A lesson in ‘farm to fork’

Summer school students learned the importance of locally grown foods last week at Paradise Canyon Elementary. Moira Beery and Emily Dwyer from the Farm to School program visited Marcia Van’s “Cooking Around the World” class to discuss the agriculture, farming and farmer’s markets.

They brought a tomato plant to demonstrate proper care and also to teach the five parts of a plant. Students were then able to eat fresh salsa made with farmer’s market tomatoes. The kids also learned what a farmer’s job entails and about the benefits of organic food.

The students, ranging from first- through fifth-grade, were impressively knowledgeable about fruits and vegetables, as many had small gardens at home. Almost all of the students had been to a farmer’s market, which surprised the presenters. Most had been to the farmer’s market in La Cañada, but a few others had been to the Pasadena market as well.

The students ate tostadas made with chicken the students had cooked and seasoned themselves. The students were given the option of store-bought salsa, which Van referred to as “jarred what-not,” but the students unanimously went for the fresh salsa, made from tomatoes picked only two days earlier.

The class, part of the five-week summer session at Paradise Canyon run by the Assistance League of Flintridge, teaches kids cooking in a cultural context. “As they learn the food, I like to add ‘mini-lectures’ on culture, geography, and how locals use the ingredients around them,” said Van, who is in her fourth year teaching this class.

The Farm to School program is based out of Occidental College and aims to bring healthy food from local farms to elementary, middle, and high schools nationwide. The program teaches healthy eating habits and the “farm to fork” process to students. More information about the program can be found at www.farmtoschool.org.

La Cañada’s farmers market takes place every Saturday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Foothill Boulevard, across the street from Memorial Park. A list of all markets in Los Angeles County can be found at www.farmernet.com/events/cfms.