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The Shivers family of Shivers Farms and the Bondurant-Farrar Community School District nutrition staff work as a team to provide students with appetizing, nutritious school meals that contain fresh, local ingredients including beef from Shivers Farms. (Left to right): Cyndi Hendrickson, Andrea Casky, Ben Shivers, Oakleigh Shivers, Briggs Shivers, Connor Shivers, Karley Shivers, Brody Shivers, Emily Shivers, Brooke Pierce, Lena Pinkley, Nutrition Director David Walker, and Jordan Wehmeyer
School district, chef and farmer unite to feed a healthy future
Chefs and farmers have something in common. Both are passionate about high-quality, healthy foods. When the two join forces, everyone wins – especially when consumers are students in the Bondurant-Farrar Community School District. Literally feeding a healthy future is what this collaborative arrangement is all about.
David Walker, nutrition and custodial director for Bondurant-Farrar, secured two Local Food for Schools grants – one for fruits, vegetables and produce and one for proteins – through the Iowa Department of Education and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) Local Food for Schools grant program.
The Food for Schools grant to purchase proteins allowed Walker to expand his ability to buy local food beyond just produce. So, he contacted Prudent Produce food hub in Elkhart who contacted Shivers Farms, a nearby family farm specializing in beef production. A beneficial collaboration for all was born, and for Bondurant students, beef doesn’t come any more local than five miles up the road.
The district's enrollment is approximately 2,725 K-12 students. It serves breakfast and lunch daily to about 400-plus students in each of five different schools in the district.
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The Shivers family of Shivers Farms and the Bondurant-Farrar Community School District nutrition staff work as a team to provide students with appetizing, nutritious school meals that contain fresh, local ingredients including beef from Shivers Farms. (Left to right): Cyndi Hendrickson, Andrea Casky, Ben Shivers, Oakleigh Shivers, Briggs Shivers, Connor Shivers, Karley Shivers, Brody Shivers, Emily Shivers, Brooke Pierce, Lena Pinkley, Nutrition Director David Walker, and Jordan Wehmeyer
School district, chef and farmer unite to feed a healthy future
Chefs and farmers have something in common. Both are passionate about high-quality, healthy foods. When the two join forces, everyone wins – especially when consumers are students in the Bondurant-Farrar Community School District. Literally feeding a healthy future is what this collaborative arrangement is all about.
David Walker, nutrition and custodial director for Bondurant-Farrar, secured two Local Food for Schools grants – one for fruits, vegetables and produce and one for proteins – through the Iowa Department of Education and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) Local Food for Schools grant program.
The Food for Schools grant to purchase proteins allowed Walker to expand his ability to buy local food beyond just produce. So, he contacted Prudent Produce food hub in Elkhart who contacted Shivers Farms, a nearby family farm specializing in beef production. A beneficial collaboration for all was born, and for Bondurant students, beef doesn’t come any more local than five miles up the road.
The district's enrollment is approximately 2,725 K-12 students. It serves breakfast and lunch daily to about 400-plus students in each of five different schools in the district.