The Guy Thompson Community Center hosted the 5th annual Farm to City initiative, Tuesday, where 400 prequalified families in need picked up food for Thanksgiving meals. Robin Vickers, Events Coordinator with the University of Florida, West Florid Research & Education Center (WFREC), said the event began in 2010 and reached 200 families. This year, she said this number doubled in Santa Rosa County and included 200 in Escambia County as well. According to Vickers, the turnip and collard greens came from the WFREC as well as the grits and cornmeal. Sweet potatoes came from Sirmon Farm and the Leonard & Susan Kichler Farm, she said. The star of most Thanksgiving meals, the turkey, came from the Bay Area Food Bank along with fixings. Monday, agriculture student volunteers participated in harvesting at WFREC from Jay, Central, Milton, Northview, and Tate High Schools, as well as King Middle School.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Farm to City a success