A Town and a Teenage Farmer, Farm Fresh Lunches and more

Welcome to AFT’s August edition of Farm Fresh News. We hope you enjoy a special video from NBC’s the Today Show about 18-year-old Mass. farmer Andrew Orr along with our fresh and easy back-to-school recipes. Like what you see? Forward this E-Newsletter to a friend. A Town and a Boy Keep a Farm Afloat This year a 107 year old farm in Westport, Massachusetts was acquired by the town’s youngest farmer with help from the community. Eighteen-year-old Andrew Orr has cast-off the “traditional” paths of most kids his age and is running the preserved farm with support from his neighbors. Watch the video about Andrew, his farm and this special town.   Cooking Up Farmland Protection AFT recently brought together South Carolina farmers, fishers, chefs, representatives from food banks and agricultural, conservation and health organizations to help increase farm-to-restaurant sales as part of the Lowcountry Farm to Chef Project. The project hopes to address local food systems, farming and health needs through its work with the nation’s state and local food policy councils. Support Us   Help Change Farm and Food Policy!   We need your help! Your donation today will help AFT promote policies that protect farmland, encourage and reward environmental stewardship, and improve the availability of fresh and healthy food.   Did you know… …63% of dairy products and 86% of fruits and vegetables are produced on farms and ranches closest to our cities, directly in the path of development?   Take Action Put it on your car or bulletin board at work, or distribute at your local farmers' market or county fair. Get your free No Farms, No Food bumper sticker today! Display it with pride and send us your favorite pictures to feature on our Web site or in a newsletter. This Summer Don’t Take a Vacation from Healthy Food Summer might be coming to an end, but farmers’ markets are still going strong. The summer season brings fresh tomatoes, summer squash, potatoes, sweet corn, apples, berries and much more! Check out your local farmers’ market and load up your refrigerator with fresh, local produce. Is Back-to-School Bringing Brown-Bag Bewilderment? Healthy Lunch Ideas Are Here! Don’t allow yourself or your child to get beaten down by the “brown-bag blues”—try making these heart-healthy and tasty lunch ideas. It’s important to encourage kids to make smart food choices, so lead by example and make yourself a healthy lunch to bring to the office too! Plus, bringing a healthy meal from home is one way to fight the high-fat, high-sugar and high-sodium offerings found in many school cafeterias and work vending machines. Try to include the five food groups in every lunch: protein, whole grains, fruit, vegetables and calcium-rich foods. To personalize a healthy eating plan, visit the USDA’s “My Pyramid” Web site. Fruit, cheese and meat kabobs: Alternately thread turkey, cheese cubes, bell pepper and pineapple chunks on Popsicle sticks. A pita pocket stuffed with lunchtime favorites such as peanut butter and jelly, tuna, turkey and cheese, and chopped vegetables. Cinnamon-raisin pita bread stuffed with cream cheese and grated carrots. A hollowed-out red or green pepper stuffed with tuna salad. A hollowed apple filled with a mixture of soft cheese, granola and raisins. Yogurt parfait: A 6-8 oz. container of low-fat yogurt, a half cup of low-sugar, high-fiber cereal, berries, grapes, apple slices, and/or banana. Want a healthy snack? Try loading up on fresh fruits, veggies or a high-protein granola bar to beat the afternoon doldrums. Want to learn more about what legislators are doing to increase healthy food options in schools? New Jersey’s Secretary of Agriculture Charles Kuperus has led the charge with the “Healthy Choices, Healthy Kids” initiative as a way of introducing more fresh fruits, vegetables and healthier snacks into the New Jersey school system. Support AFT  |  http://www.farmland.org/ © Copyright 2007 American Farmland Trust. All rights reserved.

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