Robertson schools partner with area strawberry farm, provide local produce to students

Strawberries are in season for some Robertson County Schools students as another school year quickly comes to a close.

Students at several participating schools have been enjoying the fruit due to a recent partnership between the Robertson County Schools Nutrition Department and a local farm.

The Strawberry Patch at Shepard Farms Owners Michael Shepard and his father, Steve, began supplying strawberries to Jo Byrns elementary and high schools earlier this year as part of a new produce partnership between local farms and the district’s nutrition department.

After speaking with Robertson County Schools officials, Shepard said he “was happy to be a part of the project and hoped that the partnership would continue and grow”, a recent press release said.

The program began on April 29 between the Cedar Hill-based farm and Jo Byrns schools.

Officials have since added two more schools to the program: Crestview Elementary School and Krisle Elementary School, which are both in Springfield, Robertson County Schools Public Information Officer Jim Bellis said.

Though the program only recently began, schools officials said they have been eyeing local farms for some time, looking for a way to begin a partnership.

Robertson County Schools Nutrition Supervisor Patsi Gregory has looked forward to sourcing local produce and is happy with the initial results, the release said.

“Being able to partner with a local family farm to provide fresh strawberries to students in a few of our schools has been an exciting opportunity for the School Nutrition Program,” Gregory said in the release.

“This is something we've wanted to do for several years but have failed to see it become a reality, until now. We hope to be able to continue and expand this in the future.”

Strawberries are still available to the general public at the Shepard's Strawberry patch. For hours of operation, pre-picked and you-pick availability and pricing, visit https://shorturl.at/ouzIX.

Katie Nixon can be reached at knixon@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: How a partnership between schools, farm benefits Middle Tennessee kids