And while city students were learning about nutrition, all the way south in Punta Gorda, students were also learning all about food. The event was the Toledo District’s third annual food day. Hundreds of primary and high school students from across the district converged at the PG Sporting Complex for the food fest. But this wasn’t a day to splurge on rice and beans and stew chicken. What’s unique is that all the foods on sale and display were grown right in their schools and backyards. It is sort of like eating what you grow. Sounded tasty and our team was in Punta Gorda to share in the food fest.

Keith Swift Reporting,
This morning Protilda Cho fired up this concrete fire hearth –which we watched her build from scratch – to bake corn tortillas. Those tortillas would be served alongside caldo which was simmering in this pot. Caldo is a stew of chicken and seasonings but unlike stewed chicken, caldo is all natural.

Protilda Cho,
“Caldo chicken is made from local chicken with cho cho, cabbage, and corn tortilla. We use no lard, we only use water, salt, pepper, and all seasonings. We use what we grow. We plant the cilantro and culantro and onions which we use.”

It’s something Cho has been doing from - before she can remember. Her mom taught her and now she is the teacher.

Protilda Cho,
“When I was growing up, my mother used to always make caldo from armadillo, gibnut, and I make it from chicken. I am trying to show the school children how to make caldo and one of these days they can do it for themselves because we don’t use a lot of lard- it is good for our health.”

And while Cho stewed caldo – Ignatius Longville Gomen was frying fritters – soy fritters – and mixing soy ice cream.

Ignatius Longville Gomen,
“I am trying to introduce soy into the community which is a good source of protein, it is good for a lot of people who have like diabetes and high blood pressure.”

Keith Swift,
Where do you get the soy from?

Ignatius Longville Gomen,
“The soybeans right now, basically right now it is coming from Central Farm but I am also trying to get people in the Toledo District to grow it.”

Keith Swift,
Does the ice cream taste the same?

Ignatius Longville Gomen,
“It’s very popular, you don’t know the difference if it is dairy or if it is soy ice cream.”

Keith Swift,
And what about the fritters?

Ignatius Longville Gomen,
“The fritters taste like, even though it is soy, some people say it tastes like conch fritters so you don’t know the difference.”

From organic ice cream we go to Cirila Cho’s organic chocolate bars and bitters.

Cirila Cho,
“I make cacao. We plant it and we grow it and so right now we have it, I have it on my farm and I make the organic powder, chocolate drink, and I make the chocolate bar, the dark chocolate bar, and I make the drink to cool off your mind. One year now since I started it and I sell a lot already to the states and all the tourists like the dark chocolate.”

That may not be the case for the bitters – but participants and organizers say the day is all about showcasing food – specifically - food that can be grown in your yards that can become the food on your table.

Joan Palma, Coordinator
“We promote healthy food. We promote healthy living, healthy lifestyle. We want the children to learn to grow what they eat and we want also that the parents be advocate to this endeavor, that the teachers be an advocate to this endeavor.”

And next week, we’ll take a deeper look at this novel programme and take you inside the schools where the students are growing what’s for dinner.