On June 3, Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan is leading a unique collaboration that will provide free meals to about 900 students and teachers in the province.
The program is called ‘Breakfast From the Farm’ and was initially planned as a day for consumers to come out to a farm setting to enjoy a breakfast made with local ingredients and tour agricultural displays. But with Covid restrictions, says Clinton Monchuk, Executive Director of Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan, “we had to get creative about how to deliver information about Saskatchewan food and farming in a safe and fun way.”
How it will work is that a local Tim Hortons will deliver a hot egg sandwich and drink to each of four schools in Prince Albert, Regina, Saskatoon and Yorkton, similar to the hot lunch programs that already exist in some schools. Farm & Food Care will also deliver a bag for each student with additional snacks, recipes, pencils and activities showcasing Saskatchewan-grown foods. Farm & Food Care is also coordinating a series of interactive online activities such as virtual farm tours and agriculture trivia contests for students to learn more about Saskatchewan food and farming.
“Our objective with this project is first and foremost to feed kids,” says Monchuk, who is also a grain and egg farmer himself. “We also want to make the connection between foods we’re eating and the farms that produce those foods.
“Our students are excited to learn about food grown here in Saskatchewan,” says Susan Muir, Grade 4/5 teacher at Dr. Brass School in Yorkton. “Connecting children to where their food comes from provides opportunities to learn about the importance of healthy eating and food sustainability. Hands-on experiences like gardening can create and foster wonder, while teaching about becoming stewards of our environment.”
Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan wants kids and teachers to understand that farmers in our province are growing many of the foods served at local restaurants and stores as well as exported to customers around the world.
“When people have questions about their food and how it was grown or processed, we hope they ask a farmer or a processor or food scientist—or reach out to a group like Farm & Food Care or Agriculture in the Classroom. It’s our job to provide straight answers to questions about food and farming.”
Led by Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan and presented by the Saskatchewan Egg Producers, Breakfast From the Farm is a collaboration with Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association, Canola Eat Well, Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission, SaskOats, Grain Millers, SaskMilk and Agriculture in the Classroom Saskatchewan.
#feedingkidsandminds #celebrateag
For interviews or more information, please contact:
Clinton Monchuk
Executive Director
Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan, Saskatoon
Tel. 306-341-4750
clinton@farmfoodcaresk.org
Susan Muir
Grade 4/5 Teacher
Dr. Brass School, Yorkton
Tel. 306-786-5520
Susan.Muir@gssd.ca
Cheryl Arcand
Principal
Westview Public School, Prince Albert
Tel. 306-922-4094
carcand@srsd119.ca
Kendall Pierce
Principal
Caswell Community School, Saskatoon
Tel. 306-683-7160
PierceK@spsd.sk.ca
