Celebrate Farm to School Month With the ‘Food, Inc.’ Book

Enter for a chance to win a free copy of the film’s companion book.
By Max Follmer
September 26, 2011
77 comments
Celebrate Farm to School Month With the ‘Food, Inc.’ Book
'Food, Inc.' teaches about the value of local produce. (Photo: Getty Images)

It’s hard to believe that October is right around the corner.

And this October is pretty special, because it marks the first ever National Farm-to-School Month, celebrating the growing number of farms that are working to supply the schools in their area with fresh and local produce and food.

To get in spirit of this new event, we’re offering up five free copies of the Food, Inc. book, the official companion guide to the film that changed the way America thinks about food.

All you’ve got to do to enter for a chance to win one of the five free copies we’re giving away today is leave a comment below answering the question:

What’s the one local crop you can’t wait to eat when it’s in season? (And be sure to let us know where you live in the answer!)

We’ll choose five commenters at random to win a free copy of the Food, Inc. book. 

The contest is open until 5 p.m. PT today. 

And be sure to check out all of our food stories here at TakePart.com. 

You can find all of the fine print and rules for this giveaway by clicking here. 

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NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. CONTEST IS OPEN ONLY TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 U.S. AND D.C., 18 YEARS AND OLDER. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Contest begins on or about 9:00 am PDT on September 26, 2011, and ends at 5:00 pm PDT on September 26, 2011. Total Prize ARV: $14.95. Subject to Official Rules . Sponsor: TakePart, LLC, 331 Foothill Road, 3rd Floor, Beverly Hills, California, 90210.

Comments

77

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Every fall, here in Cincinnati, Ohio, my whole family and myself cannot wait to pick apples and enjoy apple cider by the fire at Halloween camp!
Lindsey Morris Sullivan
posted on Sep 26, 2011
Every fall my whole family and myself cannot wait to pick apples and enjoy apple cider by the fire at Halloween camp!
Lindsey Morris Sullivan
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I live in Michigan and look forward to the fall harvest apples. One of our family's favorite things to do is go to a local orchard and bring home honey crisp apples. They are so crunchy,and naturally sweet. Simply the best apple and only available for a short period in the market place.
Kelly Morris Earegood
posted on Sep 26, 2011
WOW I live in Sunny Southern California and there is a smorgasboard of LOCAL Farmers Markets year round to chose from. Local and Organic fruits and veggies are the way to go. My favorite thing to get in season has to be the local organic strawberries. Juicy and DELICIOUS!
Steve Bailey
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I'm in North East Texas and love when we get to go picking blueberries as a family.
Susan McNulty
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I get a local veggie box delivered from a CSA in Northern California and was introduced this year to painted serpent cukes (aka Aremenian cucumbers). The taste is a lot less acidic than normal cucumbers (no peeling needed!), and are beautiful to look at. I'm sad that I have to wait a whole year for these to come back in season.
SimmaDown
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I live in Carlsbad, CA in San Diego county. I am in the infant stages of creating a community garden and hopefully have local children participate in growing their own food on our land. It's a small garden but enough to bring fresh, locally grown and organic produce to our neighborhood and hopefully one day the world! :) My favorite fall foods are pumpkins (for seeds and pies) and then use them for Jack-o-lanterns! Its great to be able to not only eat produce but make something fun out of it too! You can make the most amazing baked goodies from pumpkins and they look beautiful in a garden. How can you not help but smile when you see beautiful pumpkins growing? Don't forget to compost it!
Dee Gomez
posted on Sep 26, 2011
Sugar snap peas! I love them. I live in Oakland, CA, and I wait throughout the winter for spring to come & the first peas. I eat them raw, plain, straight from the Farmers' Market. Actually I get a big 10 lb. box at a lower price and eat them every day!
Carla W
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I am from Charleston, S.C. I can't wait for heirloom tomatoes in the summer time. However this year I am extremely excited for the GMO free corn I am going to be getting in a week from Boone Hall Farms.
Charles Walton
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I am from Charleston, S.C. I can't wait for heirloom tomatoes in the summer time. However this year I am extremely excited for the GMO free corn I am going to be getting in a week from Boone Hall Farms.
Charles Walton
posted on Sep 26, 2011
Pecans are about to come into season here in Texas. Mmm, pecan pie! I can't wait!
clboysen2010
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I'm from Michigan but currently reside I'm Austin, Tx. I long for the summer berryland of Northern Mi. Cherries and blueberries, especially!
lisriley
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I live in So. California. I love the fresh butternut squash in the fall and blueberries in late spring. So many yummy fresh fruits and veggies available from the farmers market, its hard to chose, though. Oh, and I can't forget the red pears in the fall.. still waiting for those this year.
ljvaldivia
posted on Sep 26, 2011
Home grown tomatoes! Nothing you buy at the store tastes like it! I currently live in Parker, CO, but I sure miss the fresh raspberries and apples from Michigan!
Debra Kirk
posted on Sep 26, 2011
oh man-- my favorite fall crops that i LOVE eating and can't wait to get my hands on are macintosh apples and pumpkins! from apple pancakes to apple crisp to dehydrated apple rings and then pumpkin bars, bread, cookies, frozen pops..... absolutely delish! the best part about it is my three little ones LOVE it all too :) i love going down to the farm with them to pick and buy.. we grow a LOT of our own and just harvested a bunch of tomatoes that we will can and store.. i'm about to make salsa right now! we just planted two apple trees last year that are taking time to grow.. but we can't wait! we live in south shore of massachusetts and we're a homeschooling family! lots of foodie love!
Pamela Giarraputo
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I live in Northern Virginia, I love when peaches are in season.
sysmjp
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I live in SouthCentral Louisiana. Every year I get so excited when satsuma trees are over flowing with their juicy fruit! My grandma has the best trees. They are such an easy snack to carry around anywhere!They are even better when they get a little icy because of the cold weather.
BrittMcD
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I live in Northwestern Wisconsin, the local food I cant wait for is wild rice in fall. Getting out on the lakes and rivers with my brother harvesting it makes for a good time. Then getting back from the processor and having the batch of the season is the best.
Joseph Mulroy
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I live in north east Ohio. I always look forward to strawberry season! Going and picking them makes for a great family outing!
mgemmell
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I am in Southern California and I love watermelon season! I have to stop myself from eating the whole thing because it is just that good!
kmbrvt@yahoo.com
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I live in New Mexico and I look forward to green chile season. Nobody beats our green chile, and you can smell it being roasted all over town. YUM!
Jesse White
posted on Sep 26, 2011
Here in West Cenral New York EVERYONE looks forward to sweet, delicious corn! Grilled, roasted, steamed, boiled etc it is fabulous! This year my husband and I added 19 corn stalks to our garden and they were fabulous! I did an amazing roasted corn and poblano Risotto (both from our garden) that was sooo good! I am a huge tomato girl but corn has to win out on this one..... (had to retype this because the last entry was scrambled up for some reason - very odd)
Betty Brock-Porter
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I am a traveling RN and love to go to new cities and see what is fresh and in season. I'm currently in Denver, CO and can't believe the size, smell and taste of these Palisade, CO peaches!!! Just amazing!
Amber O
posted on Sep 26, 2011
Here in central Florida - its tough to pick just one because we can grow year round. Eggplant,corn and squash are great now. Strawberries soon as well as broccoli,carrots and cucumbers.
jpage14917@yahoo.com
posted on Sep 26, 2011
Here in West Cenral New York EVERYONE looks forward to sweet, delicious corn! Grilled, roasted, steamed, boiled etc it is fabulous! This year my husband and I added 19 corn stalks to our garden and they were fRisotto! sooo good! I am a huge tomato girl...abulous...did an amazing roasted corn and poblano (both from our garden) but corn has to win out on this one.....
Betty Brock-Porter
posted on Sep 26, 2011
It's difficult to pick just one.....but strawberry season here in central North Carolina. Our local farmer always has plump, yummy berries to make jam, smoothies, strawberry icecream....so good. Next would be tomatoes to make tomato sandwhiches and salsa. Lot's of jars of salsa are now canned and will be savored all year until next summer!!
Jacki Morin Mignosa
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I crave good sweet tangy oranges during the summer when it is so hot down here in Deltona, Florida. I unfortunatly have to wait until the colder months for my favorite tasting orange to come to the local farmers market. It is not until November usually until I get to bite into my sweet juicy craving. I could settle for a regular all around FL orange, but it is worth the wait for the different kinds to come to town and really make eating oranges a treat!
Srzimmerman
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I live in Las Vegas, NV, so it's hard to grow anything!! I do love it when my tomatos come in though. Nothing beter than going out to your garden & getting the freshest fruits & vegetables!!
Christina Guzman Bandy
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I live in Western Washington, and my entire family can hardly wait for strawberry season each year! To me, there's little as flavorful and yummy as fresh, local strawberries. We get our fill eating bowl after bowl of them for those few weeks, and I also freeze sliced berries and make strawberry jam to enjoy later in the year.
NWBarb
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I live in Western Washington, and my entire family can hardly wait for strawberry season each year! To me, there's little as flavorful and yummy as fresh, local strawberries. We get our fill eating bowl after bowl of them for those few weeks, and I also freeze sliced berries and make strawberry jam to enjoy later in the year.
NWBarb
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I live in Minnesota and love when the fall apple season rolls around. They are so good as a snack or in apple desserts :)
mnsports4
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I live in Willmar, MN and I REALLY look forward to the fresh picked Honey Crisp Apples that are grown at local orchards!!!! YUMMY :)
Cindy Pohlman
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I'm from Frederick, Maryland and I can't WAIT for blueberry season!! I belong to South Mountain Veggie, which delivers local produce from area farms to our doorstep every week. August was amazing - so many blueberries, I thought I might turn into one! Also... peaches. Nothing better than a juicy, flavor-bursting local peach.
Larissa39
posted on Sep 26, 2011
Had way to many grape tomatos and not nearly enough canning tomatos. Hoping for a better balance next year. Am trying to put in a hoop house and try for winter tomatos in FL. Wish me luck!
Dixie Senora
posted on Sep 26, 2011
Raspberries!!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE them. This year I was smart and canned some Raspberry jam for the winter months. I am from Northern Michigan.
Andrea Coston
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I'm from Beausejour, Manitoba, Canada. Fall is my favorite season as there is so much great produce available from my local farmers, as well as from my own garden. I especially love the tomatoes and cucumbers. My family love the dozens of fresh jars of salsa, spaghetti sauce, and pickles i am able to put away for the winter.
Dana Lowdon-Wiebe
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I can't wait for tomatoes...there are so many varieties & they smell so good even when you water the plants! I like to pick and eat the cherry tomatoes while working in the garden & homemade salsa is always amazing!!! I'm from Portland, OR and we are harvesting tomatoes right now.
Joyce Gillespie
posted on Sep 26, 2011
Kentucky's tomatoes welcome the summer in June, July, and August. They're so good we sometimes eat them like apples.
Kristen Connors
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I live in Phoenix, Arizona. The farmers markets are few and far between here but I do my best with what we have. While apples are my kids favorite, I can't wait for acorn squash. I even bake it and add it to muffins to give the kids a hidden treat. This coming year I plan on buying a plot in a recently created garden patch in my neighborhood and growing my own
Laura Moore
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I LOVE watermelon season. I am from St. Louis, MO so the first ones we get are wonderful, sweet Arkansas watermelons. YUMMY!!! I grow my own every year but I can eat watermelon every day and not get tired of it :)
Sandy Songer Davis
posted on Sep 26, 2011
Do I have to pick just one?? :P I live in Western Washington and I love when tomatoes come in season. How could you not love biting into a juicy red organic tomato that oozes delicious juice and seeds into your mouth with every bite? :) My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
alien8socks
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I live in Eastern North Carolina and every year I can't wait for our farmers market to have fresh blue berries, strawberries and sweet potatoes. We buy our blue berries and strawberries by the flat and create so many good recipes. My husband lives for a sweet North Carolina water melon. He waits all year long and when summer comes, he has one cut up and in the fridge all season long.
Angie Cobb
posted on Sep 26, 2011
Squash! I love winter squash and I live in Northern California.
chelzer123
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I love Brussel sprouts! I could eat them all day like candy! The best way to cook them is put them in a 9X13, pour EVOO, a pinch of salt and pepper over them and bake them in the oven at 425 for 45 minutes! They are so AWESOME!! I am from Sebring Florida!!
MackGeorge
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I love the idea of Farm to School!
embushey
posted on Sep 26, 2011
Yep, corn is one of my favorites here in Western Idaho/Eastern Oregon!
Liz Amason
posted on Sep 26, 2011
Peaches. I live in Boulder Colorado. But we just got our last round in the past week (they were late). Looking forward to Cherries next :).
greenbless
posted on Sep 26, 2011
Strawberries! I live in Tampa, FL and they are grown less than 10 miles away from my house.
Brad Crites
posted on Sep 26, 2011
Kale. Hands down. Kale. Yummmmmmmmy!
cuppafit
posted on Sep 26, 2011
I live in Eastern Maine and I soooo look forward to when our town farmer's market (Orono Farmers Market) begins to carry locally grown corn. Shatner's (?) Farm has the best sweet corn in the state. They also have a great selection of apples, but it's the corn that I look forward to. I end up buying 5 or 6 dozen and make a lot of corn & black bean salsa in addition to cooking lots on the grill. Yum! Farmer's Markets in Maine are fantastic and I love supporting them.
joethemason
posted on Sep 26, 2011