CRAVEN COUNTY, N.C. — Educators are going the extra mile to make sure kids know where their food comes from.

All 25 public schools in Craven County participate in the North Carolina Department of Agriculture's Farm to School program.

What You Need To Know

The N.C. Dept. of Agriculture pairs farmers with schools to source fresh fruits and vegetables grown in the state

All public school districts in North Carolina are encouraged to participate in the N.C. Farm to School program

Every public school in Craven County participates in the program

Craven County School Nutrition Director Lauren Weyand and her staff implemented "Try Day Friday" at their schools. Weyand and her staff help schools pair with area farms to bring in different products every week, then they let the students sample the food before it appears on the menu. There are about 13,000 students in all Craven County public schools.

"They have that opportunity to see it, sample it and to see if they would like it," Weyand said. "Most people don't realize it takes a student 30 tries of an item before they decide if they like it or not.”

She says the N.C. Farm to School program not only supports local farmers, but teaches students about what farm-to-table really means.

"Just knowing that the kids are able to eat foods that are from the raw ingredient, as fresh as can be... that's how I was raised and I know that I have a healthier lifestyle because of that," Weyand said. "I feel like we have to give our students that opportunity to enjoy a healthy lifestyle to appreciate food for what it is.”

The Farm to School program was founded in 1997 after schools wanted a way to source fresh produce, and farmers were looking for new markets. Now, the goal is to get more schools districts across the state to participate in the program.

Some crops offered throughout the season include strawberries, watermelons, cantaloupes, apples, grape tomatoes and sweet potatoes among other produce. The program is offered 22 weeks during the school year.