From The Farm To The City: A Thanksgiving Bounty For The Needy (With Gallery)

November 25, 2014

About 200 students from schools in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties worked in fields near Jay Monday to harvest turnips and bag sweet potatoes that will feed hundreds of needy families later this week for Thanksgiving.

The event at the University of Florida’s West Florida Research and Education Center was part of Farm-City Week, bringing the bounty of the farm to the needy of the city.

The FFA students from Northview High School, Tate High School, Jay High School, Central School, King Middle School and Ernest Ward Middle School harvested about 1,200 bundle each of collard and turnip greens and sorted about a ton and half of donated sweet potatoes.

The greens were harvested in assembly line fashion — one student picking the greens, another bundling them with a rubber band and passed student to student to a waiting transport vehicle. Then teams of students worked to wash the greens.

Along the way, the students learned not only about teamwork, but also about the farming process.

The greens and sweet potatoes will be delivered Tuesday with the help of Tate High FFA students to about 600 families that were pre-qualified based upon need through the Waterfront Rescue Mission.

For more photos, click here.

Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

One Response to “From The Farm To The City: A Thanksgiving Bounty For The Needy (With Gallery)”

  1. Kathi Iannone on November 25th, 2014 1:25 pm

    What a great program and wonderful experience for all involved. I am so proud of my son, Bricen, who is a Jr. and 3rd year Tate FFA member. I also want to give a shout out to Ms. Gibbs, and Austin Courson for the outstanding leadership and interest that you have in the Tata FFA events and students! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!