To the Editor,

The Princeton School Gardens Cooperative has just completed the first in a series of four Garden State On Your Plate elementary school-wide tastings, which featured the chefs of Princeton University Campus Dining preparing Swiss chard grown by Jess Niederer of Chickadee Creek Farm. Judging from the enthusiastic response of the students, many of whom stood in line for additional helpings of chard salad, we are off to a very successful start.

Special thanks to Princeton University for its generous support of our Garden State On Your Plate program, which allowed us to expand our program to all four elementary schools. Working with the Princeton Public Schools administration, principals, educators, staff, families and students of Community Park, Johnson Park, Littlebrook, and Riverside elementary schools has been inspiring. Thank you for inviting us to (slightly) disrupt the lunchtime flow in your cafeterias.

We are grateful for the overwhelming support of our fellow non-profit organizations and the local business community. Maria Evans of the Arts Council of Princeton, Megan McKeever of the Princeton Farmers Market, Jess Atkins of Stylebook, Martha Friend of Littlebrook Elementary School, and Becky Graham greatly contributed to the visual appeal of the program. Nassau Inn and YourTownTube stepped forward to help us bring videos of our chefs to the community. And C. Todd Reichart, Gennaro Porcaro, Palmer Square, the Costume Scene, and Witherspoon Grill helped us bring a bit of chard fun and theater to the streets of Princeton.

Our thanks also go to Agricola, the bent spoon, greendesign, indigo, jammin’ crepes, jaZams, Labyrinth Books, McCaffrey’s, Mediterra, Nassau Street Seafood, Nutri-Serve Food Management, Olsson’s Fine Foods, Princeton Corkscrew, Princeton Day School, Princeton Family YMCA, Princeton Public Library, Princeton Soup & Sandwich Company, Savory Spice Shop, small world coffee, TerraMomo Learning Kitchen, and Whole Earth Center for expanding their menu offerings, lending us their shop windows, and clearing off their countertops to display giant chard leaves and tiny chard gardens — showing our children that all of Princeton is celebrating and enjoying New Jersey produce along with them.

We invite the community to join in the fun of our November mushroom tastings with Chef Terry Strong of Mediterra. Simply use #GSOYP when sharing recipes and photos and show us how YOU put the Garden State On Your Plate!

Jeff Bergman, Karla Cook, Fran McManus, Cherry Sprague, Elizabeth White

Princeton School Gardens Cooperative Board