Next week, Wednesday, Sept. 12, is Colorado Proud School Meal Day. Its a day when schools all over Colorado will be celebrating Colorado agriculture and educating school kids about healthy eating.
On that day, school lunchrooms will try to use as much Colorado grown produce as possible, and LiveWell Montezuma, and Mancos schools, will be part of it.
According to the Department of Agriculture website, they want to encourage eating habits that will promote a lifetime of optimal health. That means teaching children about the importance of eating lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and low-fat dairy products.
LiveWell Montezuma is helping Mancos schools have a successful Colorado Proud Day, and the local farms are pitching in some of their food.
There will also be a tasting table in the lunchroom at Mancos, according to Kim Lindgren, coordinator for LiveWell Montezuma. It is sponsored by the Montezuma School to Farm project coordinators Sarah Syverson, who is coordinator over all of Montezuma County, and Erin Bohm in Mancos. Posters telling of the benefits of healthy food and a slide show of the School to Farmfield trips will also be displayed in the school cafeteria.
Farmers and ranchers all across Colorado produce food items that provide the nutrients children and adults need to thrive. Agribusinesses contribute nearly $20 billion to the state economy annually and provide more than 105,000 jobs. With more than 37,000 farms and ranches encompassing 31 million acres, it is easy to understand the value this industry adds to Colorado.
Any local farmers who would like to help out by selling food to the schoool can contact Kim Lindgren at 564-9849.
