Local producers will foster OSU freshness

Monique Headley

Not only is Terry Baker, director of University Dining Services, confident that a collaboration of collegiate creativity and local agribusiness producers will offer a delicious benefit to all at Oklahoma State University, she is convincing.

In February, Baker and Veddu Hsu, assistant manager for Patillo’s Convenience Store, were grand prize recipients of a $5,000 award for their Creativity Challenge proposal, “Farm to University Dining.” According to the university Web site, 180 proposals were submitted.

The proposal was conceived in response to the challenge issued in 2008 by OSU President V. Burns Hargis for OSU to become a national leader in creativity and innovation.

“Creativity is all about coming up with new ideas that have value,” said Hargis in an online post. “We have a goal to create a culture of creativity where all our professors, researchers, staff and students are free to explore creative ideas, to collaborate and to develop entrepreneurial programs that will involve many departments and colleges. We are off to a great start.”

Baker turned up the heat on her proposal to cook up an alternative dining experience. As she explored her passion for food, a realization arose like a souffle.

“There is a lot of fresh produce in Oklahoma,” said Baker.

She had the Oklahoma farming community in mind when she considered partnership opportunities, she said.

As well, she said, “it’s part of our sustainability efforts to reduce cost and our carbon footprint.”

From berries and corn to watermelon and zucchini, “what is better than ripe fruits and vegetables?” she asked.

To bring ripe, seasonal foods to the masses at OSU, Baker determined the need for and assembled an interdisciplinary team of experts, including representatives from hotel management, retail and purchasing managers, a chef and a dining services graduate assistant, Baker said.

“This generation is a lot more health conscious. There is a growing awareness among students regarding healthy food choices,” she said.

Soon, she said, the sale of water will outpace that of soda in student dining trends. International cuisine is also of interest on campus.

Integral to the successful germination and efficiency of the program is Chris Kirby, director of the Farm To School Program for the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, said Baker.

When she heard news of the award, Kirby said, she contacted Baker with congratulations and details about how to start the program.

“Terry is very progressive about wanting to use local foods from produce growers and value-added products that are made with farm products from Oklahoma,” Kirby said.

Though the program is in the planning stages, she said, there are a lot of different opportunities.

Kirby said the door is open for OSU to establish relationships with multiple local farmers in and near Stillwater to offer an increased variety of foods and benefit the local agricultural community.

“It’s going to be a growing affair,” she said. “As we keep expanding with OSU, we are only limited by our imagination. We want to show the face of the growers.”

All value-added foods are required to be made in a certified kitchen that has been inspected by state or city/county health department inspectors, said Kirby.

Plans include an educational component to show the different varieties and nutritional values of foods, said Baker. Next May, the Student Union building will be renovated, after which an area is slated to be dedicated to the Farm To Dining program, said Baker.

According to Baker, who can be reached at the university, the local producer bidding process for program inclusion is open.

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