Northeast Iowa Farm to School Chapter

"Linking schools with farming communities..."

Farm to School is a national movement connecting schools with their local agricultural communities.

Northeast Iowa Food and Fitness Initiative (FFI) joined this effort in 2009 with the adoption of pilot projects in six school districts.  The FFI provided technical, educational and financial support for these schools, while the schools assembled teams to plan and implement Farm to School activities. During the 2009-2010 school year each site received $1,500 in mini-grants to create healthier school environments.  Read the final report.

The NE Iowa FFI recently committed to extending Farm to School program opportunities for all of the region's 27 school districts. The School Wellness Action Plan catalogs Farm to School and Safe Routes to School activities, which the NE Iowa FFI supports. There will be learning opportunities for students, teachers and food service staff and producers. 

Farm to School helps children understand where their food comes from and how their food choices impact their bodies, the environment and their communities. The NE Iowa FFI encourages a comprehensive five-component approach: 

Teacher Training
Hold workshops exposing teachers to Iowa Core standards and cross-disciplinary Farm to School curriculum

Cross-Age Teaching
Engage high school students as Farm to School educators using lessons focusing on a local food each month

School Gardens
Plan, plant and harvest school gardens involving students, teachers, staff and administration in the process.

Field Days/Producer visits
Provide students the chance for place-based educational experiences and involve producers in the classroom.

Food Service Training
Provide networking opportunities for food service staff, as well as professional development opportunities to learn how to use local foods in school meals.

Questions about Farm to School?  Please contact, Stephanie Conant, AmeriCorps Farm to School Intern at 563-387-1600.


PRESENTATIONS:
NE Iowa Farm to School Gardens Slideshow
School Food Webinars


RESOURCES:

• Eat Smart--Farm Fresh! A Guide to serving locally grown produce in school meals (USDA)
• School Meal Program Updates for District Decision Makers (ISU)
• Standard Operating Procedure: Direct Purchase of Food Products from Grower by K-12 School Districts (ISU)
• Checklist for Retail Purchasing of Local Produce (ISU)
• USDA memo: Geographical Preference
• USDA Farm to School policies (May 2010)
  
• The Lunchbox: a toolkit to transform school lunchrooms
• Oklahoma School Food Produce Calculator
• Sample Spec sheet for local foods for schools
• Steps for Using Informal Bid Procedures (Iowa)
  
• Letter from IDALS/DIA on use of local food in food service
• Recipes for Schools
• Seasonal Guide to Local Produce in NE IA
• USDA Discussion on Geographical Preference
• Current USDA F2S memos (Iowa, June 2010)
  

• Team Nutrition Guide to Green School Fundraisers
  

• FFI Garden Harvest Log
• Sources of Seeds for School Gardens
• USDA memo: Using food from school gardens
• Harvest maturity indicators for fruits and vegetables (Kansas)
• Connecting school gardens to curriculum (California)

• Best Practices for Using Produce from school gardens (Oklahoma)
• Fresh, Healthy and Safe Food: Best Practices for using produce from school gardens (Virginia)
• Food Safety in the School Garden (Maryland)
• Five Steps to Food Safe School Gardening (Connecticut)