In an effort to teach kids that their food is not made by Keebler elves and that eating healthy can be yummy, Valleyview Elementary held a Farm to School Picnic Friday with Agricultural Commissioner Adam Putnam as the special guest.

Not only was it a chance for students to learn where fresh fruits and vegetables come from, but they were served corn on the cob, oranges, broccoli and mangos by Putnam himself who donned a colorful apron.

“We’re getting an incredible reaction to this,” Putnam said. “We’ve been to schools all over the state and kids are really willing to try new things. Nine times out 10, they love it and then go home and talk about it. It’s just great they can say, ‘Hey, Mom and Dad, I tried a mango today or I had this wonderful corn on the cob. Can we get some of that?’ ”

The Farm to School Picnic is part of an ongoing program to stress the importance of providing fresh fruits and vegetables to the students on a daily basis. It also relates to the USDA my plate logo stressing that half your plate should be fresh fruits and vegetables.

All Florida public school nutrition departments will fall under the responsibility of the Florida Department of Agriculture beginning Jan. 1. According to Polk County Schools Director of School Nutrition Marcia Smith, that is one of the pluses of having Putnam at Valleyview to personally speak to the students. The National School Lunch program is under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, so Smith sees it as a natural fit for Polk’s program to move over to the Florida Department of Agriculture.

Students were treated to a picnic in the cafeteria complete with costumed characters dressed as fruits and vegetables, then were able to move outdoors to experience a farmer’s market. Local produce vendors set up booths where students could fill bags with fruits to take home. Children could also taste test treats from the school nutrition department such as carambola star fruit and Fresh From Florida Salad.

The Farm to School Picnic was more than a one-day school activity in the eyes of Shannon Shepp, acting deputy commissioner at Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

“This will start them thinking about the things they keep in their cupboards at home and teach both the parents and the kids that healthy options are out there, but it begins with them,” she said.

Jennifer Sills, director of school marketing with the Dairy Council of Florida, said the proof of the problem was in the lunch bags that come through the schools every day.

“As long as kids are packing their own lunches there will be bad choices. The conversation needs to be more than telling kids they have to eat their fruits and vegetables. There needs to be kids teaching kids to eat better, too.”

In a presentation to a packed cafeteria of second and third graders with sticky fingers from eating oranges, Superintendent of Schools Sherrie Nickell explained her childhood memories of growing up with a father who planted the family’s vegetables.

“My daddy really thought that it was important to have fresh fruits and vegetables at our house to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner,” said Nickell. “He was always planting things and would spend a lot of time in his garden where he grew green beans, tomatoes and squash. It was a wonderful way to grow up because eating healthy made us feel good. I look out at all of you and recognize good things on your plates today and that’s really wonderful.”

Putnam compared the students’ bodies to a “well-oiled machine.” He said foods they choose to eat will make a difference in how they feel as well as improve their thinking and concentration levels resulting in better grades and FCAT scores.

“We are all so lucky to live here in Florida where all of these healthy foods are grown,” he told them. “When other kids are putting on snowshoes or big heavy coats as they trudge off to the bus stop, you guys can all come to school in January and eat oranges, tangerines, fresh ears of corn, lettuce and strawberries. Since we live here and grow them all here where we live, doesn’t it just make sense to put them in your school?”

The response of the young food critics filling the seats in front of him was a round of applause and enthusiastic cheers.

As the cafeteria emptied several students still munched on oranges seemingly happy with nature’s best, but Nickell admitted it went beyond the school’s power. A lot depended on what would be done at home.

“I think it’s really important to instruct children at a very early age about healthy eating,” said Nickell. “They will copy what they see adults doing so it’s up to us to lead by example.”