|
October 6, 2015 | Happy National Farm to School Month!
In today's Wisconsin Farm to School newsletter, you will find:
|
Celebrate!
Farm to School Month is officially
underway! A big thanks for your enthusiasm as we kicked things off. Make
sure to share how you are celebrating National Farm to School Month by using
the hashtags #wifarmtoschool, #farmtoschool and #F2SMonth.
This month, we will feature four WI Farm to
School newsletters, including an issue highlighting Farm to Preschool, an
issue highlighting the WI AmeriCorps Farm to School Program, as well as some behind-the-scenes information on how you can be a part of the 2016 National Farm to Cafeteria Conference.
|
|
|
Do you need ideas on how to
celebrate National Farm to School Month?
Check out the National Farm to School Network Communications
Toolkit.
There is still plenty of
time to sign up for the Great Lakes Great Apple Crunch on October 22. Join over
150,000 Great Lakes students who are already signed up to celebrate local foods
and farm to school by crunching into an apple! More information on the Facebook Page,
and a short registration link here.
 Growing Healthy Children School Garden Photo Contest!
Now through October 21, 2015
Don't forget to post your favorite school garden photo and caption on facebook under #GrowingHealthyChildren by October 21! WSGI will announce the winning photo on Great Lakes Great Apple Crunch day, and the winning school will receive 20 free copies of the Growing Healthy Children toolkit, as well as a school garden care package! Teachers can also
download a pdf of the book at any time. Here is a link with all of the
information about the photo contest, and to download the book: http://www.communitygroundworks.org/content/favorite-wsgi-resources
Caption for example photo above -
Fourth graders joined up with the high school Food Processing class to harvest
257# of potatoes that were sent from the garden to the school kitchen! This is enough potatoes to serve 6 meals! -Mrs. Lesneski's fourth grade class, Shell Lake School District
|
 Chop! Chop! Culinary Skills for Wisconsin-Grown
Produce in School Meals
Six
short training videos take you through a variety of different Wisconsin-grown
produce and how to use more of it in your school lunch room. Videos include
information on school nutrition requirements met by each fruit or vegetable,
basic culinary preparation techniques, creative menu ideas, and tips for using
'cosmetically imperfect seconds.'
|
USDA
Farm to School Report
The press release below
reads: New Report Shows Farm to School Grants Have Increased Likelihood that
6.9 Million Kids Will Eat More Healthy Food at School, Created New Local Market
Opportunities for Farmers. You already know that the farm to school grants
USDA distributes help inspire healthy eating habits and create market opportunities
for producers. But the USDA wanted to make sure you were aware that today
Secretary Vilsack announced the release of a new report on the USDA Farm to
School Grant Program. The report summarizes grants made and activities
undertaken over the last three years, and features stories and anecdotes from
USDA-funded farm to school projects all across the country. As grantees, some
of you may be featured, and as tireless supporters of farm to school programs,
you all surely have influenced and impacted many of the projects we’ve funded
over the years. Thank you. The
USDA is so inspired by the work being done by grantees to make sure children
have access to healthy, local food at school, and we’re equally inspired by the
role played by the National Farm to School Network in making sure the farm to
school movement is vibrant, strong and connected.
|
Save the Date
2016 National Farm to
Cafeteria Conference
Save the
date for the 2016 National Farm to Cafeteria Conference, to be held June
1-4, 2016 in Madison, Wisconsin. The National Farm to
Cafeteria Conference is a biennial event that convenes a diverse group of
stakeholders from across the farm to cafeteria movement who are working to
source local food for institutional cafeterias and foster a culture of food and
agricultural literacy across America. The conference is hosted by the National
Farm to School Network, in partnership with local host organizations. More
information to come soon.
MadCity ACF
Monday, October
12th, Madison College Gourmet Dining Room, 5:30-7:00pm
Irene
Pawlisch, Food Service Director/Chef, from Taher will present ACF Chefs Moves
to Schools and how to make a chef school match. Beth Hanna, Training and
Outreach Specialist for the Wisconsin School Garden Initiative, from Community
Groundworks will present on School Gardens and Farm to School “Got Dirt”
activities. Hear from the Chefs and teachers that have partnered in the
past. Get ideas and lessons for the
classroom or demonstration ideas for a cafeteria. “Kids ate foods they wouldn’t
eat at home. A few kids took the recipes
home and made them with their families.
The Chef made everything fun.” – 3rd Grade Teacher
Most activities include
showing the raw product, relating back to core curriculum, having a tasting
sample premade, demonstrating the recipe or partial recipe, and talking to
students about their personal food experiences.
Always having fun!
|
Webinar: National Farm to School
Network
Farm to School
101
Tuesday,
Oct. 13, 12-12:30pm CT
Mark your
calendar for our Farm to School 101 webinar! On Tuesday, October 13 we’ll
discuss the basics of the farm to school movement, its core elements, and how
it is working to connect 23.5 million children to local food in schools all
over the country. Register
here.
|
|
 |
WI Farm to School
AmeriCorps Positions now Available for the 2015-2016 School Year!
There are still a few open spots for the WI Farm to School
AmeriCorps Program. Please contact Dominique.bradley@wisconsin.gov
if you are interested.
|
| 
