Farm to School Month Promotions
October is National Farm to School Month
October is Farm to School Month! This year’s Farm to School Month theme is, “Growing for the Future.” Join thousands of schools, early care and education sites, farms, communities and organizations across the country to celebrate food education, school gardens and lunch trays filled with healthy, local ingredients. Here are several easy ways to get involved:
-
Be Inspired: Follow the National Farm to School Network on their blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to see examples of farm to school success and innovation.
-
Get Involved: Explore the National Farm to School Network’s calendar of events! If hosting events for Farm to School Month, submit them to the calendar.
-
Spread the Word: Shout out about farm to school and share Farm to School Month activities with hashtags #OHAppleCrunch, #GreatAppleCrunch, #F2SMonth and #farmtoschool on social media. Send photos and stories to Kara Johnson to be featured in upcoming newsletters.
-
Explore Resources: Check out the National Farm to School Network resource page, providing a Farm to School Month Celebration Toolkit, customizable posters, bookmarks, stickers, and more.
|
The Great Apple Crunch
 he Great Apple Crunch is a simple event in which Ohio and neighboring Midwest states come together to bite into locally grown apples. Join us any time during the month of October. This event is an excellent opportunity to promote healthy eating, support local farmers, and highlight the importance of local foods.
Gather together, purchase some Ohio grown apples, and take a big bite together. Participate to be part of a statewide celebration of local food and receive a free crunch guide with stickers from Ohio State University Extension.
Register by completing a short registration form and great ready to crunch!
Farm to School Chef
The Office of Nutrition has available a mobile teaching kitchen and instruction from Farm to School Chef Jim Warner to deliver hands-on cooking demonstrations and professional development experiences to food service staff and classrooms – no formal kitchen required!
Sponsors of child nutrition programs are encouraged to complete the Farm to School Chef Request to request an event with Chef Warner. All events are customized to meet the individual needs of the hosting sponsor and will feature Ohio Harvest of the Month products. Host is responsible for procuring required food items for demonstrations and Chef Warner may require access to a prep area ahead of staff training.
Available experiences with Chef Warner include:
-
Knife Skills – Produce: This training is intended for food service workers and will last approximately 30 minutes.
-
Knife Skills – Animal Proteins: This training is intended for food service workers and will last approximately 30 minutes.
-
Building a Recipe with Locally Sourced Ingredients: This training is intended for food service workers and will last approximately 60 minutes.
-
Menu Demonstration: This training is intended for food service workers and will last approximately 60-90 minutes
-
Sensory Tasting: This experiential event will encourage students to think about the science behind the foods while engaging all five senses in a tasting demonstration. This is intended for students in grades 6-8 and will last approximately 45 minutes.
-
Cooking From the Garden: Intended to take place in your school or community garden using produce grown on site, this event is perfect for all ages and will last approximately 60-90 minutes.
-
Custom Offerings: Classes are designed to encourage and engage food service staff, students, and families to enjoy local foods and to build the bounty of fresh Ohio foods into Program meals.
Invite a Special Guest to Your Farm to School Event!
The Office of Nutrition’s mascot, Munch the Fox, is available for school and childcare visits throughout the year. Request an appearance by using this link.
Happy National Farm to School Month!
2026 Ohio Grown: Student Chef Showcase Request for Applications Released
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 will develop, test, and submit 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 in May 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 Champion. Dishes from the teams will be featured in Harvest of the Month promotions. Apply by completing the application form by February 2, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.
To learn more about the Ohio Grown: Student Chef Showcase, visit the webpage or contact Kara Johnson.
Grow Ohio Grant Awardees
 Thriving raised garden beds in The Buckeye Ranch’s Gardening for Growth Program
The Grow Ohio Grant program is funded through the 2022 State Agency Non-Competitive Farm to School Formula Grant awarded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and supports the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) sponsors in providing innovative, local level activities that create agricultural education opportunities for participating children through farm to school projects such as outdoor or indoor school gardening, hydroponics, collaborations with local food producers, and food literacy activities. Congratulations to the 2025 Grow Ohio Grantees!
2025 Grow Ohio Grantees
NSLP Sponsor Awardees
Buckeye Local Schools ($35,000)
Cardinal Local Schools ($6,850)
Evergreen Local Schools ($16,840)
Fairfield Local Schools ($8,996)
Madison Local Schools ($23,000)
Mayfield City Schools ($12,000)
Noble Local Schools ($39,980)
River Valley Local Schools ($37,916.66)
Ross County Christian Academy ($22,000)
Safe House Prep ($15,157.34)
Upper Arlington Schools ($16,800)
Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities ($7,360)
Worthington City Schools ($11,100)
Child and Adult Care Food Program Sponsor Awardees
Columbus Montessori Education Center ($40,000)
Lorain County Community Action Agency ($13,500)
Kiddie Kampus Child Enrichment Center ($16,070)
Summer Food Service Program Sponsor Awardees
Family, Adolescent & Child Community Engagement Services (FACCES) ($38,000)
Lodi Family Center ($6,430)
2024 Grow Ohio Grant Highlight – Joseph Badger Local Schools
 Ohio Farm to School display at Joseph Badger Local Schools
To support student learning in STEM-based fields Joseph Badger Schools introduced two new course offerings for high school students – Botany and Food and Nutrition. Hydroponic growing is incorporated into both courses, giving students year-round opportunities for hands on growing. Students earn industry recognized credentials in hydroponics and food safety. The foodservice department participated in the hydroponic growing, using fresh leafy greens and herbs in new recipes for student meals. Throughout the District, 595 students participated in Grow Ohio Grant funded programming. The district purchased 450 lbs. of local foods as a direct result of the new local producer relationships developed through the grant period, and 270 lbs. of produce were grown and served in District meal programs.
|
Farm to Summer Challenge Awardees
The Farm to Summer Challenge celebrates Ohio sponsors using Farm to Summer strategies to improve summer meal programs. Organizations that complete at least one activity from the three challenge areas of Eat, Grow, and Engage are recognized with a Gold Gourd, Silver Snow Pea, or Bronze Bean award. Congratulations to the 2026 Farm to Summer Challenge winners!
 Ohio Farm to Summer Digital Badges
|
2025 Gold Gourd Award Winners
Boys and Girls Club of Massillon
Cincinnati Public Schools
Connecting Kids to Meals
Crestwood Local Schools
Edison Local School District
Elgin Local Schools
Miami Trace Local Schools
Northwestern Ohio Community Action Commission
Ottawa County Family Advocacy Center
River Valley Local Schools
Salvation Army Middletown
St. Paul United Church of Christ
Ukrainian Academy
2025 Silver Snow Pea Award Winners
Chillicothe City Schools
2025 Bronze Bean Award Winners
East Cleveland Schools
|
|
 |
Recipe of the Month
Apples offer key nutrients like fiber and vitamin C, which are important for healthy digestion and healing. Sweet potatoes contain beta-carotene, a precursor for vitamin A. Vitamin A assists the immune system and helps to protect skin and eye health.
Baked Sweet Potatoes and Apples
(Source: Child Nutrition Recipe Box)
 Child Nutrition Program Crediting Information: 1/3 cup provides 1/8 cup red/orange vegetable and 1/8 cup fruit.
Introducing Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s Farm to School Specialist: Kara Johnson
The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce welcomes Kara Johnson to Ohio Farm to School! Kara most recently served on the CACFP team in the Office of Nutrition as an Education Program Specialist and CACFP Meal Pattern trainer. With previous experience in nonprofit and local government program management, Kara is familiar with federal nutrition programming and grant processes. Receiving her Bachelor of Nutrition Science and Master of Dietetics and Nutrition degrees from The Ohio State University, Kara is a Registered Dietitian with broad experience of applying federal nutrition recommendations. Kara is excited to work with all Child Nutrition Program sponsors to support and uplift Farm to Child Nutrition Program projects across Ohio. Contact Kara Johnson for farm to school questions and technical assistance.
|
|
