Beef and noodles were served up to students last week, a meal made possible in part by the Farm to School program, a partnership between the Perkins County FFA program, and the Perkins County Community Foundation Fund. These entities have joined forces to bridge a gap between local food producers, and the local school cafeteria.
Farm to School connects Perkins County producers and schools
As Perkins County Schools nears the end of the first year of its Farm to School (F2S) initiative, FFA members are already preparing for year two.
F2S is a partnership between the Perkins County FFA chapter and the Perkins County Community Foundation Fund (PCCFF). Together, the organizations developed the effort to connect local food producers to school cafeterias.
In its inaugural year, five beef donors stepped up to provide nearly 1,800 pounds of beef for school lunches. Donors for the 2025-2026 school year include Casey and Nicole Tjaden; Kasey and Amy Kroeker; Derek and Melissa Wilson; Dan and Julie Burge; and Mike and Marcia Frerichs.
The locally sourced beef has been incorporated into a wide variety of meals. Ground beef has been used in dishes such as sloppy joes, chili, nachos, tacos, and spaghetti, while roasts have been prepared as entrees like French dip sandwiches and beef and noodles. Additionally, ground beef patties are now featured on hamburger days, quickly becoming a student favorite.
Students in both the elementary and junior/senior high buildings are served the local beef, and nearly all beef dishes on the lunch menu now utilize F2S beef. School kitchen staff note that the local beef is lower in fat and cooks well compared to the wholesale commodity beef previously purchased.
To sustain the effort, F2S relies on a combination of fundraising and grants to cover processing costs. The initiative launched with a $2,500 grant from the PCCFF. In addition, higher-value steak cuts from each donated animal are reserved and resold by the FFA chapter, with proceeds returning to the PCCFF F2S subaccount to support future processing expenses. Even with this funding structure in place, additional donations are still needed to ensure the program continues into its second year.
Beef producers have the option of what USDA custom packer they use. Cattle have been processed at Mike’s Meat Market in Sterling, Colorado and primarily through SteakMaster in Elwood, Nebraska. Casey and Nicole Tjaden have been valuable partners since the start of the program, offering logistical support and transportation to and from the processor.
Student leadership has played a key role in developing F2S. The FFA chapter formed an internal committee that includes Savannah Miller, Shyne Hickey, Karina Morales, Jesus Marquez, and Koltyn Kuper. Youth representatives on the PCCFF who also provide leadership include Emily Lenhart and Jordin Lenhart.
These students are currently working on donor recognition boards for both school buildings and are preparing to contact and secure beef donors for the 2026–2027 school year.
Both commodity and cash contributions to F2S can be considered charitable gifts to a 501(c)(3) organization. Community members interested in learning more about the program or making a donation can contact Seth Burge at Perkins County Schools at 308-352-4735 or Michelle Ross at 308-882-8469.