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Health and Learning Success Go Hand-in-Hand ’s geography offers a bounty of fresh produce and recreational areas. From stone and salad greens to state and local parks, there is no shortage of healthy foods to eat and outdoor activities to do during the summer months. Students who eat healthy and are active at least one hour every day perform and focus better in school. Use Harvest of the Month to allow students to experience California with their senses. Teach students to live a healthy, active lifestyle and integrate with core curricula to link the classroom, cafeteria, home and community.

Exploring California Stone Fruits Network for a Healthy California Offering activities that allow students to experience stone fruits, such as and nectarines, engages them in the learning process and creates increased interest, awareness and support for eating more fruits and . Tools: n Two ripe peaches and two ripe nectarines (yellow and white varieties) per student group* n Paring knife and cutting board per student group n Paper towels *Choose peaches and nectarines that are fragrant and firm to slightly soft when pressed. Optional: Sample other stone fruits (, , , etc.) Sensory Exploration Activity: n Distribute one ripe and nectarine variety to each student group n Observe the look, feel and smell of each variety; record observations n Cut open ; observe, taste and record observations for each variety n Discuss similarities and differences between varieties Nutrition Facts n Record students’ favorite variety; share results with child nutrition staff Serving Size: 1 medium peach (150g) For more ideas, reference: 59 Calories from 3 Nutrition to Grow On, CDE, 2001. % Daily Value Total Fat 0g 1% Saturated Fat 0g 0% Cooking in Class: How Much Do I Need? Trans Fat 0g Peach Smoothies A serving of peaches or nectarines is one medium fruit. This is about the size of a Cholesterol 0mg 0% Ingredients: baseball. Remind students to eat a variety Sodium 0mg 0% Makes 35 tastes at ¼ cup each of colorful fruits and vegetables throughout Total 15g 5% n 6 fresh peaches, pitted and sliced n the day to reach their total daily needs. 2g 9% 6 fresh nectarines, pitted and sliced n 13g 4 ½ cups plain nonfat yogurt (or milk) Recommended Daily Amounts of n Fruits and Vegetables* 1g 4 ½ cups 100% juice n 3 tablespoons honey A 10% 17% Calcium 1% Iron 2% Kids, Teens, Adults, n Blender Ages 5-12 Ages 13-18 19+ Source: www.nutritiondata.com n Small paper cups 2½ - 5 cups 3½ - 6½ cups 3½ - 6½ cups For labels of other stone fruits and Blend all ingredients together with ice. per day per day per day nutrition information in bar graph Serve cold in cups. format, visit the Educators’ Corner at *Ranges take into account three activity levels: Adapted from: Kids Cook Farm-Fresh sedentary, moderately active and active. For www.harvestofthemonth.com. Food, CDE, 2002. example, active individuals should aim to eat the higher number of cups per day. Visit For more recipes, visit: www.mypyramid.gov to learn more. www.harvestofthemonth.com

Stone Fruits: June Events n National Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Month PEACHES n National Hunger Awareness Day June n Family History Day School Garden: Scare the Crows Reasons to Eat Peaches Bird netting, floating row cover (remay) and reflective bird One medium peach provides: scare tape are all effective ways to keep birds from crops. n A good source of Vitamin C. Scarecrows, although not the most effective, may help keep birds from eating the harvest and are a festive addition to a What is Vitamin C? school garden. Auction scarecrows for a school fundraiser. n A water-soluble vitamin. n Tools: Also known as ascorbic . n Acts as an antioxidant (attacks free radicals in the body). n Two bamboo poles (four feet and six feet long) n Helps body make collagen (a substance that helps. n Twine (about two feet) and roll of string strengthen connective tissues and keep gums healthy. n Old pair of pants and long-sleeved shirt n Insufficient intake may result in disease known as scurvy. n Straw* n Scarecrow head** n A source of including , , niacin, *May replace with crumpled brown paper bags or plastic bags. riboflavin and thiamin. **May use large plastic bottle, empty container, broom head, paper plate. Decorate face and dress with hat and twine braids. n A source of minerals including potassium, calcium, iron and magnesium. Activity: n Use twine to secure four-foot bamboo pole 14 inches below the top of six-foot pole. Just the Facts n Tie string from front to back belt loop of pants to make n Genetically, nectarines differ from peaches by a single suspender. Repeat on opposite side of pants and hang recessive — the one that makes peaches fuzzy. pants from crossbar. n Yellow-fleshed peaches are more popular among n Tie off pant bottoms with string and fill with straw. Americans and Europeans, while Asians prefer the n Place shirt, one sleeve at a time, on crossbar and button white-fleshed varieties. front. Fill with straw and tuck into pants. n Members of the family, peaches are related to the n Place head on top of crossbar. . n Secure scarecrow in front of garden. n Peaches rank among the top ten most commonly eaten fruits and vegetables by California children. Adapted from: www.lifelab.org n The peach is the state of and the state fruit For more ideas, visit: of . is nicknamed The Peach State. www.teachingheart.net/scarecrow.html n In World War I, peach pits were used as filters in gas masks. What’s in a Name? Fore more information, visit: Pronunciation: peˉch www.localharvest.org/nectarines.jsp Spanish name: durazno www.cfaitc.org/Commodity/pdf/ClingPeaches.pdf Family: : Eat Your Colors Species: P. persica Fruits and vegetables come in a rainbow of colors. Eat a The peach comes from a fruit-bearing of the variety of colorful fruits and vegetables every day — red, rose family and is native to . Its botanical name persica yellow/orange, white, green and blue/purple. These may resulted from the original belief that peaches were native lower the risk of some cancers. Peaches are in the yellow/ to Persia ().* Commercially, peaches and nectarines orange and white/tan/brown color groups. are treated as different fruits but they belong to the same species. The nectarine is a type of peach with a smooth, Color Group Health Benefits Examples of Fruits and fuzzless skin. Vegetables Yellow/ Help maintain heart Peaches, nectarines, Peaches and nectarines are classified as stone fruit, or Orange health, vision health apricots, cantaloupe, yellow , meaning that they possess a single large or and healthy immune tomatoes, carrots, yellow stone surrounded by juicy flesh. Other common stone fruits system peppers, wax beans, yellow include cherries, plums and apricots. Peaches are classified summer squash into two major — clingstone and freestone — White/Tan/ Help maintain White peaches, white depending on how the flesh sticks to the stone (or pit). Brown heart health and nectarines, bananas, Commercially, nearly all clingstone varieties are processed cholesterol levels that casaba melon, rutabaga, (pit removed), then canned, preserved, juiced or used in are already healthy; tamarind, garlic, lotus other food products (e.g., fruit cups, baby food). Freestone may lower risk of root, water chestnuts, peaches are primarily marketed as fresh. some cancers bamboo shoots *Refer to a Slice of Peach History on page 3 for more information. For more information, visit: For more information, visit: www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov www.extension.iastate.edu/nutrition/week/july4.php www.harvestofthemonth.com S tudent Sleuths How Do Peaches Grow? 1 The store sells the following peach items: fresh peaches, Peach are warm-weather deciduous trees that grow frozen peach slices, dried peaches, canned peaches, 15 to 25 feet high. Susceptible to drought and frost, peach peach fruit leather and peach-flavored . You want trees grow best inland and in warmer, tropical to subtropical to buy a peach item that will provide you with the most climates. Most commercial trees are grafted cultivars, to help fill up “your pyramid.” Complete the bearing fruit after about three to five years. Healthy trees following steps to determine which peach item will provide reach peak production when about 10 years old and can live you with the most nutrients for the least cost per serving. up to 20 years. a. Compare the Nutrition Facts labels for each item. Like most stone fruits, peach trees flower in early spring (Labels also available at www.nutritiondata.com.) before the are visible. Unlike most fruit trees, the b. What is the unit cost (per pound, can or package) for of peach trees are produced in early spring before each item? Determine the cost per serving for each the leaves. Pruning is necessary during the spring to ensure item. quality fruit production. This technique of thinning the trees c. Make a chart showing each of the peach items, increases the size and improves the taste of the fruit. values, unit costs and costs per serving. Commercial growers use a machine to brush the peach skin d. Which peach serving costs the least? The most? after harvesting to remove most of the natural fuzz. e. Which peach serving provides the most nutrients? Soil Deep, well-drained, sandy loam The least? Exposure Full sun f. Which peach item will provide you with the most nutrients for the least cost? Irrigation Constant water supply, increased slightly before harvest 2 Identify on a California map the top ten counties Planting Bareroot trees planted in winter; pruning in spring where clingstone peaches are grown. What Harvest Season June through September; peaks in July and geographic characteristics do these counties have in Harvesting Hand-picked when fruit is mature and firm; 3 to 4 times common? Hypothesize why these characteristics are in 3 day intervals ideal for cling peach production. Repeat for freestone Storage Refrigerated immediately to 35 F (slows ); then peaches. Compare the lists. What are some processed (clingstone) or shipped to market (freestone) geographical and climate differences between these areas? What determines if a county’s geography is For more information, visit: better for growing cling peaches versus freestones? www.uga.edu/fruit/peach.html For information, visit: www.cfaitc.org/Commodity/pdf/ClingPeaches.pdf www.cdfa.ca.gov www.en.wikipedia.org skin

A Slice of Peach History pulp n The peach tree originated in western China about 4,000 Adapted from: Tall and Tasty Fruit Trees, Meredith Sayles years ago. Hughes, 2000. To download n Alexander the Great introduced the peach to Greek and reproducible botanical images, Roman society. visit the Educators’ Corner at www.harvestofthemonth.com. n From the Mediterranean and North Africa, the peach stone (pit) traveled north during the Middle Ages with the Moors to the Iberian Peninsula. Home Grown Facts n Spanish and Portuguese explorers brought peaches to n The is the world’s leading grower of peaches. the Americas in the 1500s. n California leads the nation in peach and nectarine n Spanish missionaries in California planted the first peach production, representing more than 87 percent of the trees in the mid-18th century. nation’s total exports. n Russian immigrants brought n With a combined export value over $123 million, peaches peach to San Francisco in and nectarines rank in California’s top 15 commodity the early 1800s and planted them exports. near Fort Ross. n Fresno County is the leading producer of the State’s n Forty-niners began California’s peach (40%) and nectarine (56%) crops. commercial peach production in n Other top peach-producing counties include Tulare, 1849 after demand for peaches could not be fulfilled by Stanislaus, Sutter and Yuba. Tulare and Kings counties eastern supply. are also leading growers of nectarines. For more information, reference: 2005 Data Tall and Tasty: Fruit Trees, Meredith Sayles Hughes, 2000. For more information, visit: http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/ S tudent Advocates Physical Activity Corner Schools and local parks often need the support of community California boasts nearly 300 state parks and countless members to provide a safe and clean environment for numbers of local and community parks. Parks provide a recreation. Clean up litter, plant trees, or volunteer at a local natural venue for students to engage in physical activity park or school to instill pride and community ownership. while being in California’s rich and diverse environments. Encourage students to get involved — it may help them Showcase this geography by taking students into the field for become more active both physically and as leaders in their an interactive lesson. community. n Contact a nearby park to find out what types of physical Getting Started: activities are available within the park. Get brochures or n Choose a local neighborhood park. Contact the local city information to distribute to students. or county parks department. n n Work with department officials to make a list of Organize a class or school field trip to a park. improvement projects to enhance the park. n Upon arrival, explore park as a class and incorporate a n Prioritize the list and select a project. geography or botany lesson. n Organize and promote a neighborhood event to complete n Allow students to pick what physical activity they would the project. like to do within the park (e.g., hike, swim, play game of n Talk to neighbors about ways to keep the park safe soccer, softball, tag). and clean. Or, make a flyer with tips and distribute to n Encourage students to visit other local or state parks with community members. family or friends. n Write and submit an article to a local paper about the Alternative: Refer to Student Advocates and coordinate a classroom project activities. that will work to improve or beautify a neighborhood park. For more information, visit: For more ideas, visit: www.parks.ca.gov www.pecentral.org www.activeca.org/parks

Adventurous Activities Cafeteria Connections Calendar Connection: Display all student work on cafeteria bulletin board. Family History Day takes place in the middle of June. Grades K – 5: Celebrate students’ family history, culture and traditions. n Select a book from Literature Links. n Work with teachers or librarian and ask to read the book to n Ask students to interview older relatives to find out when students. and how their families came to California. n After reading the book, ask students to make a collage n Include questions that explore what family members did featuring peaches and/or ways to eat peaches. when they first arrived in California, including: n what foods they ate and recipes they used; Grades 6 –12: n n how and where they got their food; and Encourage students to read Epitaph for a Peach by David Masumoto or one of the books listed from n what types of activities and/or hobbies they enjoyed. Literature Links. n Have students write a report or give presentation to class n Have students design a cover for the book or draw on their family history. illustrations depicting the story. Or students can write a n Make classroom charts to display from where students’ poem about their favorite fruit and . families came and for how long they have lived in California. For more ideas, visit: Literature Links www.harvestofthemonth.com n Elementary: Growing Seasons by Elsie Splear, James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl, Peach Boy: A Japanese Legend by Gail Sakurai, Tall and Tasty: Fruit Trees by Meredith Sayles Hughes. n Secondary: The Backyard Orchardist by Stella Otto, Family Trees: The Peach Culture of the Piedmont by Mike Corbin and Science and Service by Ann Scheuring. Next Month: Melons For more ideas, visit: www.cfaitc.org/Bookshelf/Bookshelf.php

This material was funded by USDA’s Food Stamp Program through the California Department of Public Health’s Network for a Healthy California. These institutions are equal opportunity providers and employers. The Food Stamp Program provides nutrition assistance to people with low income. It can help buy nutritious foods for a better diet. For information on the Food Stamp Program, call 1-888-328-3483. © Copyright California Department of Public Health 2007.