I rarely ate school-prepared lunches when I was in school, or as we called it, hot lunch. Selecting a new lunchbox with my mom in August before school started was a beloved ritual.
My favorite is still the Peanuts-themed square metal box I had in grade school. I remember putting a safety pin through the metal latch to keep the lid from opening and dumping my food on the playground. Yes, this happened more than once.
Like most kids, dessert was my favorite part of lunch. I either had a homemade cookie, usually chocolate chip, or a Ding Dong wrapped in foil. My thermos was always filled with milk.
Perhaps if my school had access to one of the cool farm to school programs we are featuring this month on page 12, I would have been more interested in the school lunches.
Some students are able to plant, water, grow, harvest and eat fresh food raised by their own hands. What a wonderful way to teach agriculture science and instill a love and appreciation for the work involved in growing fresh food.
In more lofty pursuits, our story about hot air ballooning on page 10 reminds me of the time I was lucky enough to fly with the Touchstone Energy balloon team in Walla Walla, Washington. I’ll never forget the feeling as the gondola gently ascended. I’ve flown in a lot of small planes, but this experience was completely different. It was the closest I’ve come to feeling like I was truly flying.
Almost as satisfying was watching the tethered balloons do what they call a night glow, when operators light up the balloons at dusk with propane burners. The bright balloons against the fading blue light were a sight to see. Even if you aren’t interested in flying, don’t pass up a chance to see a night glow.