“The cooks really, really like the produce and they think it's
better stuff that they're getting from Mr. Kilmer; it's better quality,” Ralph
Dinghes, assistant superintendent for food service, said.
Third generation Berkeley
County farmer Derek Kilmer coordinates the Farm to School Program offering his
own produce and products from other area farmers to the local school
system.
“We have a full menu of things we provide them with
everything from bananas to oranges to cut vegetables,” Kilmer said.
“Local foods are seasonal. We start the season with everything from apples, peaches, nectarines; we
had local plums at the beginning of the school year, tomatoes, cucumbers,
peppers, pretty much anything in season we supply them with that was locally
grown.”
During the winter months Kilmer serves as a wholesaler,
supplying the school system needed produce from other states.
Because his business is small and local, he can deliver the
food more often and in smaller quantities.
“We're willing to come down for five pounds of food or 50
cases, it doesn't matter, so they don't have to over order,” Kilmer said.
“It's been told to us that they have a lot less waste
because we're willing to come on a more regular basis as opposed to other larger
operations that are only willing to come weekly.”
Kilmer said the Farm to School program has benefited his
business by providing an income during what’s usually a slow the time of
year. He's also created two new jobs to
administer the program.
While the food Kilmer sells costs a little more than what
the school system normally pays, Dinghes says it isn't a budget buster.
“It's a relatively small amount as to how our budget goes at
this point,” Dinghess said. “The local
beef will be higher but in the limited quantities we buy beef, I don't think
it's going to affect it that greatly.”
Dinghes said buying locally helps the area economy and local
farmers and provides better quality foods to the students.
“So it's a win-win situation,” Dinghes said. “Always think win-win when you can.”
Kilmer and Dinghes worked
with Jefferson County Agriculture Development Officer, Kellie Bowles, who said
local food is healthier. Bowles also
sees the ability to provide food to the schools as a security issue.
“If we can continue to feed our schools and the kids in our
schools even if something would happen in the larger agricultural sector where
we couldn't get food to the school system our local farmers could supply the
food,” Bowles said.
British chef Jamie Oliver spent
three months in Huntington this fall shooting a
new reality television series on healthy eating after the city was named the
unhealthiest in America.
When Oliver suggested schools
should serve locally-produced food, some school officials balked at the idea,
saying it would cost too much and the food might not meet government
requirements.
Bowles said the Jefferson County Farm to School Program is
similar to those in other states. And
she disagrees with the critics who say programs like this won't work.
“If Vermont can do a farm
to school program then surely West
Virginia can,” Bowles said. “Their growing season is shorter than ours.”
Bowles said if local farmers know there's a market for their
product at the schools and it encourages them to add value to their product and
extend their season by putting up hoop and greenhouses to increase production.
“Then all of that strengthens our rural economy in West Virginia,” Bowles
said.
Kilmer said because of the Farm to School Program he has
already expanded his business. This year
he grew potatoes for the first time. He
also plans to put up two greenhouses to extend his vegetable growing
season.