FW: MI Farm to School Trainings & National Farm to School Month!

Greetings school food service and pre-K and early care program directors and staff,

Just a reminder to sign up for a MI Farm to School training session if you’re interested! See below for more information, dates and locations as well as a link to RSVP.

 

Best,

 

Colleen Matts

Farm to Institution Specialist

Center for Regional Food Systems | Michigan State University

480 Wilson Rd | Rm 303 Natural Resources Building | East Lansing, MI 48824

(p) 517.432.0310

www.foodsystems.msu.edu | www.mifarmtoschool.msu.edu

 

 

 

Get ready for National Farm to School Month in October by participating in one of the MI Farm to School Trainings in your area!

 

Through generous funding from the WK Kellogg Foundation, the MSU Center for Regional Food Systems is offering MI Farm to School Training sessions around the state as part of the MI Farm to School Grant Program. To help bring local food into food service programs, this grant program provides Farm to School Planning and Implementation mini-grants to selected school food service professionals at schools/districts AND early child care and education programs with 50% free and reduced rates or greater (or equivalent). Seventeen MI Farm to School grants were awarded for the 2013/2014 school year (the application period is now closed), and all grantees will attend the training nearest them. Now, we would like to extend the invitation to all Michigan school food service and early child care program providers (regardless of the free and reduced rate of your program/school/district) who are interested beginning or expanding Farm to School programs!

 

The MI Farm to School training dates and locations are as follows:

 

·     Tuesday, September 24^th, 12:30 – 4:30 pm

Gratiot Isabella RESD (Regional Education Service District)

1131 East Center St.

Ithaca, MI 48847

 

·     Wednesday, September 25^th, 12:30 – 4:30pm 

      Odawa Casino & Resort

      1760 Lears Rd. 

      Petoskey, MI 49770

 

·     Friday, September 27^th, 12:30 – 4:30pm 

***with an optional Tour of Detroit Eastern Market at 10:30 am and lunch to follow!***

Detroit Eastern Market

Shed 3

Detroit, MI 48207

 

·     Tuesday, October 1^st, 12:30 – 4:30 pm

Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency (KRESA) West Campus Site 
4606 Croyden Ave

Kalamazoo, MI 49006

 

Training topics will include an overview of Michigan Farm to School, how and where to find and purchase Michigan products, developing a Farm to School team, meeting nutrition and program standards with locally-grown food, food safety, expanding Farm to School programs beyond produce and beyond lunch, and more! Time will also be dedicated for attendees to network with and learn from each to other. Light refreshments will be served at each training, and lunch will be included for those who wish to attend the optional tour of Detroit Eastern Market prior to the training there on September 27th. 

 

RSVP for any one of these free trainings here - http://msucarrs.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_6fLZ14SgxFPdMmF. RSVPs will be accepted on a first come first serve basis as space allows for each training location. If you have any questions or need any additional information, please contact Julia Smith (smith503@msu.edu or 517-432-4525), our new Farm to School Specialist at the MSU Center for Regional Food Systems and manager of the MI Farm to School Grant Program.