SPRINGVILLE, N.Y. (WKBW) — Springville-Griffith Institute High School students are getting a lesson in "where's the beef?" in their cafeteria.
The high school already has a robust agriculture curriculum where students can learn about raising farm animals and floriculture. But the school's culinary program is taking its ag program to the next level.
The district is one of 12 schools nationwide awarded the USDA's Project SCALES grant to bring locally sourced food ingredients to school. SCALES stands for Supporting Community Agriculture & Local Education Systems.
"We have students here that are farmers, we have staff that are farmers," said Laura Watson, the director of the culinary program. "So we're thrilled to be able to partner with farmers in the community, sourcing and showcasing the foods that they have and bringing them into the program."
In April, the school's culinary program bought 500 pounds of ground beef purchased through the Cornell Cooperative Extension's 4-H program. The beef came from a steer raised by the Mesch family, who own a dairy farm in the Town of Collins.
"I was the owner and I raised the dairy steer that the students at SGI are eating today," said Justin Mesch, who visited the school Tuesday as students enjoyed a lunch of burgers, onion rings and baked beans.
He raised the steer, who was named Mr. Bojangles, an award-winning steer at the Erie County Fair last year.
"Honestly, a huge honor for me to be able to say that I have fed students who are within the same school district as I am and students that are local and are just very interested in learning to grow more about ag," Mesch said.
Tenth-grader Maddie Ploetz, who will be the president of Sprngville's FFA next year (FFA formerly was Future Farmers of America), said she likes knowing where her food comes from.
"I actually feel better about it because I know where it's coming from versus not knowing where it's coming from, not really knowing what I'm putting in my body," she said.
