By Kelly Muller, Earth Task Force Member and ACE Ambassador, New Vista High School – Boulder, Colorado

New Vista High School’s Earth Task Force, sponsored by the Cottonwood Institute had a successful (and delicious!) second annual Local Lunch. This special event put on for New Vista’s 300 students had been planned for months and it turned out to be great. ETF collaborated with staff at The Kitchen Restaurant to plan and create an all-local meal to raise awareness of the importance of eating local and supporting local farms and restaurants. ETF’s intent was to educate their peers on food miles through a fun and approachable event, and nothing grabs people’s attention like food!

“This is a great way to create community through the sharing of food, to connect people with the food they eat and all the hands and hearts that helped create it, and a great opportunity for high school students to collaborate with local food pro

ducers and local chefs.”- Paige Doughty Earth Task Force Mentor

In addition to having a local meal, students were asked to bring or rent re-usable plates and utensils to further the environmentalism of this event. The meal this year was locally raised pork as a main course, beets and goat cheese, wheat-berry salad and locally roasted and crafted chocolate…Yum! Everyone went back to class with full bellies and a good spirits and wondering what next years Local Lunch would be.

A big thanks to all the producers/growers/chefs who donated to make this event a success!

* The Kitchen Restaurant–we couldn’t have done it without you!!!
* Farm John’s Butte Mill Flour Company
* Haystack Goat Farm
* Cure Organic Farm
* Whole Foods
* The Spice of Life