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Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Michigan Apple Crunch Webinar

Ready to crunch? At NOON on Thursday, October 22, we ask that all Michiganders crunch into a healthy, delicious Michigan apple to show our support for Michigan farmers. Whether you’re from an early childhood program, school, college, hospital or business, we can all crunch together, and this upcoming webinar will help you learn how!

 

The Michigan Apple Crunch webinar will provide information on:

·         how to sign up for Michigan Apple Crunch and share your activities,

·         how to source and promote Michigan apples through Cultivate Michigan, and

·         an overview of national and regional activities including Food Day, National Farm to School Month, the Great Lakes Apple Crunch and the Midwest Menu that will help amplify the Crunch.

 

When: Monday, October 5, 2015 from 2-3 pm

Where: Adobe Connect Webinar – go to http://msucrfs.adobeconnect.com/mfin-ac at the appointed time and call into 1-800-850-4523 with passcode 690382 for audio

 

Featured speakers:

·         Kelly Lively, Cherry Capital Foods

·         Garrett Ziegler, MSU Extension and Michigan Farm to Institution Network

·         Abby Harper, MSU Center for Regional Food Systems (CRFS)

 

 

This webinar is hosted by Michigan Farm to School at CRFS and the Michigan Farm to Institution Network, co-led by CRFS and the Ecology Center with support from MSU Extension.

 

 

Happy crunching!

 

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

 

 

Friday, September 25, 2015

Farm to School News

With this past week came a confrontation with reality that I could just not put off any longer – summer has officially ended, and with it I am diving headfirst into all of fall's glory – eating a pound of apples a day, making stews and baking squash, and breaking out all of my glorious flannel (glorious!). I spied some leaf changes on our drives around the state this week. Hopefully next week, when we head up to Chatham for our Farm to School Training in the UP, we'll time it perfectly to see some beautiful colors! I've continue to be a little elitist about New England fall, so I'm looking forward to being proven wrong this year and getting a taste of the Great Lakes version of my favorite season. If you know of any prime peeping spots, do share your secrets!

We've had a busy week over at CRFS, driving all across the state to lead our annual round of Farm to School Trainings. This year we're changing things up – getting into more of the nitty gritty technical aspects of procurement regulations, highlighting efforts in farm to early childhood and diving deeper into strategies for building successful, long term programs. We've also had an opportunity to hear from Champion Farm to School Food Service Directors at each location – featuring their strategies for integrating local products into their menus and developing multi-stakeholder partnerships that have boosted the success of their program. All in all it seems to be going really well, and I've loved getting to meet in person all the folks I've heard wonderful stories about, and meeting new folk who are just getting into farm to school! It's left me feeling even more energized to call Michigan my home. If you haven't had a chance to attend a training, and the UP is within your reach, there's still one opportunity left!  Join us in Chatham on Thursday, October 1 for our final training. Register at: http://msucarrs.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_diD7k1cRWPa4gkt.

And with that plug, it's on to some updates!

News & Media Mentions

Opportunities
  • October is National Farm to School Month!  There's no better time to start engaging in farm to school then joining schools across the country who are celebrating farm to school efforts!  Make October the month that you bring students to farms, start talking about local agriculture, and maybe even get a Michigan Apple on your menu!  There are lots of ways to start your farm to school efforts, and you can start as simply as participating in the Michigan Apple Crunch.  Have everyone in your school or early childhood program bite into a Michigan apple at noon on Thursday, October 22 and hear the CRUNCH of crunchers throughout the state (and Great Lakes region!) doing the same.  Sign up for the capital crunch here: http://miapplecrunch.com and follow other stories on the Michigan Apple Crunch and Great Lakes Facebook pages.  Use the hashtags #miapplecrunch and #greatapplecrunch on social media.  Make sure to check out Cultivate Michigan for our apple resource guides and promotional materials to make your Apple Crunch a success?
    • Looking for other ways to celebrate Farm to School month?  Be sure to follow the NFSN blog to read about efforts going on throughout the country
  • Funding Opportunity: Michigan Department of Health and Human Services – October 30 deadline
    • The Cardiovascular Health, Nutrition and Physical Activity section released a funding opportunity for early childhood obesity prefention using the Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care.  School districts, educational service agencies, local health departments, and community-based organizations are eligible.  Complete the application online here.
  • Webinar: Farm to School 101 – October 13 1-1:30pm ET
    • New to farm to school?  This webinar, howsted by the National Farm to School Network, will discuss the basics of farm to school.  Register here.
  • Webinar: Barnraiser, Crowdfunding 101 – Thursdays 1 pm ET
    • Barn raiser highlights successful campaigns, as well as tips, tricks, and insider knowledge to get your farm to school project successfully crowdfunded
  • Save the Date: 2016 National Farm to Cafeteria Conference
    • It seems ridiculous to be planning for 2016, but you don't want to miss this!  The conference will be held June 1-4, 2016 in Madison, Wisconsin.  Put the date on your calendar now – we'll follow up with more information soon!
  • Job: Farm to School coordinator, Georgia Organics
    • Georgia Organics is seeking a full-time Farm to School Coordinator to work in Atlanta.  More information

Hope you all have a fantastic first weekend of fall! 

Best,

Abby Harper
Farm to School Specialist
Center for Regional Food Systems | Michigan State University
480 Wilson Rd | Rm 309 Natural Resources Building East Lansing, MI 48824
(p) 517.432.4525 (c) 857.600.6921


Friday, September 18, 2015

MI Farm to School News

Greetings all!

Hope your week has gone well!  Mine has been busy planning for the Farm to School Trainings coming up next week!  Be sure to register if you haven’t yet, I’m looking forward to meeting a lot of you there.

Lots of news this week – perhaps because with the start of the school year comes the re-initation of a lot of great farm to school activities.  It’s inspiring to see all the media support for Farm to School programs.  In case you didn’t see the USDA’s report on the impacts of Farm to School grants, it’s definitely one to check out!

News

Goodness, with this week’s heat it’s hard to believe it’s nearly October and Farm to School Month, but it’s coming up!  How are you celebrating Farm to School Month this year?

Looking forward to meeting many of you at the trainings this week!  

Best,

Abby Harper
Farm to School Specialist
Center for Regional Food Systems | Michigan State University
480 Wilson Rd | Rm 309 Natural Resources Building East Lansing, MI 48824
(p) 517.432.4525 (c) 857.600.6921


Last Day to Register!!! Build connections with local food in schools and early childhood programs!

Final Reminder: Farm to School Trainings 

This year’s Farm to School Trainings are rapidly approaching (starting next week!), and registration closes today!  Farm to school centers around efforts to bring healthy, locally grown food into K-12 schools and Early Childhood program.  Many schools and early childhood programs all throughout Michigan are already engaging in programming that helps connect kids from age 0 to 18 with Michigan grown food – are you one of them? Whether you’re brand new to farm to school or a seasoned expert, working with toddlers or teenagers (or anywhere in between!), this will be a great experience for you to increase your knowledge, meet and collaborate with colleagues developing farm to school efforts throughout the region, and provide you with new skills for beginning or expanding your farm to school programs.  School food service directors, staff, and personnel are especially encouraged to attend, as well as farmers, extension educators, professionals, and curious minds working in or looking to expand into Farm to School efforts.  Register for this free training at:  http://msucarrs.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_diD7k1cRWPa4gkt.

Agenda:
  • Overview of Farm to School and Farm to Early Childhood
  • Local Food Procurement
  • Building Successful Farm to School Teams
  • Working with Local Farmers / Hoophouses for Health
  • Seasonal Menu Planning
  • Tracking Purchases and Measuring Progress
Dates, Locations, and special guests:
  • CadillacMonday, September 21, 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm @ Cadillac Public Library
    • Special Guests: Jenice Momber, Food Service Director at Kaleva Norman Dickson; Erin Caudell, MSU Dept. of Horticulture
  • Detroit: Wednesday, September 23, 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm @ Catherine Ferguson Academy
    • Special Guests: Xavier Jaramillo, Food Service Director at Calumet Center; Tyler Vuillemot, Michigan Farmers  Market Association; Ashley Atkinson, Keep Growing Detroit
  • Kalamazoo: Thursday, September 24, 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm @ Kalamazoo Valley Community College Groves Center
    • Special Guests: Dan Gorman, Food Service Director at Montague Area Public Schools; Dean McCurdy, KVCC Associate Vice President for Food and Community Sustainability, Mariel Borgman, MSUE Community Food systems Educator
    • Optional drive-by tour of the new KVCC Food Innovation center
  • Chatham: Thursday, October 1, 9:30 am – 3:30 pm @ MSU Upper Extension and Research Center
    • Special Guests: Michelle Walk, MSUE Community Food Systems Educator; Jeanette Cushway, Food Corps Service Member; Erin Caudell, MSU Dept. of Horticulture
    • Optional tour of the North Farm


Abby Harper
Farm to School Specialist
Center for Regional Food Systems | Michigan State University
480 Wilson Rd | Rm 309 Natural Resources Building East Lansing, MI 48824
(p) 517.432.4525 (c) 857.600.6921


Wednesday, September 16, 2015

MI Farm to School and Early Childhood Trainings

Michigan Farm to School Regional Trainings

This year’s round of farm to school trainings is just around the corner!  Whether you’re brand new to farm to school or a seasoned expert, this will be a great experience for you to increase your knowledge, meet and collaborate with colleagues developing farm to school efforts throughout the region, and provide you with new skills for beginning or expanding your farm to school programs.  School food service directors, staff, and personnel are especially encouraged to attend, as well as farmers, extension educators, professionals, and curious minds working in or looking to expand into Farm to School efforts.  Register for this free training at:  http://msucarrs.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_diD7k1cRWPa4gkt.

Agenda:
  • Overview of Farm to School and Farm to Early Childhood
  • Local Food Procurement
  • Building Successful Farm to School Teams
  • Working with Local Farmers / Hoophouses for Health
  • Seasonal Menu Planning
  • Tracking Purchases and Measuring Progress
Dates, Locations, and special guests:
  • CadillacMonday, September 21, 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm @ Cadillac Public Library
    • Special Guests: Jenice Momber, Food Service Director at Kaleva Norman Dickson; Erin Caudell, MSU Dept. of Horticulture
  • Detroit: Wednesday, September 23, 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm @ Catherine Ferguson Academy
    • Special Guests: Xavier Jaramillo, Food Service Director at Calumet Center; Tyler Vuillemot, Michigan Farmers  Market Association; Ashley Atkinson, Keep Growing Detroit
  • Kalamazoo: Thursday, September 24, 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm @ Kalamazoo Valley Community College Groves Center
    • Special Guests: Dan Gorman, Food Service Director at Montague Area Public Schools; Dean McCurdy, KVCC Associate Vice President for Food and Community Sustainability, Mariel Borgman, MSUE Community Food systems Educator
    • Optional drive-by tour of the new KVCC Food Innovation center
  • Chatham: Thursday, October 1, 9:30 am – 3:30 pm @ MSU Upper Extension and Research Center
    • Special Guests: Michelle Walk, MSUE Community Food Systems Educator; Jeanette Cushway, Food Corps Service Member; Erin Caudell, MSU Dept. of Horticulture
    • Optional tour of the North Farm

Abby Harper
Farm to School Specialist
Center for Regional Food Systems | Michigan State University
480 Wilson Rd | Rm 309 Natural Resources Building East Lansing, MI 48824
(p) 517.432.4525 (c) 857.600.6921


Friday, September 11, 2015

MI Farm to School News

Congrats to all those who made it through the first week of the 2015-2016 school year, and for those who have been working all summer long!

Things are gearing up here with school in session, and we are hard at work planning the upcoming trainings as well as promoting the 2015 Apple CRUNCH and supporting all those throughout the state wanting to engage in Farm to School this school year!  It's sure to be a good year, and I hope I get the chance to meet you all throughout the year!  

News:
  • Traverse City Record Eagle: Agriculture forum: Farmers pay attention to school
    • Diane Conners of Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities highlights opportunities for farmers in expanding markets to schools, including highlighting the 10 Cents a Meal pilot in Northwest Michigan.
  • Model D: Fighting Food Insecurity in Detroit
    • Highlights the potential impacts of farm to early childhood on health and economic progress.  This article emphasizes that improved childhood health can not only lead to decreased healthcare costs in the long term, but also increases the economic productivity of individuals.
  • USDA: USDA awards $8 million to support healthier foods in schools and child care centers
    • Tom Vilsack announced funding for expanding and improving food service training programs to encompass nutrition education in school meal settings, in addition to providing support to train school nutrition employees managing National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs in meeting new professional standards.
Opportunities:
  • Webinar September 16, 3-4 pm: USDA's Team Nutrition Nutrition Education in the Classroom and Beyond: Tips for EducatorsG
    • Go back to school with tools and resources that support healthy learning!  This webinar will discuss innovative ways elementary and middle school eduators can integrate nutrition education into core subjects like math, language arts, and science.  New teaching resources available from Team Nutrition for the 2015-2016 School year will be shared.  Register here. 
  • Webinar September 24, 2-3 pm: Kids Eat Real Food – Marketing and Lunchroom Education
    • Learn techniques that have brought Boulder's kids back tot he lunch program and raised participation every year since 2009.  Lear marketing best practices and turn your students into real food aficionados.  Register here
  • National School Lunch Week is October 12-16, 2015
    • What better way to celebrate that incorporating local products?  Download the toolkit here
Research:
Also, at the risk of turning into a broken record, don't forget to register for the Farm to School Trainings coming up in two weeks!

Happy weekending,

Abby Harper
Farm to School Specialist
Center for Regional Food Systems | Michigan State University
480 Wilson Rd | Rm 309 Natural Resources Building East Lansing, MI 48824
(p) 517.432.4525 (c) 857.600.6921


Thursday, September 10, 2015

MI Farm to School Regional Trainings

Michigan Farm to School Regional Trainings

Welcome back to school! This years round of farm to school trainings is just around the corner!  Whether you’re brand new to farm to school or a seasoned expert, this will be a great experience for you to increase your knowledge, meet and collaborate with colleagues developing farm to school efforts throughout the region, and provide you with new skills for beginning or expanding your farm to school programs.  School food service directors, staff, and personnel are especially encouraged to attend, as well as farmers, extension educators, professionals, and curious minds working in or looking to expand into Farm to School efforts.  Register for this free training at:  http://msucarrs.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_diD7k1cRWPa4gkt.

Agenda:
  • Overview of Farm to School and Farm to Early Childhood
  • Local Food Procurement
  • Building Successful Farm to School Teams
  • Working with Local Farmers / Hoophouses for Health
  • Seasonal Menu Planning
  • Tracking Purchases and Measuring Progress
Dates, Locations, and special guests:
  • Cadillac: Monday, September 21, 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm @ Cadillac Public Library
    • Special Guests: Jenice Momber, Food Service Director at Kaleva Norman Dickson; Erin Caudell, MSU Dept. of Horticulture
  • Detroit: Wednesday, September 23, 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm @ Catherine Ferguson Academy
    • Special Guests: Xavier Jaramillo, Food Service Director at Calumet Center; Tyler Vuillemot, Michigan Farmers  Market Association; Ashley Atkinson, Keep Growing Detroit
  • Kalamazoo: Thursday, September 24, 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm @ Kalamazoo Valley Community College Groves Center
    • Special Guests: Dan Gorman, Food Service Director at Montague Area Public Schools; Dean McCurdy, KVCC Associate Vice President for Food and Community Sustainability
  • Chatham: Thursday, October 1, 9:30 am – 3:30 pm @ MSU Upper Extension and Research Center
    • Special Guests: Michelle Walk, MSUE Community Food Systems Educator; Jeanette Cushway, Food Corps Service Member; Erin Caudell, MSU Dept. of Horticulture
I look forward to seeing many of you there!

Abby Harper
Farm to School Specialist
Center for Regional Food Systems | Michigan State University
480 Wilson Rd | Rm 309 Natural Resources Building East Lansing, MI 48824
(p) 517.432.4525 (c) 857.600.6921


Friday, September 4, 2015

MI Farm to School News

Happy Back to School!

With school’s starting up next week, what better time to look forward with your farm to school programming?  Don’t forget to register for the regional Farm to School Trainings coming up in just a few short weeks!  This year we’ll be hosting trainings in Detroit, Kalamazoo, Cadillac, and Chatham.  Whether you’re brand new to farm to school or a seasoned expert, working in early childhood or K-12, this will be a great experience to increase your knowledge of farm to school activities, meet and collaborate with colleagues developing farm to school efforts throughout the region, and provide you with new skills for beginning or expanding your farm to school programs.

A short edition of the news this week, leaving lots of time for R&R this holiday weekend!

News

- NY Times: School lunches becoming healthier, statistics indicate – a federal report showed that the nutritional profile of school meals in the US had improved since the new government standards went into effect in 2012, with an increase of 10% in schools offering two or more fruits and an 18% increase of schools offering two or more vegetables per meal.

- Cultivate MichiganRep. David Trott visits Waterford School District - Last week, Cultivate Michigan participant Waterford School District hosted US Rep. David Trott to show off their farm to school approach, and to allow for conversations with Michigan farmers on their experiences in growing for institutions.

- Citizen, NY: Senator Kristen Gillibrand fighting back against attempts to weaken school nutrition standards – The senator is seeking to bolster the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act to ensure that nutrition standards remain in place and opportunities for local farmers are expanded

- Ecocentric: Farm to School: Why we need it and how to get it – highlighting the need for farm to school and resources for starting programs.

Resources

This brief documents levels of participation in federal nutrition programs, and showed that only 64% of eligible households participate in the National School Lunch Program, while only 52% of eligible households participate in the School Breakfast Program


Happy Labor day!
  
Abby Harper
Farm to School Specialist
Center for Regional Food Systems | Michigan State University
480 Wilson Rd | Rm 309 Natural Resources Building East Lansing, MI 48824
(p) 517.432.4525 (c) 857.600.6921


Holistic Management Financial Planning, Wed, Sep 9th, Traverse City

Holistic Management® Financial Planning

Wednesday, September 9, 2015, 4:00 - 7:00pm
Traverse City Michigan Works
1209 S Garfield Road,
Traverse City MI 49686

Holistic Management® (HM) Financial Planning includes procedures for record keeping and planning that integrates all aspects of the farm operation, manages cash flow and controls expenses throughout the year. Holistic Management® Certified Educator, Larry Dyer will introduce workshop participants to Holistic Management® Financial Planning and they will take the preliminary steps in creating their financial plan.
$20 per person or $30 for two from the same farm.

Register online at www.artmeetsearth.org.
http://artmeetsearth.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=57a7bb1a12446a865a6b99288&id=95c0535480&e=6df908069b


-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: Holistic Management, Salsa with Preservation Station, and Animal Nutrition
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 2015 20:07:45 +0000
From: Amanda Kik — ISLAND <info@artmeetsearth.org>
Reply-To: Amanda Kik — ISLAND <info@artmeetsearth.org>
To: ldyer3913@gmail.com


Holistic Management, Salsa with Preservation Station, and Animal Nutrition

Triple bottom line for farmers.

View this email in your browser

Holistic Management® Financial Planning

Wednesday, September 9, 1 to 4 pm at Traverse City Michigan Works


 

Holistic Management Financial Planning helps farmers manage finances toward a triple bottom line of financial viability, social responsibility and environmental sustainability while creating their desired quality of life. HM Certified Educator Larry Dyer will introduce workshop participants to Holistic Management Financial Planning and they will take the preliminary steps in creating their financial plan.

$25 per person, or $30 for two from the same farm — REGISTER ONLINE

Interlochen's Fiber Arts Weekend
Friday, September 25, 2015 to Sunday, September 27, 2015
at the Mallory-Towsley Building

Playing off the popularity of the "farm to table" concept, the 2015 Fiber Arts Weekend will feature an upcycled, recycled, and locally-sourced theme as we further explore Michigan's growing fibershed—or "fleece to fabric"—movement. Visit ISLAND in the exhibit hall where you can add your fiber-based business to the regional map in an effort to see what gaps we need to fill to have a full-loop textile economy in Michigan!.

See more and sign up at: http://college.interlochen.org/fiberartsweekend

Salsa with Preservation Station

Wednesday, September 9, 4 to 8 pm at The Grain Train, Boyne City

Learn how to pack your pantry with locally-sourced, homemade goods! ISLAND provides the know-how, research-based recipes, jars, lids, and the kitchen set up. This is a hands-on workshop. Participants will walk away with the latest safety recommendations in home-canning and also take a share of the jars home. Bring yourself and a desire to learn. 

$40, $35 for Grain Train members — REGISTER ONLINE

Animal Nutrition

Monday, September 14, 5:30 to 8:30 pm at the Northwest Michigan Horticulture Research Center

They are what they eat. You can just buy the bag or you can get smart about what your animals need and how to provide them with feed that makes them thrive. Darin Karchar, Poultry Extension Specialist for MSU will cover anatomy, requirements, and feeds for poultry. Jerry Lindquist, Grazing and Crop Management Educator for MSU will discuss ruminant digestive anatomy, the role of forage, and other sources of feeds. Registration deadline September 9.

$25 — REGISTER ONLINE

Upcoming Events

All of our events can be found on our website, www.artmeetsearth.org.

 

Twilight Tour: Dick Gregory's Farm

Harbor Springs
Monday, September 14, 6 to 9 pm
 

Kimchi with Preservation Station

Oryana Natural Foods Market, Traverse City
Tuesday, September 15, 5 to 7:30 pm
 

Crop Insurance Workshop

Northwest Michigan Horticulture Research Center, Traverse City
Tuesday, September 22, 6 to 8 pm
 

Kimchi with Preservation Station

Grain Train, Petoskey
Wednesday, September 23, 5:30 to 7:30 pm

 

Water Use and Storage on the Farm

Soul Springs Permaculture, Harbor Springs
Thursday, September 24, 6 to 8 pm
 

Sauerkraut with Preservation Station

Grain Train, Petoskey
Wednesday, September 30, 5 to 7 pm
 

Garlic Auction

Historic Elk Rapids Town Hall
Saturday, October 3, 6 pm

This is an equal opportunity provider.
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