Senator Jamie Raskin

Students, county and state representatives joined area farmers Tuesday at Takoma Park Middle School to kick off the statewide Homegrown School Lunch Week, part of the Jane Lawton Farm to School program.

The aim of the program, named after former state Del. Jane E. Lawton (D-Dist. 18) of Chevy Chase, is to connect the often overlooked Maryland farmers and agricultural community to state school cafeterias as a market. County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) took the podium briefly to praise the benefits to both farmers and students.

"One of the ways we can benefit our farmers can benefit us as well," he said. "Jane Lawton recognized this. We are in a win-win situation for our farmers and our students and everyone that is involved in this exciting program."

On Tuesday, in addition to regular school lunch items, students enjoyed vegetables on their pizza and in soup, a melon cup, cucumber and tomato salad, green beans and fresh fruit from Maryland farms. Lewis Orchard in Dickerson provided apples for more than 800 students to take home, compliments of the county's Agricultural Services Division. The cucumbers were from farms in Clinton and Severn and the green beans were from a farm in Chestertown.

State Sen. Jamie B. Raskin (D-Dist. 20) of Takoma Park said Lawton, who initiated the program before her death in November 2007, was an inspiration to health- and agriculturally-conscious Marylanders. Lawton's husband, Steve, who attended the event, said his wife would be proud of the project's success.

By merely acting as a bridge between state schools and area farmers, the Maryland Department of Agriculture was able to initiate the program essentially for free, Raskin explained.

"At a time when government budgets are going down, this is a program that we can do inexpensively," he said. "Right now, there's no new money that has been allocated for this, we're using existing funds. Essentially what we've done is say we've got the resources right here in Maryland."

Phil Miller, of the Prince George's County-based Miller Farms, was also happy with the initiative.

"I agree 100 percent with what they're saying; the Maryland farmers need to get a fair shake," he said, explaining that area grocery stores often turn to out of state markets where the winter season doesn't disrupt supply. "We feel like, we're in Maryland and this is our market. I'm real happy that these politicians and school people are thinking about how this is helping Maryland farmers."

Takoma Park Middle School eighth-graders in a health and nutrition class took part in the celebration, which included kids games geared toward agricultural awareness and nutrition. Students and visitors munched on samples of new lunch offerings.

Chukwukpee Nzeegwu, a middle school student enrolled in the health and nutrition class, waited patiently in line, eager to get his share of apples and carrots, or possibly a vegetarian dish, all made with Maryland-grown fruits and vegetables.

"We're always eating so much junk food, it'll help us to be a little bit more fit," he said, noting that the farmers would benefit as well. "It's going to help them get a little more attention."

Nzeegwu's comments echoed the hopes of some of the program's supporters, such as Rebecca Bell, Maryland State Department of Education environmental education specialist, who said the partnership between the different levels of government, as well as the different aspects of agriculture and business, can parallel students' curriculum and help them see how policy moves from ideas to action.

"It's real, this is a real issue and kids really respond to real issues," she said. "This is home, this is the grocery store, this is my table. It can be tied right to the curriculum."

The homegrown food initiative drew support for its goals from research conducted by Bonnie Braun, health and family specialist at the University of Maryland. Braun and fellow researchers targeted schools in Baltimore, Prince George's and Frederick counties, conducting behavioral and nutritional-themed experiments to arrive at the conclusion that, with the proper motivation from peers, family and schools, kids will begin taking vegetables seriously.

Eighth-grader Leora Goldbloom-Helzner said she has been a vegetarian for about seven years and called the vegetarian pizza "the best bought lunch" she'd ever had.

"It makes me feel like I'm doing something good for the world," she said. "Usually, my parents pack my lunch with foods from the grocery store, so it's not as environmentally-friendly."

Other students, though happy to be given healthier options, brought a touch more realism to the table than their adult counterparts.

"I like that they're trying to be more healthy, but personally I don't really see a difference," said seventh-grader Ariela Sirota. "We still have hamburgers and french fries and other greasy foods [on the menu]."

Seventh-grader Jessica Shi completed her thought.

"They can't get rid of pizzas entirely because the students would be unhappy," she said. "But they can't have all pizzas and hamburgers and stuff because the parents would be upset."