Marion County Public Schools, FL - Farm To Student 2025

D I G I T A L

M A G A Z I N E

2025 EDITION TM

Marion County Public Schools Celebrating local food, local farmers & nutrition education!

E N R I C H M E N T

Food & Nutrition Services

Marion County Public Schools Food & Nutrition Services mission is to provide nutritious meals that help boost student performance in the classroom.

MCPS Wellness Policy

Celebrating local food, farmers & nutrition education!

Honeybells| Strawberries | Celery Swiss Chard | Sweet Corn | Milk

January

February

April

May

March

FL Milk

January

Honeybells

Honeybells are a type of orange – specifically a hybrid of a tangerine & a grapefruit.

Honeybells got their name from their “bell-shaped” stem end.

Honeybells have loose skin, making them easier to peel than other oranges.

Oranges are a type of citrus fruit.

“Tangelo”

Honeybells are in season from mid-December - mid-February.

Oranges thrive in a lot of sunshine and warm temperatures.

85% of all oranges are juiced.

There are

Most oranges are harvested by hand.

varieties of oranges.

600+

Vitamin C Vitamin C supports the immune system the body’s defense against infections.

ENERGY booster!

Vitamin C helps to heal wounds.

Vitamin C is also referred to as “ascorbic acid.”

Vitamin C helps keep you happy & healthy!

Vitamin C is an antioxidant.

Antioxidants help protect against damage caused by exposure to harmful substances in the environment.

The body cannot make vitamin C on its own - it has to come from food.

What do you call a vitamin that improves your eyesight?

A Vitamin C! Vitamin C is a very important vitamin for healthy gums & teeth.

February

Strawberries

Strawberries are a type of aggregate fruit a collection of ‘little fruits’ held together.

Strawberries are a part of the rose family.

Strawberries are the FIRST fruit to ripen in the spring.

3

Main Types of Strawberries:

1. June-bearing 2. Ever-bearing 3. Day-neutral All strawberries are hand picked.

Peak strawberry harvesting season is April - June.

The average strawberry has 200 seeds.

Strawberries are the ONLY fruit with seeds on the outside.

90% of the strawberries grown in the U.S. are from California.

Manganese Manganese supports the body’s energy levels & protecting its cells from damage.

Manganese is a trace mineral, meaning the body only needs small amounts of it.

Minerals, like manganese naturally occur in soil, water & rocks.

Manganese promotes brain health.

Foods like strawberries absorb minerals through Manganese helps their roots. build strong bones.

Manganese is found mostly in the bones, Manganese plays liver, kidneys Manganese an important role & pancreas. helps the body in having a healthy create immune system blood clots… the body’s defense helping wounds against infections. heal faster!

March

Celery

Celery is a crunchy, green vegetable that grows in stalks.

Celery prefers to grown in 6 hours of full sun and afternoon shade.

The darker the celery stalks are, the more nutrients they contain.

1 bunch of celery consists of 10 - 12 individual stalks.

Celery is a biennial plant.

Celery is 95% water.

Celery is a longseason crop that takes up to 140 days to be ready to harvest after planting.

Celery and carrots are related.

1 ounce of celery seeds can produce 1 acre of celery.

Celery stalks grow to be 12 - 18 inches tall.

Celery is a coolseason crop.

Potassium Potassium supports balancing fluid in the body & proper function of the muscles and nerves.

Once potassium enters the body, it functions as an electrolyte.

Helps to keep the body hydrated!

Potassium is the THIRD most abundant mineral in the body.

Electrolytes help balance the amount of water in the body.

FUN FACT:

The body is made up of approximately 60% water.

Potassium helps to regulate the heart rate.

Potassium helps to regulate muscle contractions.

Potassium helps promote bone health.

98%

of the body’s potassium is found in its cells.

Many runners eat foods high in potassium before a run to prevent muscle cramps.

April

Swiss Chard

Swiss Celery chard is a crunchy, is a type of green beet that vegetable is harvested thatfor grows its leafy in stalks. greens.

Swiss chard is commonly eaten cooked as it makes the taste of it less bitter.

Swiss chard can be grown in both warm & cool climates.

Swiss chard is native to the Mediterranean region.

Swiss chard

does not

have the enlarged root that common beets have.

Swiss chard has many different nicknames: silverbeet, spinach beet, crab beet, strawberry spinach & more!

Swiss chard stems can be a variety of colors including yellow, red, orange, purple & more!

Swiss chard plants can grow to be 28 inches tall.

Vitamin K Vitamin K supports proper blood function, bone growth & kidney health.

2 main forms of vitamin K: K1 and K2.

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin - which means…

The body has the ability to create vitamin K on its own.

Vitamin K helps the body heal from wounds.

It absorbs better into the body when eaten with foods with some fat like olive oil!

Vitamin K helps produce proteins that bind themselves to calcium - this helps build strong bones.

Vitamin K supports heart health.

Vitamin K is found throughout the body in the liver, brain, heart, pancreas & bones.

Vitamin K plays a role in proper blood function- specifically with clotting.

May

Sweet Corn

Corn is considered a grain, fruit & vegetable.

1 acre of land can produce 14,000 pounds of sweet corn.

The U.S. is the LARGEST producer, consumer & exporter of corn in the world.

Humans only eat sweet corn.

Corn is grown on EVERY continent except Antarctica.

There are around

An ear of corn ALWAYS has an even number of rows.

800

kernels on each ear of corn.

In many other countries, corn is called “maize.”

1 corn stalk produces 1 - 3 ears of corn.

Corn stalks can grow between 7 – 10 feet tall.

Corn is America’s number 1 field crop.

Fiber Fiber supports movement through the digestive system.

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that the body doesn’t digest, it simply passes through.

Soluble fiber dissolves in water…it helps regulate blood sugar levels and removes cholesterol from the blood stream.

Insoluble fiber is sometimes referred to as “roughage.”

Dairy & meat products do not have any fiber.

2

types of fiber:

1. Soluble fiber 2. Insoluble fiber

Fiber helps to regulate the body’s use of sugar.

Fiber is ONLY found in plant foods.

Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water…it helps food move throughout the digestive system.

BOTH forms of fiber are important & beneficial to overall health.

Florida

Milk

Lafayette and Okeechobee are Florida’s leading dairy counties.

FUN FACTS

Most of the dairy cows in Florida are Holsteins (the black and white cows), and their spots are unique like a fingerprint!

Cows chew their cud 50 times per minute.

How many times can you chew in a minute?!

Cows can SEE almost 360 degrees and SMELL up to 6 miles away!

DAIRY FACTS Most Florida dairy herds range in size from 150 5,000 cows.

Florida dairy farmers recycle byproducts such as citrus pulp, brewers’ grain and whole cottonseed that are consumed by the cows instead of ending up in landfills.

A Florida dairy cow produces about 6 8 gallons of milk each day.

Nutrition Did you know that milk provides a powerful package of 13 essential nutrients that support your overall health?

STRONG BONES & TEETH

Vitamin D is known as “The Sunshine Vitamin.”

Calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D in dairy help build and maintain strong bones and teeth.

MUSCLE GROWTH & REPAIR The high-quality protein found in dairy foods aids in building and repairing muscles.

ENERGY CONVERSION B vitamins in dairy help convert food into fuel, ensuring you have the energy needed throughout the day.

Starting the day with a nutritious breakfast that includes dairy helps fuel learning!

Food & Nutrition