OSU partners with organization and local farm to educate students

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Oklahoma State University’s Dining Services partnered with Miami, Oklahoma’s J&M Farms and the Mushroom Council to bring information, education, and tasty treats to OSU students during Farm Fresh: Mushrooms week, earlier this month.

More than 10 different mushroom varieties were featured at informational tables all across the OSU campus in Stillwater March 2 - 5. Students learned about the health benefits of mushrooms, unique ways to use them in popular recipes, and tasted the difference that farm fresh produce can make.

The Mushroom Council provided T-shirts and mushroom planting kits for students, while J&M Farms had a large display of fresh mushrooms, such as the white, crimini, and portabella, along with facts and nutritional information. Students were also treated to different samples of mushroom dishes all week like a creamy chicken and mushroom Alfredo, cheesy mushroom grilled cheese sandwiches, and a refreshing wild mushroom and tuxedo barley salad.

“Our students loved the combination of healthy, local, and fresh,” says Terry Baker, director of University Dining Services. “Students want to know more about their food, and especially fresh, local offerings. Our Farm Fresh program is a great opportunity to show them what options are out there and even what is available right here on campus.”

Farm Fresh, the campus’s farm-to-table information series, highlights a different local farm and its seasonal produce each month with display tables, free samples, and custom recipes throughout the dining areas on campus. J&M Farms has partnered with OSU for several years. In addition to the displays earlier this month, University Dining outlets, like the popular scratch-cooking concept Red Earth Kitchen, will feature J&M Farms’ mushrooms in several of their dishes through the end of the month.

For more information on the Farm Fresh program or other sustainability initiatives within University Dining Services, please visit http://dining.okstate.edu/sustainability.

PHOTOS: https://www.flickr.com/photos/osudining/sets/72157651417117411/