Apple Crunch Day Takes a Bite Out of the State Capitol

Author: Allison Rian - Aitkin Farmers Market Hub Manager

October is Minnesota Farm to School and Early Care Month! One of the fun activities for this month is the Minnesota Great Apple Crunch. The apple is the Minnesota state fruit, and for good reason: we grow amazing apples. On October 10, kids, educators, policy makers, farmers, and anyone who loves apples countdown to 12:00 p.m. and then take a big bite out of a crunchy apple. Registrations are collected to track the number of "crunchers." This year 201,354 Minnesotans registered; imagine the sound of that crunch! Among them,181,277 were K-12 students. 

Allison Rian, Aitkin Farmers Market Hub manager, traveled to the state Capitol to participate in the Minnesota Great Apple Crunch with other Farm to Kids stakeholders. Farm to School purchases have become a valuable part of the local food supply chain in Aitkin County, and Allison was grateful to be able to share that with other advocates and decision makers at the Capitol. The apple, a SweeTango from Fireside Orchard and Gardens in Northfield, was delicious.