LOWNDES Co. – Pine Grove Middle School participated in ‘Make My Plate Georgia Grown Day’ on Friday, March 24 in the celebration of the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Awareness Week, March 20-24, 2017.
Students were served a nutritional lunch meal created by the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Farm to School Program and the Georgia Department of Education’s School Nutrition Program. An estimated 600 students at Pine Grove Middle participated in the 2017 ‘Make My Plate Georgia Grown’ day and were nourished with local food to fuel their learning.
“Commissioner Gary Black states “The end result will be healthier Georgia students, decreased barriers in farm to school efforts and increased awareness as students learn and experience, both educationally and nutritionally, where their food comes from.”
The initiative further promotes Commissioner Gary W. Black’s 20/20 Vision to aim for at least 20 percent of every meal in every Georgia public school every day to be compromised of Georgia products by the start of the 2020 school year. The menu was comprised of Georgia products from farmers throughout the state.
The menu included a choice of entrée to choose either southern Georgia grown chicken chunks or pepperoni pizza. The students enjoyed farm fresh sides of corn, fresh Georgia (locally grown) collards from Fredando Jackson, side salad (which includes Georgia grown tomatoes), Georgia grown whole fresh strawberries from the Tommy Biles Farm, pizza dipping sauce and breadsticks, fresh baked cookie and Georgia grown milk.
“We are proud to support Georgia Grown and our local farmers by highlighting them during this special week. We plan to continue to strive to make our plate “Georgia grown, “according to Sharon Flythe, Director of School Nutrition in Lowndes County Schools.
Other activities within Georgia Agriculture Awareness Week included Ag Hero Day and Ag Literacy Day.
Photo: Left to Right Back Row- Joseph Robinson, Farmer Fredando Jackson, Jaion Hall, Lane Deal, Jason Davis, Zoe Smith. Front Row Left to Right Amelia Stevick and Amaria Wall
