Harvest of the Month

What is the Harvest of the Month? 

Harvest of the Month (HOTM) is a nutrition education program that celebrates the bounty and diversity of fruits and vegetables grown in California. In OUSD, we use the HOTM program to provide education on fruits and vegetables, our food system, and California agriculture.

Nutrition Services plays a crucial role in the HOTM program by serving the HOTM every day on school produce bars. We also work closely with the Environment, Food, and Garden team at the Center to source HOTM produce from Organic, BIPOC-Owned, Woman-Owned, Local, or Small-Scale farms in California.

January's Harvest of the Month: Mandarins!

Mandarins—characterized by their juicy segments, spherical size, and bright orange color—provide us with mighty benefits especially important during the cold winter months. Mandarins are concentrated with vitamin C, containing a third of our daily requirement. They also contain 8% of our daily value of fiber, helping us with digestion and promoting a healthy gut environment! 

Mandarin oranges originate from the tropical regions of Asia and were first introduced in the United States during the mid 1800s when planted on the Consulate grounds in New Orleans by the Italian Consul. Their growth spread across the United States—California now grows over 90% of our nation’s mandarins.

Although mandarins look similar to oranges, they are from a different species—the Citrus Sinensis hybrid. They are also easier to peel than oranges and provide us with bright flavor amidst the cold weather—try one from the Produce Bar this January! 

To learn some more Mandarin facts and access classroom Harvest of the Month programming, visit the Center's Education and Community Program's web page.