ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. -- Their goal is to get more locally grown produce in schools. The Alachua County public school district is preparing to use a new grant to expand their Farm to School hub. That's where students grow and process produce to distribute to a number of schools in the county.
It's been about two years since Buchholz High School senior Arthur Seabrooks started participating in the Alachua County Farm to School program. Seabrooks says it's a little more fun than being behind a desk for six periods.
"It's actually some days it's okay some days it's not but you still got to push yourself to be eager to work out here,” Seabrooks says.
The school district recently got a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture of a little more than $80,000 dollars. Coordinators with the program say this will help them provide more fresh produce in the school's lunch program. The district already distributes this produce to 22 out of 45 schools in the county. With this new grant, leaders say the goal is to get fresh produce in all schools.
"You know where it comes from,” Seabrooks says. “Some of the stuff you get from Publix or a store somewhere you done know where it comes from. But for you to get on hands experience and seeing what you like and seeing what you can grow and what they can grow really but you can see what you're doing is amazing."
Farm organizers say the money will allow them to expand an additional acre to their farm.
Reporter:
Niko Clemmons