A Farm to School project will provide food awareness and better nutrition education for students and staff at five Haywood County school while also helping local farmers.

The project — funded by a $22,000 grant from the Community Foundation and its affiliate Fund for Haywood County — is designed to address concerns about nutrition and health and the disappearance of small farms. The program supports farmers by increasing sales and diversifying markets. Students, teachers and staff at Bethel Elementary, Jonathan Valley Elementary, North Canton Elementary, Riverbend Elementary and Waynesville Middle School are taking part in the project. In addition to local healthy food served in cafeterias, the program includes farm field trips, cooking demonstrations, nutrition education and school gardens.

The project will serve about 3,000 students and staff at the five school sites, comprising nearly 40 percent of Haywood County Schools’ enrollment.