October is National Farm to School Month!
October is right around the corner. Start planning for your events and celebrations early with resources from the National Farm to School Network! They have several resources including logos, activity pages, and fact sheets that are free to use and share.
Mark your calendars! Ohio’s Apple Crunch will also be taking place in October! The official Crunch date and time is Thursday, October 12th, 2023, at 12:00pm, but we welcome your Crunch any time in October. Registration details will be upcoming.
The Ohio Department of Education Office of Nutrition’s official mascot, Munch the Fox, is available to visit Farm to School events including local menu days, taste tests, and garden events. To request a visit from Munch please utilize the Munch visit request form.
Munch visiting Parma City Schools for a Harvest of the Month Taste Test
The USDA also offers FREE farm to school stickers for any child nutrition program operator or state agency administering child nutrition program. If you are interested in ordering stickers, please check out the order webpage.
Sample of Sticker Designs
Local Purchasing in Northeast Ohio
Recent data shared from Feed Our Future shows that in the 22-23 school year, Northeast Ohio schools spent over half a million dollars purchasing local food items - exceeding the regional goal of $494,655! Here’s to a 23-24 school year with even more local purchases!
 Feed Our Future’s full, annual report will be released soon with additional details on the Farm to School purchases made in both the Northeast and Southwest corners of the state. Be sure to check out Feed Our Future’s resources page for more information and updates.
COMING SOON: 2023 National Farm to School Census
The 2023 Farm to School Census will be the fourth Farm to School Census conducted by USDA, providing a picture of the type and scope of activities school food authorities (SFAs) in the area of Farm to School. This fall, SFAs will be contacted by the USDA Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) Department with a unique link to complete the survey. It is important for SFAs to take the time to complete the survey as this information helps inform future policy and funding for the state of Ohio and nationwide.
The USDA has several resources including a FAQ sheet, sample survey, and more to help SFAs prepare for the upcoming survey. Please follow the link to access these.
An Urban Garden Oasis at Urban Community School and Childcare Center
Located in the Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland, Urban Community School (UCS) boasts a campus with a K-8 school as well as a childcare center. Nestled in between both buildings you can find their children's garden. Between raised beds and ground plots you can find plenty of produce from raspberries to squash and even a few apples trees along with herbs and wildflowers.
Photos from UCS’s Children’s Garden
Environmental educator and garden manager Ellie Reagan says, “I have a passion for all these environmental topics and trying to help the school impart some sensibilities with the kids about what’s good for you and what’s good for the world. So as much as I can do that in this role, I do it. It’s pretty much my mission”.
UCS students spend time weekly (weather permitting) outdoors in the garden as part of their environmental/garden education class. They learn about plant and animal science, develop agriculture skills working in raised bed garden plots, and even boost their culinary abilities by preparing simple dishes like homemade salsa from fresh garden produce. During the winter months when the garden is not operational, the students spend time inside learning about nutrition and the positive environmental impacts of eating locally.
Ellie also leads an afterschool garden club called Roots and Shoots for grades 5-8. Garden club members spend extra time in the garden and school greenhouse, plant vegetable starts for an annual fundraiser, and dry garden herbs to sell. Part of the proceeds from Roots and Shoots fundraisers go back into the garden while the rest goes to a local Cleveland-based charity, Drink Local, Drink Tap, which provides sanity water and latrines in Uganda. “I want them to be thinking about social justice and helping people along the way – just thinking a little bigger,” Ellie says.
UCS Garden and Cafeteria Artwork
Moving forward, Ellie would like to increase the number of raised beds in the garden area – potentially allowing each classroom to have their own bed to tend to throughout the fall and to plant in the spring. While the garden does not have the capacity to provide enough produce to supply the over 600 school lunches UCS serves daily, the exposure to fresh produce Ellie provides in the garden and during culinary lessons is shifting students’ palates and mindsets about what they eat. She frequently sends students home with garden extras- most recently a giant zucchini a student was thrilled to give to his father.
“To have this space to work in is incredible”, she says. “Urban has this incredible support from people. They’re committed to having a garden and staffing with a teacher that is their full-time job”. This commitment has been translated into hand-on learning experiences and valuable lessons about food, nutrition, and agriculture experiences for all Urban Community School students – lessons that will hopefully last a lifetime!
Squash, Thyme, and Wildflowers from the UCS Garden
Want to be featured in the next monthly newsletter and on Ohio's Farm to School Websites? Share your F2S success stories with us! Submit your F2S Success Story here!
9th Annual Ohio School Garden Conference
Mark your calendars! The 9th Annual Ohio School Garden Conference hosted by Ohio State Extension’s College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences will be taking place on Friday, November 3rd, 2023, from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM. This is a great opportunity to learn and network with some of the top school and childcare garden experts in the state! Register here.
Current Promotions
Discover Dairy’s Annual “Adopt a Cow” program. Registration is currently open and ends on September 15, 2023. Eligible organizations include traditional schools, homeschools, after-school programs, and 4-H programs and more. This program is FREE, and a great way engage children of all ages. To learn more and register follow the link below:
Adopt a Cow - Discover Dairy
The Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Ohio Proud of the Menu is an ongoing way for schools to promote the local food items they use on their menus. Schools, childcare centers, and summer feeding sites can apply to use the Ohio Proud on the Menu by filling out a short application. Once completed, they will have access to the Ohio Proud on the Menu logo as well as be added as a participant on the Department’s Farm to School webpage!
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