from the [1] Portsmouth Herald:

Meeting focuses on connecting farmers with school lunchrooms

By Susan Morse

 

YORK — Four local farmers attended a meeting Monday to find out how to get their produce into York and Kittery schools.

Doris Demers, the nutrition director for the schools, held the meeting before an estimated half dozen people in the York Middle School cafeteria.

Demers wants to get more fresh local vegetables into school lunches. Local farmers want to sell more produce.

Sunny Acres Farm owners Joe and Gail Colarossi grow potatoes, tomatoes, other vegetables and some beef on their Wells farm. Joe Colarossi wanted to know if there would be a market for his extra produce if he bought additional seed this year.

Demers said farmers need to contact her about what and how much produce they have.

She serves 1,700 students daily at seven schools in York and Kittery.

For the past two years, she has been getting potatoes from local farmer and York Police Sgt. Brian Curtain, and baking them to serve at lunch.

She’s found students love fresh corn on the cob and acorn squashed, baked and sliced. They often run out of the vegetable, there’s such a demand, she said.

Buying local cuts out the cost of the middle man. Selling more food would help keep costs down. Telling parents there’s a healthy alternative to a bagged lunch, she said, can go a long way to promoting the school cafeteria.

To reach Demers, call 439-4846 or 363-5554.

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