Northwest Tennessee Local Food Network sources 1,200 pounds of Steele Plant Company sweet potatoes to school cafeterias this Thanksgiving
This holiday season the Northwest Tennessee Local Food Network (NWTNLFN) is teaming up with Gleason’s own Steele Plant Company to bring locally grown sweet potatoes to cafeteria lines in three area school districts — Milan Special School District, Trenton Special School District, and West Carroll Special School District — for Thanksgiving service and other special-menu meals. It’s a delicious example of farm-to-school in action: kids get fresh, seasonal produce and local farmers get new, reliable buyers right in their community.
Who’s being served (district snapshot)
- Milan Special School District — 1,985 students (PK–12).
- Trenton Special School District — 1,366 students (PK–12).
- West Carroll Special School District — 731 students (PK–12).
(Totals are from NCES district data for the 2023–24 school year.)
Why local sourcing matters — quick benefits
Sourcing local produce for school meals does more than brighten a plate. Key benefits include:
- Stronger local economy — dollars spent with nearby farms circulate in the community.
- Fresher, seasonal ingredients — better flavor and nutrition for students.
- Educational opportunities — supports farm visits, taste-tests, and classroom lessons about agriculture and nutrition.
- Increased school meal participation — tasty, familiar seasonal items can boost students’ willingness to try school meals.
- New markets for small and family farms — stable institutional buyers help diversify farm income and keep farmland productive.
Fun facts about Steele Plant Company Sweet Potatoes
- Family-owned, long history. Steele Plant Company started in the 1950s in Gleason and today farms on a multi-acre operation with an approximate 35-acre annual sweet potato crop on a 135-acre farm property. They are one of the largest Sweet Potato Plant shipping companies in the US, shipping plants nationwide and support local food operations.
- Variety selection. Steele Plant Company lists 11 sweet potato varieties in their “Sweet Potato Varieties” collection — offering orange, white, and purple types for different flavor and visual profiles.
- Flavor & best uses: : If you want a sweet potato ideal for steaming, mashing, creamy baked style → go orange-fleshed moist types (Georgia Jet, Beauregard). If you want one for roasting (cubed root veggies, firm texture, interesting color) → consider Murasaki, Purple Majesty or white‐fleshed like O’Henry.
- Beauregard/Georgia Jet — classic orange-fleshed, creamy when cooked; excellent for baking and mashing (great for Thanksgiving dishes).
- Covington — versatile variety recommended for baking, roasting, or mashing; good storage and uniform shape for institutional kitchens.
- Murasaki — drier, chestnut-like flavor with pale flesh; roasts beautifully and offers a different texture and flavor profile.
- Purple Majesty — deep purple flesh that retains color when cooked, adds a colorful plate and antioxidant boost; great for roasted medleys.
- O’Henry – tan on the outside, white flesh, slightly dryer flesh when cooked, best roasted.
10 Mouth Watering Sweet Potato Recipes Schools Can Use
Below are school-tested recipes (scaled for typical batch sizes). Both recipes are standardized for child nutrition programs and include crediting/nutritional info.
1) Sweet Potato Bread Squares (great for breakfast!) – printable version
2) Zesty Breakfast Potatoes (great for breakfast!) – printable version
3) Local Harvest Bake – printable version
4) Orange Glazed Sweet Potatoes – printable version
5) Quick Baked Sweet Potatoes – printable version
6) Smokin’ Powerhouse Chili – printable version
7) Sweet Potato Delight (Casserole) – printable version
8) Sweet Potato Hummus – printable version
9) Tasty Tots (Popular Choice Award) – printable version
10) Sweet Potato and Black Bean Stew – printable version
A local partnership that tastes like Thanksgiving
We are deeply grateful to all of our farmers and dedicated school partners in Bradford, Lake, Milan, Trenton, Weakley, West and South Carroll Special School Districts for bringing local products to school meals in 2025. Collectively, our collaboration nourishes students, supports local farmers, and strengthens our community food system. Together, we’re growing a healthier future for all.
#NationalFarmtoSchoolMonth
~Written by LFN Team Blogger, Samantha Smith Goyret