Announcement

Greetings Network!

I hope this email finds you well and enjoying the last few days of school! It has been a busy end of spring here with your MI Farm to School Team, particularly in trying to keep up with snap pea consumption. Hope you all are enjoying the bounties this season has to offer! One thing I love about eating seasonally is I am always ready for what's next. I have spent three weeks gorging myself on snap peas and asparagus and am ready to switch to garlic scapes, green beans, and all the summer produce that shortly follows.

I'm writing with both sadness and excitement to let you know that I have recently accepted a new position and will be leaving the MSU Center for Regional Food Systems at the end of this month. I'll be transitioning into a role with the MSU Extension Greening Michigan Institute. There, I will be working to build local capacity and enhance community participation in local food and community development in District 8 (Barry, Clinton, Eaton, Gratiot, Ingham, Ionia, and Montcalm counties). While I am excited for this opportunity, I am sad to leave you all and the wonderful work happening at the MSU Center for Regional Food Systems!

It has been a true pleasure to get to know you all and work with you over the last two years. I have learned so much in this short time – both here at the Center and from the example you all set out in the field. Your vision, passion, leadership, and innovation in bringing local foods to Michigan's children has been so rewarding and inspiring to be a part of, and I thank you all for your work! Michigan sure is setting the bar high, and I look forward to seeing where you all take it.

My position will likely be filled in early fall, but until then you can contact Colleen Matts at matts@msu.edu with any questions related to farm to school. Many of you have worked with Colleen previously, and I'm grateful to her willingness to support this throughout the transition!

Likewise, we're making every effort to avoid any bumps in the transition. If you're one of the avid readers of the MI Farm to School Newsletter, it will continue in limited form throughout the summer with Colleen and the help of Lee Ann Viera, who has been working with us for the last two years on farm to school and Hoophouses for Health and helped out with many of the previous newsletters. I am confident they will continue to provide you with the information and resources you need to keep your program going, although perhaps with marginally fewer nerdy jokes and references to cherries ;).

I will still be involved in local food in mid-Michigan, so if you reside there will look forward to opportunities to work together in the future. I hope you all enjoy your summer, and please don't hesitate to be in touch as my email will remain the same! I would love to hear from you!

In gratitude,

Abby Harper

Farm to School Specialist

MSU Center for Regional Food Systems

480 Wilson Rd Rm 309 | East Lansing, MI 48824

(p) 517-432-4525 (f) 517-353-3834

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