Johnson County employees will participate in the Great Apple Crunch, a regional event celebrating local food purchasing. Employees will gather in the Johnson County Administration Building lobby from 11:30 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, Oct. 8, to crunch into local apples from Buffalo Ridge Orchard.

The Great Apple Crunch promotes farm-to-institution sales, increases demand for regionally and locally grown produce, and supports local apple growers. For growers who provide apples, the event marks the busiest point in the season and provides an opportunity for farm-to-institution sales.

This employee event is hosted by the Johnson County Wellness Committee, which aims to invest in and foster a workplace culture that supports a healthy lifestyle for employees, their families and the community. “Great Apple Crunch is one of my favorite annual events that not only offers fresh local produce to all employees but also encourages social well-being. The event is a simple, fun way to bring employees together and promote healthy habits. Taking a moment to enjoy fresh, local produce reminds us that wellness does not have to be complicated and can start with one crunchy bite,” says Giselle Coreas, health planner at Johnson County Public Health and chair of the Wellness Committee.

Buffalo Ridge Orchard is a small family farm located in Central City, IA. Since its start in 2003, the orchard has expanded from 800 trees to over 7,000 trees, featuring 50 different apple varieties. Products from Buffalo Ridge Orchard can be found at the Iowa City Farmers Market, Field to Family Online Market, New Pioneer Food Coop, Bread Garden Market or through Buffalo Ridge Orchard’s online store at https://buffaloridgeorchard.localfoodmarketplace.com/Products.

Visit https://www.iowafarmtoschoolearlycare.org/great-apple-crunch for more information about the Great Apple Crunch, including other organizations and schools participating.