edith says. “In our middle school and high school level, I don't think they bought lettuce for probably six months.” Amid the successes, the team has also learned hard-won lessons. For example: The greenhouse is built such that any excess water flows out of the structure. But this first winter, the team found that this setup allowed too much cold to seep in—and plants that weren’t as close to the single heater, like some let- tuce heads and a squash plant, were lost. The team quickly blocked the cold and purchased a second heater. Other investments have helped streamline time-consuming tasks. “Instead of standing out there try- ing to water everything,” Meredith says, they installed a digital timer system that can water four zones according to the unique schedules needed for those plants. “We’re also creating spread- sheets and tracking systems to bet- ter understand what we grow, how much we grow and what’s going out where,” Meredith says. Some of the initial plans—like a partnership with vocational school students to harvest produce, and re- cruiting graphic design students to create signage for use when green- house items are served in the caf- eterias—haven’t yet come to pass. But as the program evolves, Mere- dith hopes to involve more students in the process. “My best advice, other than ex- ploring the many tools and technol- ogies out there, is to start small,” he says. “You can always add on as you master something or learn more. Our first water timer allowed us to program only one or two zones— and then we expanded, so we now have one that waters four. As you grow, you’ll learn what works best.” ‘OUR KIDS GO ABSOLUTELY CRAZY FOR IT’ The greenhouse is “one of the best things we’ve ever added to our pro- gram, says Rachel Sullivan, kitchen manager for Monett Intermediate School. But what her fourth- and
GET TO KNOW MONETT R-1 SCHOOL DISTRICT’S RALPH MEREDITH See what’s in store for Meredith’s operation, which was named FSD’s July Foodservice Operation of the Month.
Q: What is it that makes your operation excel? Everyone gets on board and supports what is happening. I don't have anyone who says, “I don’t want to try it this new way.” They love to use our own prod- ucts that we grow, and they support that mission. The team getting behind one another has made this program—and frankly, makes me look more successful than I personally feel like I am. Q: What are your goals for the operation in the coming year? My goal is to be able to grow more products, get more people involved in grow- ing products and use those products in a variety of ways. We also hope to start programs like “Chef of the Day” for our younger students and get them in the kitchen to see how these meals are made. For the upper levels, we’re thinking about ways to get the kids excited about what they're hav- ing—versus just, “It’s chicken patty day.” There are opportunities with the fresh produce coming in from us and buying fresh produce from local growers—it's going to be able to help us succeed in getting this freshness in front of the kids and getting them excited.
fifth-graders love most are special items using beef acquired through the local program Mo Beef Kids . The organization partners with lo- cal ranchers who donate beef to schools. Monett, which has worked with Mo Beef since 2019, typically re- ceives about five or six cattle over the school year. The district does pay to process the meat, which is turned into ground beef, brisket, and roast beef. Sullivan and other kitchen man- agers use the products for all man- ner of meals—like hamburgers, birria tacos, and a highly popular smoked brisket sandwich that sells out in the high school and middle school each spring. “Our kids, oh, our kids absolute- ly go crazy for it,” Sullivan says. “I feel like they can actually tell the difference.” During last school year, the Mo Beef program expanded to include Mo Pork. Monett received a do- nated hog that became pork roast, bacon, and lots of sausage. The
foodservice team has purchased an extra walk-in freezer that is sole- ly dedicated to the Mo Beef/Mo Pork program. “We really use every bit,” Mer- edith says. “After all the bacon and sausage was gone, we used the left- over bits to make sausage gravy—so great for controlling the amount of salt and sodium and that kind of thing. For six months our high schoolers got this delicious home- made sausage gravy instead of something out of a can.” The farm- and greenhouse- and ranch-to-school approach has worked for Monett in several ways— from cutting costs to improving the diner experience. “Especially for someone coming in new to this, I recommend team- ing up with someone or at least ask- ing another director who has been doing this,” Meredith says. “I had got the privilege speaking to others who had bought from local produc- ers, and I also have a great team. Surround yourself with people who have the knowledge—then listen.”
Q3 2024
FSD QUARTERLY
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