 Join the Ohio Department of Agriculture on April 30 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to connect with and sample local products from Ohio growers and food makers. This event is an excellent opportunity for food service directors and buyers to talk directly with producers who are or may be interested in becoming farm to school partners.
There is no cost to attend, but it is recommended that attendees register by April 24 by completing a short registration form.
Questions? Please feel free to reach out to OhioProud@agri.ohio.gov or Ashley.McDonald@agri.ohio.gov.
Any Child Nutrition program with a menu item that uses one Ohio Proud item is welcome to be part of Ohio Proud on the Menu. Ohio Proud products are at least 50% raised, grown, or processed in Ohio, meet all inspection and labeling requirements and are part of the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Ohio Proud program. Complete this Ohio Proud on the Menu form about the use of Ohio Proud foods and the Ohio Proud on the Menu logo will be available to your organization for promotional purposes. Your school or organization will also be listed on the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Ohio Proud Farm to School webpage as an Ohio Proud on the Menu Child Nutrition program.
Students Get Cooking with Local Ingredients for the Ohio Grown: Student Chef Showcase
 This fall, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce launched the Ohio Grown: Student Chef Showcase, a student-centered competition to develop youth interest in nutrition and culinary arts career pathways through hands-on experience creating and cooking an original school lunch recipe. Teams of three to five students in grades sixth through twelfth attending schools participating in the National School Lunch Program developed, tested, and submitted original lunch recipes featuring at least one Harvest of the Month ingredient to the Department.
Five teams will be selected to attend an in-person cooking competition on May 9 at Columbus State Community College where they will prepare their dishes for a panel of five food and culinary professionals. All participants will receive certificates and team banners recognizing their efforts and one team will be crowned the Ohio Grown: Student Chef Showcase Winner. Dishes from the teams will be featured in Department Harvest of the Month promotions.
To learn more about the Ohio Grown: Student Chef Showcase, visit the webpage or contact Rebecca Naab (Rebecca.Naab@education.ohio.gov).
Learn how middle school student participants at Milford Exempted Schools used their creative and culinary skills in their recipe submissions: A Recipe for Success - Milford Schools Compete in State Cooking Challenge
Recipe of the Month
Did you know that March 26 is National Spinach Day, and spinach is the featured Harvest of the Month product for April? In Ohio, spinach can be grown in the spring and fall or year-round hydroponically.
Dark green leafy greens like spinach offer key nutrients like vitamins A and K, essential for tissue, bone, and brain health. They are also rich in folate, which aids in red blood cell formation, and fiber for digestion. Remember, the darker the leaves, the more nutrient-rich your leafy greens are!
Spinach Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing
(Source: Child Nutrition Recipe Box)
Child Nutrition Program Crediting Information: ¼ cup vegetable (dark green), ¼ cup fruit, 1½ oz eq meat alternate
Meet Ohio State Extension’s New Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE) Coordinator – LaVanya Watkins
LaVanya Watkins is a dedicated educator with over 18 years of experience and a passionate advocate for sustainable agriculture. For the past ten years, she has been a mushroom farmer, playing a key role in her family business, Tiger Mushroom Farms, helping to promote urban farming and local food systems. She helps manage their nonprofit urban farm, where youth learn about sustainable agriculture, food security, and entrepreneurship.
Her extensive background in education, hands-on experience in farming, and commitment to youth in agriculture make her the perfect fit for the Ohio Farm to ECE Coordinator position. LaVanya combines her deep knowledge of curriculum development with real-world farming expertise to connect young children with fresh, local foods, building healthier communities and fostering lifelong connections to agriculture.
To learn more about Ohio’s Farm to ECE initiatives, visit Ohio State University’s Farm to Early Care and Education webpage or contact LaVanya at watkins.1008@osu.edu.
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Upcoming Promotions
Farm to Summer Celebrations: Summer is coming up! If you are a summer meal provider or a partnering organization that participates in the Summer Food Service Program or the Seamless Summer Option, consider offering local food items in meals, as a taste test, or part of a learning activity.
Celebrate Farm to Summer by purchasing and crunching locally and regionally grown cucumbers for a Cucumber Crunch event July 10, or all summer long! K-12 schools, early care and education sites, hospitals, colleges and universities, farms, state and local agencies, non-profit organizations, local businesses, groups, and households can register to Crunch this year! Anyone who wants to show support for local farmers and school food can join! Register your crunch and receive no-cost stickers for your crunch participants!
The Farm to Summer Challenge recognizes Child Nutrition Program sponsors for participating in Farm to Summer activities. Sponsors completing the challenge will be featured on the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Farm to School website and receive a Gold Gourd, Silver Snow Pea, or Bronze Bean award from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. To be recognized, take part in at least one activity from one of the challenge areas:
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Eat: Serve locally grown food or eat a locally grown cucumber for Cucumber Crunch Day.
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Grow: Participate in a gardening activity, take an agriculture-related field trip, or host a gardening professional, such as a Master Gardener, for a lesson.
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Engage: Share your Farm to Summer activities through social media, local media coverage, a newsletter, a website, or other engagement channel.
Download a copy of your Farm to Summer Challenge Scorecard today!
 2024 Farm to Summer Challenge Winners: River Valley Local Schools (Gourd Award), St. Paul United Church of Christ (Gourd Award), Lodi Family Center (Gourd Award), Westerville City Schools (Silverbeet Award)
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