Nebraska Thursdays

“Several years ago I would pass a greenhouse farm stand off the highway going to Lexington. It was owned by a family whose children go to our school. One day I talked to the mother about purchasing some of their fresh produce and the rest is history.”  Brenda Buchholz, Overton Public Schools, Food Service Director

“Farm to school is a major initiative and priority for Omaha Public Schools (OPS) Nutrition Services. Providing locally grown foods to students is a wonderful way to highlight Nebraska companies, who they are, where they are located, and the products they specialize in. OPS purchases impact the local economy, and help increase viability for Nebraska producers and food processors. Statewide, farm to school will support small companies impacted by loss of restaurant business due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2018-19, OPS spent over $15,000,000 purchasing local products such as raw chicken drums and thighs, cucumbers, potatoes, squash, melons, corn, peppers, broccoli, and milk from Nebraska cows.

When working with local producers, it is important to be flexible regarding distribution methods and the available products, quantity and variety. With 91 serving sites in OPS, the producer may not have the delivery mechanism to go to each of the sites or enough for every school. It is a partnership that must be creatively developed to make it beneficial for everyone.

What is happening in OPS’s schools is tremendous. There are school gardens throughout the district and one school has a hydroponic garden and is raising fresh greens. Another school has installed a hoop house to extend the growing season and has wonderful teaching spaces for the students. The produce has been sold at farmers’ markets, to parents at school meetings, and at the end of the school day when the children go home.” – Tammy Yarmon, Omaha Public Schools, Director of Nutrition Services