How farmers can sell their food to schools

CFAES’ Agriculture and Natural Resources Madness series continues today, Monday, April 20, with “How Producers Can Start Selling Food to Schools” at noon and “How Producers and Food Related Businesses Can Start Farm to School Efforts” at 3 p.m. Find the links to watch.

Today’s first session, “Starting a Farm to School Program,” has ended, but you can find the link to the replay here.

Viewing the sessions in the series is free. (Photo: Getty Images.)

New Wayne County farm-to-school project

The Wooster Science Café series features “Bringing the Bounty of Wayne County to Our Schools” tonight, Tuesday, March 3, from 7–8 p.m., presented by Shoshanah Inwood of CFAES’ School of Environment and Natural Resources.

Attendees will learn about a new farm-to-school project in Wayne County—Wooster and surrounding communities—that’s connecting local farmers and local schools.

Children are welcome to attend, and there’s a special interactive program for them from 6:30–7 p.m.

Find out more.

How to get more local food in schools

CFAES’s OSU Extension outreach arm will serve as local host for the National Farm to Cafeteria Conference on April 25-27 in Cincinnati. The event is for teachers and administrators wanting to start or expand Farm to School programs, consumers interested in local food opportunities, and farmers wanting to sell their food to schools and other institutions. Read more.

Early bird discount registration runs through March 9.

The fruits (and vegetables) of growing school gardens

Mother and son outdoorsSchool gardens can be magical places for kids. And “peaceful, interesting and exciting,” too. So says CFAES’s Sue Hogan, a 4-H educator who’s coordinating the fourth annual Ohio School Garden Conference on Oct. 7 at Ohio State in Columbus. It’s for teachers, administrators, after-school program staff and interested members of the community. Details.

Columbus-area teachers: There’s help for starting a school garden (and keeping it going)

Young Girl Planting a new Plant in her GardenStarting a school garden — and keeping it going year after year — can be a challenge, says Sue Hogan, 4-H educator with CFAES’s outreach arm, OSU Extension. That’s why she’s helping coordinate “Project Green Teacher,” a weekly school garden educational program from September through November in Columbus. Read the story…

How Granville goes from farm to school (and from a farm that’s AT the school)

August 4.Learn about Granville High School’s sustainable gardening efforts, which mushroomed into a farm-to-school program and deeper understanding of diet, health and sustainability by the students, when the Ohio Sustainable Farm Tour and Workshop Series continues this Thursday, Aug. 4. The Innovative Farm to School Project Tour goes from 7 to 8 p.m. at the school. Get details here on p. 22.