Now serving: Locally grown peaches and hydroponic lettuce on the school lunch line

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Jason Vorhees

School nutrition manager Diane May puts together sack lunches Wednesday at Lakeview Primary School

Jason Vorhees and Samantha Max

A first-grader at Lakeview Primary School quietly studied the options on the lunch line, unsure what he wanted to eat. He decided on the nachos — a scoop of ground chicken with a bag of Doritos, beans, and a bowl of steamed corn and peppers.

At the end of the line, a cafeteria aid asked the student if he wanted to try something from the “Georgia Grown” section. Baldwin County school cafeterias often highlight locally grown produce, and that day students could choose between fresh peaches and nectarines or a salad made from lettuce grown in Dublin.

The boy took a nectarine, plopped it on his tray next to the pouch of tortilla chips, and went on his way.

Featuring locally sourced items on the lunch menu is just one facet of the Baldwin County School District’s farm to school program, an initiative that just earned the district the platinum level Golden Radish Award.

Read the rest of the story here.