The kitchen staff at Mt. Blue High School with the district’s food service director, Cheryl Ellis and Marble Family Farm.
FARMINGTON – Mt. Blue RSUD 9’s food director, Cheryl Ellis and Marble Family Farms are working together to offer certified organic squash in schools throughout the district. The Marbles are delivering fresh peeled and cut squash to the school which is then frozen until needed. The squash will be on the schools menus come February.
To test it out last week, Ellis said that she placed a sign on the salad bar identifying the squash as organic and locally produced at the Marble Farm. She reported that while not all students gave it a try, those who did found it ate it up. In a statement, the Marbles said “We hope that this is the start of getting local foods into the schools. It’s a win win situation for everyone and the biggest benefit is to the students eating it.”
Butternut squash is high in potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and Vitamin A. The Marbles are interested in developing markets to other local institutions in the area and, if successful, plan on increasing the amount of squash they plant next year.
