Throughout the City of Columbus, elementary age students are looking through mini magnifying glasses, eagerly watching sprouts grow, right in their own homes. This creative, hands-on learning approach has been taken by Ohio’s largest school district, Columbus City Schools (CCS), to keep students actively engaged this school year. As part of the district’s Farm to School initiative, CCS created and delivered 1,500 garden take home kits, all aligned with lesson plans. This project was led by CCS Farm to School Coordinator, Christine Weatherholtz. The kits include garden and science tools suggested by teachers, for the students to use with the lessons provided. There are 75 CCS elementary schools and 44 with gardens. Weatherholtz recognizes that each of the 44 schools […]
Ohio Farm to School News
COVID 19 Resources for Farm to School and ECE
These resources from the National Farm to School Network can be found here.
Knowledge Exchange COVID 19 HUB
A new website with science-based information and research on COVID-19 from The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences launched April
7th. The KX COVID-19 Hub is a collaboration between The Knowledge Exchange, Ohio State University Extension, and the CFAES statewide network of researchers and faculty. Visit kx.osu.edu/covid-19 for a collection of resources, tools, and links to help Ohio communities weather the crisis.
Founded in 2019, The Knowledge Exchange (KX) is a support platform in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences bringing research to the public in an unbiased and interactive way.
Read past editions of This Week for more funding opportunities, webinars and events, jobs, and ways to take action to support farm to school growth across the country.
Ohio Awarded Farm to ECE Implementation Grant Through ASPHN
Farm to Early Care and Education Implementation Grant (FIG) Will Expand Efforts in 10 States and the District of Columbia Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE) programs enrich young children’s health and lives through greater access to nutritious foods and a hands-on approach to food, health and agriculture education. The Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN) is pleased to announce that 10 states and the District of Columbia have been awarded $90,900 each to strengthen their state-level Farm to ECE initiatives for a one-year project period. These impactful plans were competitively selected from a pool of 21 applicants and include: Colorado, District of Columbia, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Vermont, and Washington. According to […]
2021 Farm to School Grant Program Request for Applications is now available!
The 2021 Farm to School Grant Program Request for Applications (RFA) is now available! The solicitation officially opened October 16th, 2020, and will remain open until 11:59pm ET on January 8th, 2021. FNS seeks to award up to $10 million this fiscal year. Eligible schools, State and local agencies, Indian tribal organizations, small- to medium-sized agricultural producers or groups of small- to medium-sized agricultural producers, and non-profit organizations are eligible for Farm to School grants. New for FY 2021, institutions operating the Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program at non-school based sites are included in the definition of eligible schools and may apply for funding. Priority scoring incentives return for applicants who meet certain criteria, […]
GREAT Apple Crunch Virtual Events 2020
We are SO excited to share these interactive and fun Apple Crunch Experiences to celebrate National Farm to School Month! Here is the link to the Facebook live Virtual Crunch Day Event! This 15-minute virtual Crunch is hosted at Quarry Hill Orchards, where Farmers Ben and Brooke answer most asked apple questions in the orchard! Crunchers will learn where apples are grown, how they grow, and how they to their plates! Here is the link to an Apple Crunch event from SNAP-Ed Program Assistants in Wood, Seneca, Ottawa, Lucas, and Sandusky counties! This interactive Apple Crunch event includes apple facts, jokes, physical activity (picking apples in an orchard), reading Apple Farmer Annie and of course, a big CRUNCH! Now that […]
Apple Crunch 2020
Register for the Great Lakes Great Apple Crunch! Thursday, October 8, 2020 Join the 2020 Great Apple Crunch to celebrate Ohio farmers, healthy kids, and strong communities this October. Participating in the Crunch is simple: buy, serve, and Crunch into locally grown apples! Since 2014, we have highlighted National Farm to School Month and our local farmers with MILLIONS of Crunches across the region. We know the Crunch will look different this year AND we are still excited to creatively Crunch together. Register your Crunch to make it official, add to the Crunch count, get the scoop on serving local apples during COVID-19, and receive the Crunch Guide and lesson plans. Everyone is invited to Crunch to reach our goal of TWO MILLION […]
2020 Food Service Conference
OHIO STRONG: VIRTUAL FOOD SERVICE CONFERENCE JULY 22, 2020 9:00 A.M. – 2:30 P.M. Register here to receive your FREE entrance to this virtual seminar. Registration Deadline July 21, 2020 The conference is designed for: School Cafeteria Staff, Registered Dietitians, Dietetic Technicians, Registered School Wellness Teams, Parents, PTA/PTO • Pending for 4 SNS CEU’s • Pending for 4 RD/DTR For Questions, please contact Ohio State University Extension at: Trumbull County: 330-638-6783 Marie Economos: economos.2@osu.edu Mahoning County: 330-533-5538 Beth Stefura: stefura.2@osu.edu Find more information here(PDF)Links to a PDF document.!
2020 USDA Farm to School Grant Awardees
Since 2013, the USDA Farm to School Grant Program has offered annual grants to schools, school districts, nonprofits, state agencies, agricultural producers, and Indian Tribal Organizations to plan, implement, or provide training on farm to school activities. FNS is committed to working with schools and agricultural partners to ensure healthy habits take root in early childhood. Congratulations to all Ohio recipients! 1. Community Roots – $47,885 Mount Vernon, Ohio Grant Type: Planning Mount Vernon City School District is home to almost 4,000 students in six elementary schools, a middle school and a high school. The main objective of the Farm to MV Project is to build a sustainable, comprehensive Farm to School Program focused on local food procurement, agricultural education […]
Growing Food Justice
An online talk show hosted by Whitney Gherman and featuring agriculturalists from around Ohio. Join for honest talk and healthy food access solutions featuring: -Brittany Jones | Urban Agriculture Alliance of Lucas County -Sophia Buggs | Lady Buggs Farm -Sediah Hamzah | Meals Made Easy -Walter Bonham, Justin Ocheltree | NECIC -Shawn Jackson | Mayes Temple While it is essential to address food security and food access, that work alone does not address systematic racism that permeates America’s food system. Driving Indigenous people off their land, enslaving Africans, the legacy of redlining, the plight of farm workers, and even more recently, racial discrimination against African American farmers in its allocation of farm loans and assistance, has caused Majority Melonated People to […]
CFAES Community Reflection and Action on Racial Issues
CFAES Community: It’s hard to find the words to describe what the past two weeks have generated for all of us in our college, university, and country. The unjust death of George Floyd is the latest example of a historical pattern where we must do better. I’ve listened to many within our community expressing their anger, fear, and outrage. I’ve read emails from members of our college and articles from many colleagues and others. I’ve heard some expressing their discomfort with the topic, or even how to talk about it. Some have suggested that racial injustice and current social events aren’t directly in our wheelhouse. I disagree. Truthfully, we’ve struggled with how to respond. Many of us are outraged and […]
Ohio State Students Create School Garden Outreach Program
Ohio State Students Create School Garden Outreach Program Across degree program at Ohio State, students want to help people improve their health and improve their lives. Ohio State medical students Ryan Poland, Brandon Rodgers, and Nicole Hurwitz will provide health care to treat patients’ illnesses. However, they are even more interested in preventing illnesses from arising before individuals need to visit a doctor. To this end, these dedicated medical students organized the Ohio State School Garden Outreach and Engagement group to help implement and maintain school gardens within the Columbus City Schools (CCS) district. “In our day, we see people being treated in the hospital instead of …starting with a good foundation. What you eat and what you do at […]
