National Farm to School Month Continues!

Greetings,

We’re now in the middle of National Farm to School Month! For the next two weeks, schools and preschools across the country will celebrate the local food served in their cafeterias, the gardens in their schoolyards and the food and agriculture education happening in their classrooms. Some will engage with farm to school for the first time; others will enjoy the harvest from years of farm to school success. This Farm to School Month, will you help spread the word about the importance of farm to school and the impact it is having in your community? Here’s how you can get involved at the national level through the National Farm to School Network’s efforts:

· Visit the Farm to School Month page to find resources and information.

· #F2SMonth - Use this hashtag in social media posts to share photos and stories about farm to school in your community. 

· @FarmtoSchool - follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and share our messages with your audience.  

· Use the Communications Toolkit to spread the word about your farm to school events and successes. 

· Order promotional materials to wear and share: posters, stickers, aprons and shirts.

· Learn how you can win a drawing for $1,000 for your farm to school/preschool project! 

· Donate to support the National Farm to School Network, the leading nonprofit working to connect and strengthen the farm to school movement. 

Here in Michigan, it’s apple season, and there are number of additional ways to get involved and promote Farm to School Month.

·         Visit Cultivate Michigan where Michigan institutions can sign up to join and download apple purchasing information, institutional recipes and promotion materials.

·         Celebrate Food Day (October 24^th) by joining in on Michigan Apple Crunch! You can learn more and register as a partner or sponsor here.

·         School food service directors, visit the Michigan Apple Crunch Party at the opening reception of the School Nutrition Association of Michigan Conference this Friday in Acme, MI. This shindig is hosted by Michigan Team Nutrition, Michigan Farm to School and Cultivate Michigan, a project of the Michigan Farm to Institution Network. Stop by and get your photo taken crunching into a Michigan apple!

·         Share your story! If you have an apple story to share, email  info@cultivatemichigan.org or post to our Michigan Farm to Institution Network Facebook page.

 

Close out this month of celebration by contributing to the work going forward: attend the Michigan Farm to Institution Network Meet Up and the Michigan Good Food Summit!

-Michigan Farm to Institution Network (MFIN) Meet Up

Help keep the momentum going from the MFIN launch this past spring with the MFIN Meet Up! Join us to learn about stories from the field and updates from the network and Cultivate Michigan, and shape the direction of our shared work in conversations about featured foods for 2015 and regional connections around the state.

Date: Monday, October 27, 2014
Time: 1:15 – 4:15 PM
Location: Lansing Center, Lansing, MI

This afternoon meeting will be facilitated by the MIFFS Facilitation Team. Click here to register online or send questions to info@cultivatemichigan.org. An agenda and more details will be provided to all who register closer to the event.

 

-Michigan Good Food Summit

The third Michigan Good Food Summit will be returning to the Lansing Center on Tuesday, October 28^th, 2014  Hosted by the Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems, the Summit will build on the momentum and success around the Michigan Good Food Charter. The six-goal charter is roadmap for a food system rooted in local communities and centered on good food, food that is healthy, green, fair and affordable. More than 600 organizations and individuals have signed a resolution of support for the charter.

Registration is $40 including an evening reception and film October 27^th and $30 for October 28^th only.  Registration is now open at:  https://www.regonline.com/2014goodfoodsummit.  You can also find information on lodging, transportation, and exhibitor opportunities at the registration link.

Colleen Matts

Farm to Institution Specialist | Michigan Lead for National Farm to School Network

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