October 12, 2023

This Week in Farm to School 

Farm to school connects local agriculture, schools, and partners to benefit students, educators, farmers, families, and communities.

Happy National School Lunch Week!

October 9-13 is National School Lunch Week! Students are leveling up with healthy school meals to help them conquer whatever challenges they face. Together, we are celebrating the power of school lunch. In the quest for academic success, research shows that healthy school lunches give kids the stats they need to come out on top. Share with the Farm to School Coalition of NC how you are celebrating National School Lunch Week by tagging us on Facebook or Instagram.

Paid Experiential Learning Programs to Serve K-14 Teachers in NC Information Session

October 23 & 25, 2023 // 6:30 pm ET

Please join Dr. Kathleen Liang at NCA&T for the second information session to learn about a new project in supporting K-14 teachers, staff, and administrators to engage in a 7-day innovative agricultural experiential learning program. This training is open to all disciplines. The information session will discuss expectations, timeline, financial support, and application process. The objectives of the program are to (1) deliver integrated training involving innovative hands-on research, experiential learning, and interdisciplinary curriculum design to fulfill soft skills and technical competency for K-14 teachers and administrators, and (2) fulfill shared efficacy to equip participants with knowledge and training materials of the historical context of diversity and equity in agri-food systems and supporting networks.

Learn more and register.

2023 Farm to School Census Information Session

October 24, 2023 // 1 pm - 2 pm ET

The USDA’s Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program is conducting its fourth Farm to School Census in Fall 2023! This Census is the only national survey that examines local food purchasing, school gardens, and agricultural education efforts in schools. High participation rates will help illustrate the scale and impact of farm to school within North Carolina and show us where there is room to grow. Learn more about the Farm to School Census and North Carolina farm to school programs. We encourage School Food Authorities (SFA) representatives, Extension agents, non-profit partners, and farm to school advocates to attend this webinar to learn more!

Webinar objectives include:

1.  Outlining the purpose and importance of the 2023 Farm to School Census

2.  Demonstrating the impact of past Census data

3.  Highlighting Census resources provided by the USDA and other state-level farm to school partners

4.  Sharing how SFAs and community partners can participate in the Census. 

Learn more and register.

Get Ready to Crunch

October 18, 2023 // 12 pm ET

Join the state of North Carolina in celebrating Farm to School and Early Care and Education Month by crunching into a locally grown fruit or vegetable on Wednesday, October 18, 2023, at noon or any time during the month of October that works for you. The NC Crunch is also a great opportunity to thank all those involved in feeding our communities. This event is about uniting together to celebrate North Carolina agriculture, locally grown fruits and vegetables, and healthy eating. Participants of all ages are invited to crunch with their schools, early care and education sites, organizations, families, and/or communities. Help us reach all 100 counties and 500,000 kids and adults with the NC Crunch! Share your #NCCrunch activities with the @F2CoalitionNC and @NCFarmtoPreschool Network on Facebook and Instagram.

Learn more and register.

Session I: Key Components of a Youth-Led Entrepreneurship Cooperative

October 26, 2023 // 3:30 pm - 5 pm ET

City Blossoms, the Farm-Based Education Network, and the U.S. Botanic Gardens have teamed up to offer a four-part workshop series highlighting the ins and outs of farm and garden youth entrepreneurship programs. Join the series and a group of guest presenters to explore how to support young people as they start, manage, and grow their own youth-driven businesses. The first session in the series explores the components of a youth-led entrepreneurship cooperative.

Learn more and register.

North Carolina State Extension Farm to School Portal

The North Carolina State Extension's new farm to school portal is now live! This resource hub aims to provide farm to school resources for and from partners around North Carolina. The website will house content related to NC State Extension farm to school course in addition to other publications and fact sheets.

Learn more.

School Meals for All NC (SMFA) Ambassadors

Attention all North Carolina youth and young leaders! The School Meals for All Campaign is working to secure funding for school meals for all so that every child in every public school in North Carolina has access to breakfast and lunch at no cost to their families. Currently, the campaign is recruiting student youth ambassadors from across North Carolina! This program will provide community capacity building by convening young leaders, providing policy and system change training for young leaders, and utilizing GIS and story mapping to share the impact of school meals. 

Learn more and sign up!

School Meals for All NC National School Lunch Week Poster Contest

The School Meals for All NC campaign would love to see your artistic skills by participating in their poster contest. The contest ends on October 20, 2023 and winners will be announced after the surveys have been completed. This contest is for students!

Learn more.

‘Silver Dollar Road’ Documentary Spotlights Injustice Faced by Black North Carolina Farmers

This documentary tells the story of the Reels family and highlights the discrimination against Black people within the agriculture industry. 

Learn more.

Committee on Racial Equity (CORE) Food Justice Timeline - Acts of Resistance 

The Center for Environmental Farming Systems’ CORE program has created a timeline displaying acts of resistance in the food justice movement.

Learn more.

2024 Budding Botanist Grant

Deadline: October 20, 2023

The Klorane Botanical Foundation is committed to supporting programs that teach respect for the environment and protect nature through the preservation of plant species and biodiversity. Designed to further their mission, the Budding Botanist Grant will help our students learn about plants, explore their world, and inspire them to take care of the life they discover in their local ecosystems. In late 2023, twenty high-need schools across the United States will be awarded $500 in grant funding to support their youth garden programs.

Learn more and apply.

Whole Kids Foundation Bee Grants

Traditional Bee Grant

Deadline: October 31, 2023

The Traditional Bee Grant allows for K-12 schools or non-profit organizations that serve any grades K-12 to start a new or enhance an existing bee program hosting live bees on their campus.

Learn more and apply.

Kids Kindness Grants

Deadline: November 1, 2023

Kindness Grows Here believes every child is inherently kind and can make positive changes in their community. Kids and teens have amazing ideas for spreading kindness in their schools, neighborhoods, and larger communities. For this reason, Kindness Grows Here dedicates the largest portion of their budget to their "Kid Kindness Grants" program. Every year from September 1 to November 1 they accept applications directly from kids between the ages of 5-18 who have ideas for spreading kindness. To apply, kids need to complete a simple application that tells what they want to do, why, who their project will impact, how much money they need, and exactly how they will spend it. 

Learn more and apply.

NC Farm Bureau Going Local Grants

Deadline: November 15, 2023

The North Carolina Farm Bureau is happy to provide agricultural outreach grants to NC teachers through their Ag in the Classroom Going Local program. These grants value up to $500. Going Local Grants help educators provide Pre-K through collegiate-level students with valuable, real-world education and experiences directly related to the agricultural industry and the NC Standard Course of Study. Teachers practicing in private and public North Carolina schools, colleges, and universities are encouraged to apply.

Learn more.

2023 Farm to School Census

The USDA Food and Nutrition Service released the fourth Farm to School Census on October 2nd, and your participation counts! The Census surveys all public, private, and charter school food authorities (SFAs) operating the National School Lunch Program about their farm to school relevant activities. The Census results are publicly available and the information is vital to help schools, partners, advocates, and producers understand the role of farm to school in supporting resilient local food systems and contributing to student experiences at school.

Learn more.

School Meals Help Tackle Hunger: Scoring Big for Our Communities

When it comes to tackling hunger, school meals are the MVPs of the game. With this School Meals for All NC article, learn how school meals not only provide essential nourishment but also bring a sense of unity to the field.

Learn more.