From a plate brimming with qualified and talented candidates, Bruce Orchid emerged as the one entrusted with breathing new life into the Orcas Island Farm-to-Cafeteria Program in the public schools.

Exactly as the title implies, Orchid’s primary focus will be to coordinate farm production and procurement with the school cafeteria so breakfast, lunch and snack menus may be filled with more locally grown, organic products; coordinate with teachers, chefs, farmers and community members to create more farm-to-cafeteria and nutrition/health related activities with all students K-12; and coordinate more activities using the current school garden to create a stronger connection between it, the students and the cafeteria.

Orchid and his wife, Christina, have been residents of Orcas since 1975 and owned Christina’s restaurant for 30 years. Since selling the restaurant in May 2008, Orchid, who is also a lifetime credentialed teacher, has returned to his other passion – teaching. He can often be seen sitting with the kids in the cafeteria at lunchtime or helping prep food in the kitchen.

Also recently created to support the coordinator position is a Farm-to-Cafeteria Committee consisting of the school food service director, elementary and high school teachers, OIEF members, a student and involved community members volunteering their time to steer the program. Orcas Farm-to-Cafeteria hopes to become a non-profit entity on its own, but in the meantime, all financial support will continue to come through donations made to OIEF either at www.oief.org or by check to OIEF, PO Box 782, Eastsound, WA 98245 with a note that it’s for the Farm-to-Cafeteria Program.