2025/2026 EDITION
C elebratin g local food, farmers & nutrition education!
D I G I T A L M A G A Z I N E E N R I C H M E N T
Northumberland County Public Schools Nutrition department is proud to be participating in Farm To Student serving healthy
Cucumbers are technically fruits since they & contain seeds.
There are cucumbers.
1 vine can produce 25 - 125 cucumbers. of cucumbers seeds.
World Cucumber Day is June 14th!
Cucumbers grow on
Hydration is the process of replacing fluids Water is the body’s main source of hydration.
The body’s 6 essential nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals & WATER ! helps convert food
Hydration helps regulate body’s temperature
Water helps carry nutrients & oxygen to all the cells in the body.
Proper hydration can help to improve moods.
The body is better at fighting off when properly hydrated.
Sleep quality can improve when the body is hydrated.
Many fruits & vegetables have a high water content, making them hydrating to eat.
Zucchini are one of the most popular types of squash
Zucchinis have MORE potassium than a banana.
Zucchinis grow best in temperate climates.
1 zucchini plant can produce 3 - 10 pounds of zucchini.
More specifically, zucchini is a type of summer squash.
Zucchini are made water.
Zucchini are a type of “Courgette”
Zucchinis are in peak season from May - August.
edible and considered a delicacy.
The LARGEST zucchini ever grown was 69.5 inches long and weighed 65 pounds!
Fiber supports movement through the digestive system
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate body doesn’t digest; it simply passes through.
Soluble fiber dissolves in water…it helps regulate blood sugar levels and removes cholesterol from
Insoluble fiber is sometimes referred to as “roughage. ”
2 types of fiber:
1. Soluble fiber
Insoluble fiber
Fiber is ONLY found in plant foods.
Dairy & meat products do not have any fiber.
Fiber helps to regulate the body’s use of sugar.
Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water…it helps food move throughout the digestive system.
BOTH forms of fiber are important & beneficial to overall health.
Tomatoes are considered to be both a fruit & a vegetable!
1. Cherry
2. Grape
3. Roma
MANY Americans grow tomatoes in their own garden.
12,000+ TONS of fresh market tomatoes are grown/year in the U.S.
Tomatoes take 60 - 100 days to grow from seed to fruit.
Botanically, tomatoes are a season crop that LOVE the sun.
Vitamin C supports the immune systemthe body’s defense against infections.
Vitamin C is also referred to as “ascorbic acid.”
Vitamin C is an antioxidant. Antioxidants help protect against damage caused by exposure to harmful substances in the environment.
The body cannot make vitamin C on its own - it has to come from food.
Vitamin C helps keep you happy & healthy! What do you call a vitamin that improves your eyesight?
A Vitamin C!
Vitamin C is a very important vitamin for healthy gums & teeth.
Bell peppers are technically fruits - they are grown from a flower & contain seeds. The bell pepper is the ONLY member of the pepper family that does not produce
Capsaicin is the chemical that makes other peppers
Bell peppers are in the same family as tomatoes, eggplant, and potatoes. Bell peppers can be 2 to 6 inches long. long they ripen.
Red bell peppers are also known as sweet peppers.
Bell peppers get sweeter the longer they ripen.
B Vitamins help support the body’s energy levels, brain function & cell metabolism
essential B vitamins:
Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5,
Vitamin B6, Vitamin B7, Vitamin B9 & Vitamin B12
Water is needed to help the body absorb B vitamins.
B5, B12, C and E knock on your door…what do you do? blood cells.
B vitamins helps the body make energy from food.
B vitamins plays a role in serotonin production.
The body cannot store most B vitamins, so they need to be regularly consumed.
Serotonin makes us feel happy
Most apples are harvested & sold fresh.
Apples are one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits. The U.S. is home to approximately 322,000 acres of apple orchards. of the Most Popular Varieties of Apples:
apples make 1 gallon of cider.
varieties of apples are grown in the U.S.
2,500+ 21% of apples are juiced.
An apple blossom is the flower that comes from an apple tree.
An apple tree takes at least 4 years to start producing fruit.
Fiber supports movement through the digestive system.
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that the body doesn’t digest, it simply passes through.
Soluble fiber dissolves in water…it helps regulate blood sugar levels and removes cholesterol from
Insoluble fiber is sometimes referred to as “roughage. ”
2 types of fiber:
1. Soluble fiber
Insoluble fiber
Fiber is ONLY found in plant foods.
Dairy & meat products do not have any fiber.
Fiber helps to regulate the body’s use of sugar.
Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water…it helps food move throughout the digestive system.
BOTH forms of fiber are important & beneficial to overall health.
Pumpkins are a type of fruit because they grow on vines & have seeds. Pumpkins are related to melons.
45+ varieties of pumpkins. Pumpkins are 90% water.
Pumpkins range in color from red, yellow, green & orange!
“LARGE melon”
The U.S. produces over 1.5 BILLION pounds of pumpkins each year. crop is available
OCTOBER.
Iron carries oxygen in the blood, supports the immune system & proper brain function
2 forms of iron: Heme & Non-heme.
Heme comes from animal meat and is easily absorbed into the body after eaten. comes from plant foodslike pumpkins!
Iron is found in EVERY cell of the body.
Non-heme sources of iron are absorbed into the body when eaten with a source of vitamin C, like an orange.
Iron helps muscles function by carrying oxygen to their cells.
Supports a healthy immune system.
Human blood is RED because of iron and oxygen reacting with each other.
The body uses iron to make hemoglobin.
Hemoglobin helps carry and transport oxygen in the blood to other parts of the body…like a backpack! is composed of iron.
Cabbage is a type of cruciferous vegetable.
Cabbage is closely related to other cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale & cauliflower.
Cabbage has been harvested for over 6,000 years making it one of the OLDEST vegetables in existence.
Cabbage can grow up to 6 feet tall.
Cabbage leaves have a waxy coating.
400+ varieties of cabbage.
Types of Cabbage:
“coldweather veggie. ”
Early cabbage takes days cabbage takes 87 days.
The most popular varieties of cabbage:
2.
3.
Vitamin K supports proper blood function, bone growth & kidney health. The body has the ability to create vitamin K on its own.
2 main forms of vitamin K: K1 and K2.
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble which means… It absorbs better into the body when eaten with foods with some fat like olive oil or avocados!
Vitamin K helps the body heal from wounds.
Vitamin K helps produce proteins that bind themselves to calcium - this helps build strong bones.
Vitamin K supports heart health.
Vitamin K is found throughout the body in the liver, brain, heart, pancreas & bones.
Vitamin K plays a role in proper blood function- specifically with clotting.
Spinach is a nutritious, leafy green
Main Types of Spinach:
1. Savoy
2. Semi Savoy
3. Flat
The U.S. harvests around 960,000 pounds of spinach each year.
Spinach is a part of the goosefoot family of the shape of its leaves.
F R E S H spinach is the B E S T spinach!
Flat spinach is the best known & most popular.
Late spring/early spinach season.
Spinach prefer to grow in cooler climates. of its major nutrients after harvesting.
Spinach thrives when grown in sandy soils.
Iron carries oxygen in the blood, supports the immune system & proper brain function
2 forms of iron: Heme & Non-heme. comes from animal meat and is easily absorbed into the body after eaten. comes from plant foodslike spinach!
Iron is found in EVERY cell of the body.
Non-heme sources of iron are best absorbed into the body when eaten with a source of vitamin C, like an orange.
Iron helps muscles function by carrying oxygen to their cells.
Supports a healthy immune system.
Human blood is RED because of iron and oxygen reacting with each other.
The body uses iron to make hemoglobin.
80% of the Earth’s crust is composed of iron.
Hemoglobin helps carry and transport oxygen in the blood to other parts of the body…like a backpack!
Sweet potatoes are a type of starchy root vegetable.
Root vegetables are grown underground!
There are 400+ different varieties of sweet potatoes.
Sweet potato roots are harvested 90120 days after planting.
Sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamins and minerals!
Sweet potatoes are a very popular Thanksgiving side dish.
Jewel most popular variety of sweet potato.
Sweet potatoes and yams are NOT the same thing!
Sweet potatoes can be orange, yellow, red, white or purple.
Orange sweet potatoes are the SWEETEST .
Potassium supports balancing fluid in the body & proper function of the muscles and nerves.
Once potassium enters the body, it functions as an electrolyte.
Electrolytes help amount of water in the body.
Helps to keep the body
Potassium helps to regulate the heart rate
Potassium helps to regulate contractions.
Potassium is the THIRD most abundant mineral potassium is found in
The body is made 60% helps promote .
Many runners eat foods high in potassium before a run to prevent muscle cramps.
Butternut squash is a type of they grow on vines & have seeds.
2 types of squash:
Winter squash has much harder skin than summer squash.
Butternut squash take around 110 days to mature after planting.
Butternut squash is a inches tall
Squash are a type of fruit!
Butternut squash are in season during the fall & winter. Squash are related to melons!
Despite the name, winter squash warm seasons.
Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant & supports the immune system.
Antioxidants help protect against damage caused by exposure to harmful substances in the environment. These harmful substances are called free radicals.
Vitamin E was discovered in
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin.
Fat soluble vitamins are best absorbed body when eaten with foods with healthy fats
Vitamin E supports proper blood function – circulation, clotting & production.
Vitamin E also helps to maintain healthy skin.
Vitamin E
Examples of healthy fats include olive oil, avocados strengthens the immune system.
leafy green
vegetable.
“Borecole”
Kale can range in color from light green to dark green to violet.
All kale leaves are harvested by hand.
Kale is closely related to cabbage.
Kale is mostly harvested in the fall & winter.
one leaf at a time, never the entire plant at once.
In a long growing season, the main 24+ inches long.
Cold temperatures the quality & flavor of kale.
Kale is known to taste bitter.
B Vitamins help support the body’s energy levels, brain function & cell metabolism
essential B vitamins:
Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5,
Vitamin B6, Vitamin B7, Vitamin B9 & Vitamin B12.
Water is needed to help the body absorb B vitamins. they need to be regularly consumed.
B5, B12, C and E knock on your door…what do you do? blood cells.
B vitamins helps the body make energy from food.
B vitamins plays a role in serotonin production.
Serotonin makes us feel happy
Lettuce is a type of leafy green vegetable.
Lettuce plants grow to be 6 - 12 inches tall.
4.
Lettuce grows best in cooler climates.
Iceberg lettuce (also known as crisphead) is the most popular type of lettuce in the U.S.
Vitamin A supports good vision, growth & immunity
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin.
see better at night more vivid colors during the day
How far can you read down this eye chart?
Vitamin A has antioxidant properties.
Vitamin A can help speed up the healing process of cuts & scrapes.
How do you know lettuce is good for the eyes? You never see a rabbit wearing glasses!
Vitamin A supports the immune system to fight off infections.
Strawberries are a type of aggregate fruit a collection of ‘little fruits’ held together.
Strawberries are a part of the rose family.
Strawberries are the FIRST fruit to ripen in the spring.
Peak strawberry harvesting season is April - June.
1. June-bearing 2. Ever-bearing 3. Day-neutral strawberry has 200 seeds.
Strawberries are the ONLY fruit with seeds on the outside.
90% of the strawberries grown in the U.S. are from California.
Vitamin C supports the immune systemthe body’s defense against infections.
Vitamin C is also referred to as “ascorbic acid.”
Vitamin C is an antioxidant. Antioxidants help protect against damage caused by exposure to harmful substances in the environment.
The body cannot make vitamin C on its own - it has to come from food.
Vitamin C helps keep you happy & healthy! What do you call a vitamin that improves your eyesight?
Vitamin C is a very important vitamin for healthy gums & teeth.
