October is always associated with Halloween candy, but in addition, this month can offer locally grown food ready for the picking.

Apples, pumpkins, squash, and more are all in season, and this year, fresh produce is coming closer to students than ever before. This October, Hollis-Brookline High School is participating in National Farm to School Month with “Farm to School Fridays”.

At the end of each week, the cafeteria will be serving butternut squash, corn, roasted potatoes, and apples, all of these being fresh and locally grown. Produce donations are from Lull Farm and Hannaford’s Grocery Store, both of which will be making deliveries to the school every Friday.

“Nutrients are lost by at least 25% when the food is sitting around,” says Ms. Hancock, Foods and Nutrition teacher at HB. She hopes that students will be happy with the new additions to Friday lunches, and realize that they’re much fresher and healthier than the cafeteria food usually sold at HB.

School lunch on any other day isn’t widely enjoyed by students, with opinions varying from tolerance to disgust. “I don’t dislike it,” says Luke Maynard ‘16 keeping a positive outlook. He says they have their good days and their not so good days. On such days, some say “The rice is clumpy oatmeal” (Logan Collins’ 16).

The front of the school has posters set up to inform students about Farm to School month, and the cafeteria has been decorated in fall colors. Ms. Hancock hopes that after the initiative’s success, fresh food will become a yearly event.

Questionable rice textures aside, everyone can enjoy the taste and 25% more nutrients of farm fresh produce this Friday.