- Author: Andriana Lewis
- Author: Katie (Cathryn) R Johnson
CalFresh Healthy Living-UC and UC 4-H have partnered in Amador County to provide youth development opportunities for teens at Independence High School and garden-enhanced nutrition education for 3rd grade students at Jackson Elementary School. Teens learned to increase their professional skills and served as positive role models, while younger students learned about healthy eating and food literacy.
In small, rural Amador County, opportunities for students to develop their leadership potential and professional skills are critical. Particularly at the local continuation high school, teachers have expressed interest in programming that offers opportunities for their students to develop leadership and presentation skills. As staff time to support a project of this scale is beyond what either program could accomplish alone, this project was also a great opportunity to develop a partnership between the UCCE CalFresh Healthy Living and 4-H programs in Amador County, combining resources to accomplish the project goals.
UCCE staff from the CalFresh Healthy Living and 4-H programs partnered to promote the Teens as Teachers project to connect local schools and provide opportunities for high school students to serve as role models for younger elementary students. The principal at Independence High School saw value in the project and offered community service or class credits to students who participated in the project. High school students were recruited by teachers, and then UCCE staff trained four teens to teach the Learn, Grow, Eat, Go, curriculum. Once training was complete, the teens spent 10 weeks delivering nutrition and garden lessons to a class of 24 3rd grade students at Jackson Elementary School. The teen teachers were also able to participate in a wellness fair in neighboring El Dorado county to promote healthy living to the wider community.
During the project, staff witnessed the teens transform into confident presenters and competent leaders as they increased their professional skill set. Next year the program will expand to include two 3rd grade classes. Three of the teens from this past year are interested in participating next year and have already recruited another to join the group. Building strong partnerships with local youth and adults is essential to creating sustainable programming in Amador County, and UCCE hopes to continue these partnerships for many years to come.
- Author: Katie (Cathryn) R Johnson
During the month of December, cabbage has had a chance not only to grow to its full size and density, but also to experience some cool weather, which helps it become sweeter and mellower in flavor. Regular green cabbage, red cabbage, and crinkly savoy cabbage varieties are all full of vitamin C, which can help boost the immune system during short, cool winter days. Cabbage is also a good source of fiber, and is a versatile ingredient in many dishes, both raw and cooked. See below for healthy recipe ideas starring cabbage, or learn more about cabbage and view its nutrition facts at Harvest of the Month.
Recipe Ideas:
Red Potato and Cabbage (Colcannon)
- Author: Katie (Cathryn) R Johnson
As cooler weather begins in the Central Sierra, persimmons ripen into a deep Fall orange. There are two major varieties of persimmons, Fuyu and Hachiya. Fuyus, pictured above, are shaped liked a slightly flattened apple and can be eaten when firm and crunchy. Hachiyas are longer and usually larger, and should be eaten when completely soft and translucent. If eaten even slightly under-ripe, the astringent Hachiyas will make your mouth pucker or feel dry, but when ripe they are one of the sweetest fruits available. No matter which variety you choose, all persimmons are good sources of fiber and vitamin C, and excellent sources of Vitamin A. See below for healthy recipes ideas, or make a Fall smoothie: blend the pulp from one ripe Hachiya persimmon with a spoonful of peanut butter, a pinch of cinnamon, a cup of milk, and a few ice cubes until smooth. Learn more about persimmons and view their nutrition facts at Harvest of the Month.
Recipe Ideas:
Roasted Persimmon and Coconut Quinoa Porridge
Persimmon Pomegranate Fruit Salad
- Author: Katie (Cathryn) R Johnson
Through a Harvest of the Month seasonal produce initiative, the CalFresh Healthy Living-UC program, school staff, Barton Health, and parent volunteers promote food literacy in all four elementary schools in Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD). As part of LTUSD's Local School Wellness Policy, this farm-to-school initiative aims to increase K-5 student familiarity with healthy produce items and their nutritional value through monthly cafeteria produce tastings paired with nutrition education about featured produce, including videos, handouts, and gardening activities. After students get a taste of the featured produce, they are asked to vote on whether they like the featured fruit or vegetable, and the vote results are usually announced school-wide. During 19 cafeteria tasting events in 2018-2019, K-5 students sampled 4,461 tasting portions of 7 total items, including kiwis, radishes, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, grapefruit, beets and snap peas. Across all tastings, 57.1% of votes were cast for “Liked It,” 19.4% for “Okay,” and 23.5% for “Not Today.” Also, a pre-post cafeteria food waste assessment of baby carrots served in two elementary schools found an average 40% reduction in carrot waste per student served after carrots were featured as Harvest of the Month. This information shows that many Lake Tahoe Unified School District students are happy to eat healthy fruits and vegetables when they're available in cafeterias.
- Author: Katie (Cathryn) R Johnson