ISHPEMING, Mich. (WZMQ) – Thursday afternoon, students of Birchview Elementary were gaining a little bit more appreciation for one common fruit that may remind everyone about school, apples. October 12th marks Apple Crunch Day, helping to promote National Farm to School Month and to celebrate the iconic Michigan Apple.
Students were lined up in the school garden chanting “Apple Crunch” as they crunched down on apples. The UP growing season may be shorter, but it allows for a deeper appreciation for the local food farms that organizers say is important to instill in young students.
“Maximizing what is available to us and getting creative…the big thing is instilling in children knowing where their food is coming from, how to take care of it mainly just because the UP is a food desert,” commented Food Service Director Calvin Attwell.
“Anytime you can get out of the seat and out of the school and bust those four walls of the classroom down and get outside and do some learning outside, kids and adults seem to get excited about it and I think that’s what we saw today a lot of the chanting and excitement came from getting the hands-on real experience that we had today,” commented Birchview Elementary Principal Matthew Byce.
Apples were purchased from the Marquette Local Little Parsely Farms, hoping to grow more than just food but a sense of gratitude for where food comes from.
Click here for more information on Little Parsely Farms and Partridge Creek Farms and their efforts to provide food education across the UP.
