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Join the California Farm to School Network's 10th Community of Practice Call
 July 25, 2024 @ 2 PM PT
The California Department of Food and Agriculture Office of Farm to Fork (CDFA-F2F) and California Department of Education (CDE) invite you to join the 10th California Farm to School Network's Community of Practice call.
At 2 PM on Thursday, July 25, via Zoom, this call will include guest presentations, a moderated panel discussion, and live Q&A. We hope to see you there!
Click here to register.
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Grant Project Highlights
 California Farm to School Incubator Grant Program grantees are hard at work implementing grant projects and transforming the school food system! Read below to learn more about San Jacinto Unified School District's grant project!
California Farm to School Incubator Grant Program funds were awarded to the San Jacinto Unified School District (SJUSD) to enrich its students with fresh, healthy produce and food
that it procures from neighborhood farms. Plans include having local farmers visit the elementary schools; providing a "farmers market" atmosphere with fresh produce samples, including seasonal fruits and vegetables; educating students on benefits of procuring from local farms; and providing "farm life" bus tour opportunities.
Throughout the first year of the grant program, SJUSD second- through fourth-grade students have been able to enjoy experience-based field trips where they meet farm animals, learn about the farm’s produce, and spend a few quiet moments listening to water flow through a creek which is part of a local wildlife corridor.
A highlight of one of the field trips to Old Grove Orange was a hayride through the orange grove and getting to see where the oranges served in SJUSD cafeterias are grown!
Do you want to learn more about the California Farm to School Incubator Grant Program? Let's talk! Please email your questions to cafarmtoschool@cdfa.ca.gov.
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Yuba City Unified School District Works to Expand Farm to School Efforts
 CBS News Sacramento recently highlighted the farm to school work taking place in Sutter County at Yuba City Unified School District (YCUSD)! YCUSD is working to create a district farm to sustain all the schools in the area, and has already been implementing some school gardens with success.
The garden at YCUSD's Barry Elementary School has produced nearly 500 pounds of food so far this school year, and Jacob Natalia, manager of the Barry Elementary School cafeteria shared, "It was really neat how the atmosphere changed as our salad bar slowly converted from being store-bought food to food that was gardened that they planted and grew because, as they noticed it, they were taking more and more salad."
Click here to watch the full video.
To get involved and join the farm to school momentum in the Superior Region, reach out to Farm to School Network Lead Jennifer Rogge at Jennifer.Rogge@cdfa.ca.gov.
To connect with a farm to school team member in your region, visit the About Us dropdown on the CA Farm to School Program page.
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Rialto Unified School District Harvest 1,400 Pounds of Citrus
 Photo Credit: Rialto Unified School District (Instagram: @rialtonutrition)
Last month, Rialto Unified School District (2021 and 2022 California Farm to School Incubator Grant Program recipient) Werner Elementary School students harvested their citrus trees! Approximately 1,400 pounds of fresh oranges, grapefruit, and tangerines were harvested and will be served in the student cafeteria.
Click here to learn more.
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Fresno Unified School District Celebrates Farm to Summer Week with Nutrition Education
 Fresno Unified School District (2021 and 2022 California Farm to School Incubator Grant Program recipient) celebrated Farm to Summer Week by educating its students at various school sites about local food and where it comes from. Some of these educational opportunities and local food purchases included:
- CalFresh Healthy Living, University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Fresno County, and UCCE Madera County joined Holland Elementary students and Kirk Elementary students during lunchtime to teach nutrition education and help students learn about where their fresh fruits, vegetables, and milk comes from in California.
- Producers Dairy, a family-owned dairy in Central California, joined Bakman Elementary students and shared how milk gets to students in the cafeteria.
- Fresno County Public Library joined students at Rowell Elementary to hand out free books and calendars for students.
Click here to learn more.
School Garden Network's Spring Activities
 The School Garden Network's spring educational activities in Sonoma County have featured a colorful variety of root vegetables and spring peas!
This past April, students got to taste rainbow carrots, Thumbelina carrots, easter egg radishes, French breakfast radishes, and bright, lemony beet hummus! Many students were big fans of the sweetness of the carrots, and some students even said they enjoyed the vegetables more than they thought they would! At Bellevue Elementary, students got to experience root crops at every stage, from seed to soil to plate!
Last month, students got the opportunity to learn all about spring peas and taste every part of the plant, from the seed to sprout, tendril, flower, and fruit. They visited the pea plants in the garden, practiced shucking some peas, and tasted edible flowers like calendula and borage that support pollination!
Click here to learn more.
New Climate-Smart Farms Educational Resource from the Center for Ecoliteracy
 The Center for Ecoliteracy recently developed a free suite of activities - California’s Climate-Smart Farms - to address topics such as California food and climate change. These educational activities serve to engage middle school students in questioning and observing climate-related phenomena. Then, through case studies, students will discover California farmers across the state who are working with people, places, and food to nurture more resilient and sustainable ways of living.
Click here to learn more.
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Registration Open for 2024 Ag in the Classroom Conference
 September 27-29, 2024
Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa
Join Ag in the Classroom (AITC) in Costa Mesa, CA, this September for the 37th Annual Ag in the Classroom Conference! This is an opportunity to collaborate with fellow educators who share your passion for agriculture.
The AITC conference is designed for Pre-K-12 educators, administrators, and volunteers to come together to learn and share how to incorporate food and fiber into all curricular areas.
Early Bell Registration: $345 (until June 30)
Early Bird Registration: $365 (July 1 - August 16)
Regular Registration: $385 (August 17 - September 13)
Click here to learn more or register.
Life Lab-Certified Garden Educator Course Accepting Registrations
 Life Lab has opened registration for its Garden Education Course. This comprehensive course is designed to mentor and empower people on their journey to becoming stellar school garden educators. Upon successful completion of the course, participants will receive a certificate and the distinction of being a Life Lab-Certified School Garden Educator. There are four modules in this course. Each module will include synchronous meetings, at-home work, and a unique one-on-one coaching model.
COHORT 8: 16-Week Course
Live classes will be held every Tuesday, from 3:30 - 5:00 PT.
August 27, 2024 - Dec 10, 2024
COHORT 9: 8-Week Course
Live classes will be held every Monday and Wednesday, from 3:30 - 5:00 PT.
September 9, 2024 - October 30, 2024
Click here to learn more.
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Morgan Hill Unified School District Job Opening
 Morgan Hill Unified School District (MHUSD) is seeking a Farm to School Supervisor, who will be responsible for all aspects of overseeing the FarmTECH program and farm to school related projects across the district. Under the general supervision of the Director of Student Nutrition, this position performs technical tasks and duties within FarmTECH, including the operation of MHUSD Freight Farms, greenhouses, raised beds, nurseries, row crops, and other regenerative farming initiatives at multiple sites.
The FarmTECH program requires specialized training related to planting, growing, and harvesting of hydroponic and other crops for the purpose of providing hyper-local food sources for the Student Nutrition program. This position also requires skills with presenting to both professionals and students. The Farm to School Supervisor will coordinate, plan, and deliver educational programing, like school assemblies, farm tours, and educational programing as needed. The Farm to School Supervisor will also work closely with the Director to organize, plan, schedule, and deliver farm products in close coordination with the
operations and menu planning of the Student Nutrition Department.
Click here to learn more or apply.
Temalpakh Farm Hiring Two Positions
 Market Manager
The Market Manager will be responsible for fulfilling Market Retail Clerks Duties (see separate job description) to assist with coverage as needed. Market Manager will deliver truly great service and create a warm and friendly environment for guests. The Market Manager will also be responsible for the hiring of market retail clerks, training new hires, supervising the daily activities of the market staff and maintain upkeep and organization of the market. The Market Manager will enter new items into the point of sale system and adjust prices as necessary, track inventory, maintain a list of items to be ordered and coordinate receipt of deliveries. Will also be responsible for administrative duties and reviewing documentation as well as coordinating with the growing/harvest personnel.
Farm Operations Manager
Under the direction of the General Manager, the Farm Operations Manager will have primary responsibility for the operation of the farm including crop selection, crop cycle planning, farm worker training and safety, labor management, risk management including employee and product safety, crop disease diagnosis and management. Supervision of tillage, planting, soil building, irrigation, crop nutrition, integrated pest management, harvesting, post-harvest washing, trimming and storage, value-added processing, and farm machinery maintenance and repair. Crop selection and crop cycle planning will be done in close cooperation with the General Manager and the Market Operations Manager. Will oversee all outdoor Farm operations including harvest, planting, green house operations, creation of plant schedules, and irrigation. The Farm Operations Manager will also oversee produce projections.
To learn more or apply please contact Anadalia Rios at ARios@379emc.com.
Food Literacy Center Job Opening
The Food Literacy Center, located in Sacramento, CA, is seeking to fill a Garden & Cooking Educator position. This role will support the Food Literacy Center cooking school and student garden/farm at Leataata Floyd Elementary School serving 300 students a year.
The Garden & Cooking Educator role is a hands-on, get your hands dirty (literally!) role designed to ensure Food Literacy Center can provide services to its community each week. This role reports directly to the Program Manager and is an exciting opportunity for a results-oriented and energetic professional with a passion for inspiring kids to eat their vegetables.
Click here to learn more or apply.
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We Want to Hear From You!
Do you have feedback, ideas or a success story for the CA Farm to School Network? Please reach out to us and share! Whether it's sending us an email or tagging us on social media, we are here to help you grow!
Instagram - @cafarmtoschool
Email - cafarmtoschool@cdfa.ca.gov
It's our goal to support changemakers on the ground however we can, and the best way for us to provide that help is through clear communication! Choose your favorite method to get in touch!
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