How to Establish a Farm to School Program

Two north Atlanta moms hit on a great idea while standing at a neighborhood school bus stop.

 

While waiting for their children to come home from classes one afternoon last year, Elizabeth Davis and Angela Renals discovered they had several mutual interests: environmentalism, healthy eating and growing their own food. That’s when Davis suggested they attend an inaugural county-wide Farm to School meeting.

 

Chesnut Charter Elementary School hasn’t been the same ever since.

 

It’s been less than a year but Chesnut now has a Farm to School program that includes an organic vegetable garden, a start on a small orchard, visits from farmers and a monthly, locally grown fruit or vegetable day. The school also recently won a grant to help fund the program.

 

Part of a trend

Similar programs have been established at 9,807 schools in 2,305 school districts in all 50 states, according to the Farm to School network website. “Because these numbers are self-reported, there are very likely more programs going on than this,” said Chelsey Simpson, the Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Farm to School membership and communications associate.

 

Farm to School is a nationwide program that connects students in grades K-12 with healthy, locally sourced food through a variety of education and experiential learning initiatives. “We like to think of this as a win-win-win,” said Simpson.

 

“It improves marketing for farmers, improves food nutrition in schools and helps change family and community health habits, thus keeping food dollars local,” she added.

 

But the nation’s Farm to School program is not a big corporation that provides programs and funding to schools. “That’s the biggest misconception,” Simpson said. “It’s very grass roots.”

Click here to read the entire article: How to Establish a Farm to School Program