maine Farm to School folks!

--Heather

-----------------------------------
Heather Albert-Knopp
Hancock County Farm to School Coordinator
Healthy Acadia Coalition
www.healthyacadia.org

Home Office: 
207-359-2157
P.O. Box 355
Brooklin, Maine 04616
halbertknopp at gwi.net



Announcing the Massachusetts Farm-to-School Cookbook


Amy Cotler, of Fresh & Company, a culinary education and consulting
business, has received a grant to help boost statewide farm-to-school sales,
through the online and print publication of a Farm-to-School Cookbook. The
book, which will include recipes, preparation tips, farm-purveyor contact
information and several farm-to-school classroom lessons, will be tested in
select cafeterias ‹ both with school food service directors for ease of use,
and with school children for a ³thumbs up or thumbs down² on general appeal
and flavor. 

To increase the accessibility and usefulness of the Farm-to-School Cookbook,
it will be developed collaboratively with an advisory board of
representatives from key organizations and all of the state¹s Buy Local
Campaigns are part of the project¹s support team. Through statewide
collaboration and practical kitchen work, the Farm-to-School Cookbook will
provide a carefully tested and useful support for school service
professionals to add fresh farm products to their menus ‹ a win for farmers,
our local economy and a new generation of children.

Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner, Douglas P. Gillespie
said, ³Having children eat more locally produced foods through their school
food service has several benefits - locally grown food not only tastes GREAT
- it boosts farm sales and the Massachusetts economy and it helps children
learn to eat healthy at a young age when eating habits are formed. Amy¹s
project to create a food service tested cookbook will boost farm sales and
bring healthier foods into the schools.²

The $24,000 grant, with additional $9,000 in-kind donations, is from
Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) and Massachusetts
Society for Promoting Agriculture. Further financial and administrative
support came from Green Pastures Fund, Four Winds, Inc, and The New England
Small Farms Institute. Ms. Cotler welcomes other regional food directors and
farmers who are interested the project to contact her at amy at freshcotler.com
or 413-232-7174.



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