Taste Washington Day Success in Past Years

The 10th annual Taste Washington Day took place on Oct. 7^th during an unprecedented, challenging time, and featured “What’s in the Bag from Washington” in at least 43 school districts statewide. The heroic efforts of our school nutrition staff and farmers helped make sure thousands of students ate seasonal, Washington grown lunches and learned more about local food and farms. Even during school closures and distance learning, farm to school connections between farmers, schools, and students have been one way communities have responded with resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Check out highlights from around the state below:

• Anacortes School District served local apples from Fidalgo Island & Guemes Gleaners
• Bee and Thistle Farm in Enumclaw hosted a farm school pandemic learning pod, with Washington apple lessons and cider pressing
• Bellingham School District served baby potatoes, beans, and stonefruit from Washington
• Bethel School District sent home Washington grown milk and apples for the Washington Apple Crunch
• Chief Leschi Schools bagged up local pluots and pears
• Chimacum School District served local carrots, tomatoes, flour, eggs, pie pumpkins from Finnriver Farm, Red Dog Farm, SpringRain Farm, and Sunfield Farm
• Common Threads in Bellingham did a fun Washington Veggie Crunch video and gave away school garden produce
• Coupeville School district sent home blueberry muffins for breakfast, and lunch was Washington beef meatloaf and zucchini pasta, local broccoli, basil pesto, and bread from 3 Sisters Farm, Prairie Bottom Farm, Little Red Hen Bakery, and Mutiny Bay Blues
• Eatonville School District did a Washington Apple Crunch virtually with their students
• Edmonds School District did a virtual field trip to meet a local dairy farmer
• Everett School District shared What’s in the Bag from Washington: Cucumbers, apples, milk, yogurt, kohlrabi, and Asian pears from Cloud Mountain Farm Center, Crow’s Farm and Spring Time Farm (sourced through Puget Sound Food Hub)
• Grandview High School ASB students produced a fun Washington Apple Crunch video to celebrate!
• Klickitat School District held a Washington Apple Crunch
• Mercer Island School District featured local apples, zucchini, yellow squash, pears, and pluots
• Northwest School celebrated Taste Washington Week with cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, onions, and apples from Hedlin Family Farms, Ralph’s Greenhouse, Viva Farms, Cabrera Farm, Springtime Farm, Osprey Hill Farm, and Bellewood Farms.
• Oakesdale FFA gave presentations on growing fruits and vegetables to elementary students
• Paschal Sherman Indian School sent home apple facts to students for the Washington Apple Crunch
• Pullman Public Schools featured local lentil harvest chili and apples from Palouse Brand, Bishops’ Orchard and Whitestone Mountain Orchards, and sent students home with educational fliers about Washington lentils and apples
• Riverview School District featured local items and unique recipes for Taste Washington Week, with student-grown tomatoes from Cedarcrest FFA, pickling recipes for radishes from Carnation Farms, and Okanogan grown apples
• Seattle Public Schools featured a smoked salmon chowder bowl with locally grown fennel and dill, cucumbers for a side salad, Washington grown milk and yogurt with ingredients from Lummi Island Wild, Crow’s Farm, Ralph’s Greenhouse (sourced through Puget Sound Food Hub) and Hayton Farms, Darigold and Yami Yogurt.
• Touchet School District served local apples from LeFore Orchards and educated students about apples in Walla Walla, and the farm
• Valley School District served burgers with locally grown tomatoes and lettuce from Vets on the Farm
• West Valley School District (Spokane) featured local apples for students’ virtual Great Apple Crunch, and sent home apple pie overnight oats with local milk
• WSU Extension SNAP-Ed supported activities in many districts, including an apple crunch with students and staff in Spokane County
• Yakima School District hosted a Washington Apple Crunch with their staff and students, and sent home a factsheet about Washington apples
• cal potatoes on the menu statewide

The 9th annual Taste Washington Day took place in at least 45 school districts statewide on Oct. 2^nd, and other days throughout October. As many as 240,000 students ate seasonal, Washington grown lunches and learned more about local food and farms through their district’s participation in Taste Washington Day. Check out many of the tasty, nutritious participating schools’ menus!

Read more on WSDA's blog, or check out highlights from around the state below:

• First Lady Trudi Inslee visited Bellingham Public Schools
• Anacortes School District served roasted carrots and potatoes from Bib’s Farm, Whitestone Mountain Orchard apples slaw, and 3 Sisters Beef franks
• Bellingham Public Schools celebrates with special guests at Taste Washington Day and the evolution of their school lunch program
• Coupeville School District and Coupeville Farm to School celebrated with 3 Sisters Farm meatloaf, Bells Farm potatoes, Little Red Hen Bakery bread, and Sherman’s Pioneer Farm apple kale salad
• Crescent Harbor Elementary, Hillcrest Elementary School and Oak Harbor Elementary in Oak Harbor School District celebrated with Okanogan grown apples
• Debbie Leraas Children’s Center partnered with NW Farm to School to read Zora’s Zucchini from Readers to Eaters, and tasted local produce.
• Grandview School District did the biggest Washington Apple Crunch in the state – check out their photo album!
• La Center School District served up harvest fresh veggie pizza with tomatoes from Gather and Feast Farm
• Methow Valley School District served a lunch with Washington beef sloppy joe’s on Bluebird Grain Farms buns, and produce from their Classroom in Bloom garden, followed by a student-led farmers market
• Moses Lake FFA hosted a First Grade Farm Day at Grant County Fairgrounds
• Oakesdale School District partnered with FFA to teach students about Washington agriculture, with a presentation of a farm to school speech competing at the National FFA Convention
• Pullman Public Schools featured a menu with beef and local lentil chili, Washington grown apples, and homemade Joseph’s Grainery barley flour chocolate chip cookies
• Quincy School District served locally grown apples, pears, peppers, onions, and cabbage to students
• Riverview School District’s day was an amazing success, partnering with Cedarcrest FFA to teach about agriculture and do a local food tasting with food from Carnation Farms, Caruso Farm, Full Circle Farm, Local Roots Farm, and Steel Wheel Farm – along with teacher and student-grown produce at some schools!
• Sedro-Woolley School District served scratch-made meatballs and roasted veggies from Viva Farms and apples from Bellewood Farms
• Spokane Public Schools stocked Washington grown apple and tree fruit carts for a morning snack
• Sunrise Elementary School at Northshore School District served a Washington grown salad bar
• Tomorrow’s Hope childcare center cooked up local grass-fed beef cheeseburgers, rainbow salad, fresh pluots from Caruso Farm, Chinook Farms, and Collins Family Orchards
• Walla Walla Public Schools served pluots from Key Farms watermelon and cantaloupe from Bellinger Farms, cucumbers from R&R Produce and empress plums from Edwards Farms.
• Washington State Farmers Market Association visited Bellingham Public Schools Central Kitchen and farm to school sites.
• Washington State Potato Commission promoted local potatoes on the menu statewide

The 8th annual Taste Washington Day took place at 43 school districts statewide on Oct. 3rd and other days throughout October. At least 212,000 students ate seasonal, Washington grown lunches and learned more about local food and farms through their district’s participation in Taste Washington Day. It was a great way celebrate and kick off National Farm to School Month.

Read more on WSDA's blog, or check out highlights from around the state below:

• Anacortes School District served roasted delicata squash from The Crow’s Farm
• Concrete School District served an all-local menu with produce and beef from Sauk Farm, The Crow’s Farm, Boldly Grown Farm, Ovenell’s Ranch, Forest Farmstead, and Blue Heron Farm
• Preschoolers at Puesta Del Sol in Bellevue School District learned about locally grown food
• Edmonds School District served Washington grown cauliflower, cucumbers, nectarines, apples, and fresh milk to celebrate
• Enumclaw School District celebrated with lunches featuring Washington grown ingredients
• Hood Canal School served corn on the cob from Hunter Farms, and did the Washington Apple Crunch
• LaConner School District held a Taste of the Skagit Week, with vegetables, fruit, and beef from farms in Skagit County in lunches all week long: Viva Farms, Swanson Bros., Pioneer Potatoes, Forrest Cattle Co., Gordon Skagit Farms, and Bow Hill Blueberries
• Lopez Island School District served lunches throughout September sourced from within 50 miles of the school
• Oak Harbor Public Schools, including Crescent Harbor and Olympic View Elementary Schools, highlighted local broccoli and cauliflower at lunch with a Washington Apple Crunch at noon
• Monroe School District featured Washington grown foods on all their salad bars: apple crisp, apples, pears, nectarines, peaches, cucumbers, corn, blueberries, autumn squash and fresh milk
• Pullman Public Schools served lentil sloppy joes and Korean street tacos with local lentils from Spokane Seed
• South Whidbey School District served carrots, beets, potatoes, lettuce, cherry tomatoes from their very own South Whidbey School Farms, and students in the culinary class made tortellini arrabbiata
• Tommorrow's Hope Child Development at Housing Hope served beef and bean chili with fresh, local salad including ingredients from Caruso Farms, Oxbow Farm & Conservation Center, and Chinook Farms, and did the Washington Apple Crunch
• Willow Public School had a lunch with grass-fed meatloaf, kale salad, roasted carrots, summer squash, and more from farms within 30 miles of the school: Upper Dry Creek Ranch, Hayshaker Farm, Welcome Table Farm, Frog Hollow Farm, and Edwards Family Farm.

• South Whidbey School District served Washington apples, and carrots, salad greens, cucumber, and tomato salad from the S. Whidbey School Farms, who hosted a farm fresh tasting in the cafeteria on Oct. 12
• Issaquah School District’s lunch featuring Smith Brothers Dairy milk and Carpinito Bros. celery produced in Kent, and treefruit from Pride Packing in Wapato.
• Riverview School District’s local lunch with red and gold beets, radishes, sweet peppers, and cheese from farmers in the Snoqualmie Valley Farmers Co-operative
• Boldly Grown Farm harvested purple potatoes for Concrete School District’s local lunch
• The Washington grown salad bar Mercer Island School District
• Superintendent Duran visited Bellevue School District for a local lunch
• Methow Valley School District’s amazing BBQ with potato salad, squash quesadillas and roasted beets from Classroom in Bloom, Bluebird Grains and other local farms
• WSU Food Sense Spokane County Extension prepared and tasted local corn at Spokane Public Schools
• Orcas Island School District Farm to Cafeteria Program served Shepherd's pie, applesauce, whole wheat rolls, kale salad, a local salad bar, pears and apples from Taproot Farm, Morning Star Farm, Black Dog Farm, and Coffelts Farm
• Walla Walla Public Schools shucked corn donated by a local farmer and served fruit from R&R Produce
• Concrete School District and Concrete Farm to School served Washington grown chicken, apples, fennel, carrots, and purple potatoes
• Grandview School District teachers submitted even more great photos of their Washington Apple Crunch
• Monroe School District’s baked Washington potatoes, local plums and pears, and carrots from Oxbow Farm & Conservation Center
• Local Roots Farm’s visit to Stillwater Elementary School for a tasting of raw kale, radishes, broccoli, and beets
• Cedarcrest FFA sampled local produce at schools in Riverview School District
• Coupeville School District and Coupeville Farm to School did a tasting table with produce from their gardens
• WSU Skagit County Extension highlighted local wheat and sampled local bread at an elementary school
• Wenatchee School District had a visit from Sue at Yaksum Canyon Truck Farm, and served produce from McManus Family Fruit, Smithson Ranch, Magaña Farm, and beef from Gebber’s Ranch.
• George from Gifts of the Planet Farm visited La Center School District for their Apple Harvest of the Month
• Washington State FFA Association supported Colton School District’s Washington Apple Crunch
• The Debbie Leraas Children's Center in Edmonds had a farmer visit from 21 Acres
• WSU King County Food Sen$e visited Highline Public Schools local lunch with Washington grown carrots and what rosemary rolls

• Methow Valley Elementary’s lunch tray with BBQ beef, potatoes, cucumbers, onions, and greens from their own Classroom in Bloom school garden, Red Shed Farm in Twisp, Craig Tomlinson, and a homemade bun from Bluebird Grains.
• Mead School District featured pluots, peppers, and green garbanzos from LINC Foods/Jackson Farms, Tabbers Farm, Delap Orchards, and Fresh Nature Foods.
• Wenatchee School District’s 60 mile menu, even including tilapia from a Wenatchee High School Student. Check out this video of the day!
• Lake Stevens School District had students bring in their own applesauce recipes to share with classmates.
• Ridgefield School District’s visits from Quackenbush Farms and Northwest Organic Produce, and article in the Columbian Newspaper
• Moses Lake School District’s dairy farmer visits
• Oxbow Farm and Conservation Center’s tasting trays at Riverview and Monroe School Districts
• SnoValley Farm to School Project’s menus, posters, farmer connections and support throughout the Sno-Valley
• Concrete School District and Concrete Farm to School Program’s local potato wedge nachos, apple slaw, and more from Blue Heron Farms Ovenell Heritage Ranch Forest Farmstead
• Issaquah School District’s wholegrain, homemade pizza
• Yelm Community Schools’ local menu
• South Whidbey School District’s own school-grown produce from their South Whidbey School Gardens
• Auburn School District’s special Taste Washington Day Menu
• Whatcom Farm to School’s celebration at Meridian, Mt. Baker, Ferndale, and Bellingham public schools with Bellewod Acres apples and more
• Common Threads Farm’s school garden harvested potatoes in the cafeteria
• Orcas Island Farm to Cafeteria Program’s menu featuring Jones Family Farm, Orcasong Farm,  Morningstar Farm, Taproot Farm, Maplerock Farm and Smiling Dog Farm
• West Valley School District promotes their celebration
• WSU King County Food $ense’s local hummus and snazzy costumes
• Cedarcrest FFA’s visit to 6 different schools for local food taste tests
• Boldly Grown Farm’s celery, potatoes, and carrots headed to Conway and Concrete School Districts
• Washington State Dairy Council’s visit to Moses Lake
• Mosby Farms’ NPR Marketplace interview
• Sno-Valley Tilth’s own apple crunch
• Port Townsend School District’s meal with Dharma Ridge potatoes, gleaned apples, and Red Dog Farm carrots and celery

Governor Proclaims October 1st 2014 Taste Washington Day!

Wenatchee School District - Wentachee elementary school students were joined by Washington's First Lady Trudi Inslee and Washington State Department of Agriculture Director Bud Hover, along with Farmer Ken Toevs of T&T Farms and Rancher Cass Gebbers of Gebbers Farms. State's First Lady praises Wenatchee school's local food program - Wenatchee World

Wenatchee's middle and high schools also had all local menus on Taste Washington Day, and each school had a display table hosted by local farmers and ranchers.  Washington Sustainable Food & Farming Network's Fresh Food in Schools project staff assisted the district in celebrating the day. 

 

Bethel School District -  District webpage article  (includes menu!)

At right: Bethel Child Nutrition Staff show pride on Taste Washington Day​

 

Bellingham School District - Multimedia/Photo set - The Bellingham Herald
Bellingham and other Whatcom County school districts celebrated Taste Washington Day with their local salad greens being featured as October's Harvest of the Month.  Bellingham's menu featured roasted chicken drumsticks from Draper Valley Farms in Mount Vernon, rosemary roasted red potatoes from Pioneer Farms in Skagit Valley, mixed green salad and cherry tomatoes from Sterino Farms in Puyallup and carrots from Hopewell Farms and Cloud Mountain Farms in Everson.  Whatcom's farm to school efforts are supported by the Whatcom Farm-to-School team.
 

Concrete School District - Concrete students enjoyed Kale-idoscope salad and other local produce for Taste Washington Day, and were joined by County Commissioner Sharon Dillon and Julie Yee of USDA, along with other local supporters! The Concrete team also held Taste Test Tuesday the week before, to test recipes with students in preparation for the big day!
Read more here.

At left: Students at Concrete School District enjoy local corn on the cob, roasted potatoes, and Kale-idoscope salad!

 

Central Valley School District -  Students meet farmer as CVSD promotes healthy foods – The Spokesman-Review
Fourteen elementary schools in Central Valley School District celebrated by serving locally-grown foods.  Farmer Dan Jackson visited Broadway Elementary.  Local Inland Northwest Cooperative Foods – LINC Foods – a new Spokane-based organization that helps farmers connect with schools and universities, supported the project.

Conway Elementary School - Conway students enjoyed  carrots from Ralph's Greenhouse, along with potatoes with homemade chili and cheese sauce. Local delicacies devoured during Taste Washington Day  - Skagit Valley Herald 
 

Mead School District served a local lunch in elementary schools with roasted chicken, Shepard's Grain wheat rolls, Washington milk, and an assortment of local produce, and highlighted the farms in their specially-decorated cafeterias.  High school students were treated to Mock-Guacamole made with split peas to top their taco salads.

 

At right: Signs displayed in Mead School District schools highlight local growers and their produce.

 

Riverview School District - worked with local farmers to bring students a great meal served with local food from Oxbow Farm, Full Circle Farm, Local Roots Farm, Flower World, and Cherry Valley Dairy to feature what is grown and produced right here in the Snoqualmie Valley. The food was served on the salad bars at all schools during lunch. FFA members from Cedarcrest High School visited the cafeterias to promote agriculture and offer samples of the local products to all students. Samples included yellow and purple carrots, green and yellow and purple beans, baby lettuce, kale made into kale chips, roasted gold and red beets, cucumbers and cheese cubes. The Food Services Department also offered students a delicious chocolate brownie made from Shepherd’s Grain flour. Shepherd’s Grain is a group of 33 family wheat farmers in the Pacific Northwest and the wheat is milled in Spokane. 
A peek at Riverview School District's colorful salad bar.
 

Pe Ell School District - Farmers, schools taste potential partnerships - Capital Press (Riverview SD is quoted too!)
Pe Ell was in the news again this year (after hosting First Lady Trudi Inslee last year)!  They served a salad of Boistfort Valley Farm vegetables, including purple carrots and zucchini.

Wahkiakum County Extension Office Nutrition Education Program worked with J A Wendt Elementary School and The John C Thomas Middle School to present a Farmers Market event.  Farmers brought samples and displayed farm information for students to visit and receive stamps on their "Passports" with info for each farm attending. Students sampled fresh apple slices,  applesauce,  salmon dip on crackers,  cheese,  smoothies made with kale, banana, apples and milk, a variety of local produce was sampled from cut up raw veggies, like carrot, pepper, radishes, and fresh roasted beets and new potatoes, and kale chips.  Farmers present that day, were surprised by the willingness of the students to try new foods.

At right: A student looks on during the Farmers Market event in Wahkiakum.
 

Waitsburg School District served an all local lunch with beef, fruit, vegetables, grain, and cheeses all sourced within a 10 mile radius.  This was their first time celebrating Taste Washington Day!
 

Auburn School District hosted a tasting table at Rainier Middle School, and were joined by Farmer Amy Moreno-Sills from Four Elements Farm, where students enjoyed samples of fruits and vegetables, including Four Elements Farm carrots with tops.

 

At left: Auburn Child Nutrition Director Carol Barker and Four Elements
Farmer Amy Moreno-Sills at the Taste Washington Day table.

Ridgefield School District celebrated Taste Washington Day at all five of their schools, serving chicken drumsticks, red roasted rosemary potatoes, kale salad, whole wheat rolls and fresh pears and nectarines.  A local organic farmer from Northwest Organic Farms visited and displayed their organic produce and gave out samples of Asian Pears from their gardens.

 

At right: Ridgefield School District's Taste Washington Day lunch display
includes the Governor's Taste Washington Day Proclamation.

Vancouver School District Fort Vancouver High School students celebrated Taste Washington Day as their 1st Annual International Harvest Day in their garden.  Students and staff brought potluck dishes made with veggies and fruit grown in their garden.
 

Seattle Public Schools served a Washington-grown lunch featuring Palouse lentil sloppy joes from Columbia bean Company, with a variety of local foods.

 

At left: A sign promoting the local lunch offerings for Taste Washington Day 2014 in Seattle.

Cascade School District served Cloudview EcoFarms fingerling potatoes and fresh salad greens from Hope Mountain Farm in Plain.  They also posted farmer posters and menus to celebrate.
 

Monroe School District served a local salad from Willie Green's.  Later in October, they are also hosting a lunch with a Willie Green's farmer.  Bonus: an article from a farmers market event the district held in August - https://www.snoho.com/news_archives_2014/news_082014.html (look down the page a bit!)

 At right: Sign from Monroe School District's Taste Washington Day
 

Ephrata School District served sliced apples and fresh pluots from American Produce Express in six schools.  Two elementary schools visited Cloudview Farm for farm field trips.

Wahluke School District served an assortment of fruit in elementary, junior, and high schools, including pears and apples from Tonnemaker Hill Farm, nectarines from Magana Farms, apples from K&C Farms and pluots from American Produce Express.  Diane, the nutrition director, wore a pear costume and visited K-2 students.  October menus promoted Taste Washington Day and National Farm to School month.

Taste Washington Day 2013 was once again a popular event! We’ve heard from a few folks about enthusiasm, events and press coverage around the state for Taste Washington Day. See below for some great articles.

Pe Ell School:
Washington Schools celebrate state-sourced food – Capital Press
Pe Ell Students Have Lunch with Governor’s Wife – The Chronicle  (requires subscription)

Wenatchee School District:
Fresh fruit and produce rules in local schools, Wenatchee World

Arlington School District:
Nibble and learn:  Students get taste of local produce – Everett Herald

Whatcom County districts:
School menus to feature locally grown foods as part of Taste of Washington - Lynden Tribune

Spokesman-Review - Washington produce featured on school salad bar

GoSkagit - a celebration of local produce in Skagit's schools

Capital Press – 1) Taste Washington Day puts local food front and center; 2) Busy cafeteria serve Washington foods

Chinook Observer - Naselle marks Taste Washington Day

Aginfo.net (radio) – 1) WSPC Commissioner Elected & Taste Washington Day; 2) Celebrating Washington Agricultural Diversity

Bellingham Families (blog) - Taste Washington Day

Liberty Lake (KXLY) - Local foods coming to school cafeterias today  Andy Billig, representative for the 3rd legislative district in Spokane, says this project is not only good for students, but business as well. “Healthy meals with fresh, local food improve student learning and student health while also helping local farmers,” Billig said. “Farm-to-school programs create a healthy community for all.”

Bellingham Herald - Taste Washington at Skyline Elementary

Seattle Public Schools (District's own publication)

Participating Farms declare Taste Washington Day a satisfying way to bring the fruits of their labor to their communities and children around the state. One Eastern Washington Apple Grower said, “We are proud to be able to serve our school districts. We are an apple farm and they are the perfect market for our small apples.”

Taste Washington Day Report 2010 - Read about successes from the very first Taste Washington Day in 2010

La Conner School District put together this delicious meal for the inaugural Taste Washington Day:

• Locally grown russet baked potatoes and ham julienne
• Cheese sauce made with cheese from Golden Glen Creamery
• Green onions, broccoli florets, and other produce from Hedlin Farms and Swanson Brothers Farm
• Jonagold apples from Gordon Skagit Farm
• Chocolate cake with raspberry butter cream, using raspberries from Swanson Brothers

At Wahluke School District in central Washington, Fresh Food in Schools partner Joan Qazi helped to bring Cloudview Ecofarm to Mattawa Elementary, where farmers conducted a tasting of their sweet heirloom and cherry tomatoes while talking to students about farming.