Over the course of the 2024 season, the Lost Sierra Food Project sold $956 of produce to PUSD nutrition services. This included 14 bunches of kale, 57 lbs of cucumber, 40 lbs of zucchini and 85 pints of strawberries from Rugged Roots farm that were processed by PUSD cafeteria staff and distributed directly to students at PUSD and PCS across the county.

In 2024, 435 TK-5th grade PUSD and PCS students visited Rugged Roots farm on field trips where students not only toured the farm but participated in farm chores- they sowed sunflower seeds, planted garlic, transplanted strawberry runners, and gleaned flowers to donate to patients at the hospital. Students also spent free time in the farms ‘kid zone’ designed to spark creative and culinary learning.

PUSD food service staff members toured Rugged Roots farm and met with farm staff to discuss ways Lost Sierra Food Project can better support their incorporation of local, fresh produce into school meals.

Produce grown on Rugged Roots farm was featured at the Feather River Food System Collaboratives “Try it Thursdays” events at school cafeterias across Plumas County with the goal of exposing kids to farm-fresh produce alongside produce from 2 other Plumas County farms. Try it Thursdays is one of the many activities supported by the Track 2 CDFA Farm to School grant and is organized by PUSD Nutrition Services Supervisor, Tracy Darue and Cait McCloske of the Feather River Food System Collaborative.