Michigan Farm to School Updates | | Stay informed on the latest news, resources, and events! | | Join us at the Michigan Farm to School and Early Care Network Listening and Feedback Session on December 16! | | | Michigan Farm to School and Early Care Network invites you to a Listening & Feedback Follow-Up Session on December 16th at 1pm ET. In this meeting, we will review results of the community survey, discuss next steps regarding where we will go as a combined network, and enjoy a holiday mixer together! Please share this invitation widely!
Please, register for the meeting here! | P.S. If you haven’t yet, please share your ideas on how a MI Farm to School and Early Care Network could serve you by filling out the community survey linked here: www.bit.ly/mifarmtoschoolandece2025. Your feedback is vital! | | Apply now for Lake Michigan School Food System Spark and Innovation Collaborative Awards! | | | Applications for two new funding opportunities remain open through January 23, 2026: the Spark Awards and the Innovation Collaborative Awards!
Spark Awards - Spark Awards fund projects that need a short-term infusion of funds for school food system and product improvements, such as capacity-building, planning, and product-testing projects. ($30K - $100K per year)
Innovation Collaborative Awards - Innovation Collaborative Awards fund projects that promote systems-level change of the school food system, such as scaling up of programs, forming regional partnerships, or developing or integrating new programs or products. ($250K - $500K over 2 ½ years)
View a recording of the 2025 informational webinar linked here.
Those interested in applying — including farmers, food producers, School Food Authorities and others working to improve school meals — can reach out via our Michigan Interest Form. Free grant writing support is available to Michigan applicants! Staff at CRFS, serving as your Innovation Hub state leads, are offering weekly drop-in office hours to answer questions as well as connect you with partners and resources to bring your ideas to life.
Visit innovateschoolfood.org for the most up to date grant information. | | Green and Healthy Schools 101 December 16, 2025
Green & Healthy Schools Director, Cynthia Walters, will present models and frameworks for transforming green schoolyards, expanding career pathways, and developing district wellness networks to produce positive outcomes for the health of people and the planet. You will also hear from school district leaders and partner organizations who will share how collective impact has successfully brought projects to the finish line in neighboring Ohio. | | | School Gardens: Communicating Successes January 21, 2026
Learn how to effectively share your school garden’s story and highlight its impact!
This webinar’s presenters will showcase their storytelling strategies, including a website-based success dashboard and social media planning co-creating with students, among other highlighted best practices. Participants will walk away with practical ideas and tools to boost visibility, engage their communities, and build lasting support. | | | 2026 Growing School Gardens Summit February 19-22, 2026
Save the date for February 19 to 22 in Phoenix, Arizona when over 700 school garden educators will gather for four days of peer-to-peer learning, networking, and movement building. Registration is now open with early bird pricing through December 17! | | | Plant Selection and Seed Saving March 25, 2026
Discover how to choose plants that will thrive in your school garden while fostering meaningful student engagement.
This webinar will cover tips for selecting resilient, educational crops and introduce hands-on activities to spark curiosity around seed saving. Participants will gain practical strategies to connect students to the full life cycle of plants and build lasting garden stewardship. | | | Principals Advancing School Gardens April 29, 2026
Join the School Garden Support Organization Network to hear how school principals are championing and sustaining garden programs within their schools.
This webinar will explore the unique role of school leaders in fostering garden-based learning and building supportive structures. Participants will gain insights and inspiration from real examples of principal-led garden program growth. | | | Resources, Opportunities, and Inspiration: | | | When Podcasts Collide: The School Garden Podcast Crossover Event - Check out the Farm to School podcast, which features stories from the frontlines of food, farming, and education—where young minds grow and agriculture takes root.
Starting a School or Community Garden Course - Do you love your community and want to start a school or community garden? Are you a beginning gardener looking for direction so that your school or community garden is as successful as it can be? If so, consider taking this free class! The "Starting a School or Community Garden: Essential Steps for Success" course from MSUE offers a flexible, self-paced online learning experience. Winter will be a great time to access this info if planning a garden in the spring!
USDA Farm to School Planning Toolkit - If you're planning to launch or develop a farm to school program, the Farm to School Planning Toolkit is a valuable resource. It's tailored to the needs of schools, school districts, and community partners, and provides guidance on key considerations and useful resources. From tips and examples to insights from those who have gone through the process, the toolkit has a wealth of information to help you get started.
Mindful Choice Meals Program - Cafeteria Culture has launched Mindful Choice Meals, a free, student-led program designed to reduce food waste and build environmental literacy in schools. This hands-on initiative has helped schools reduce plate waste by 30–50% and increase student cafeteria food consumption by 15–40%.
The toolkit shows steps to educate your school community about the USDA’s Offer vs Serve (OVS) rules so students can actively choose what they want to eat to reduce untouched food waste.
North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems - North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NĀTIFS) showcases Indigenous chefs and ingredients in the NĀTIFS’ videos and downloadable resources like plant cards and ingredient profiles. NĀTIFS is dedicated to re-establishing Native food ways. Explore, model and share this engaging and useful video series.
The 2025 Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) Harvest of the Month - This monthly packet encourages children to learn about nutrition, agriculture, Indigenous food culture and cooking with monthly recipes, coloring pages, and fact sheets. Each month is focused on a different culturally relevant food in season. December’s feature is MUTTON!
| | Federal Policy Updates & Further Reading
| | | | | | Dry Beans! A Cultivate Michigan Winter Food
Winter is a great time to cook up Michigan dry beans! Explore Michigan dry bean sourcing tips, resources, and recipes for your school site.
Learn more | | | About Michigan Farm to School
Farm to School centers around efforts to serve local foods in school and early care and education settings. We share ideas, tools and resources to support a range of efforts, from school garden programming to farmer visits and field trips.
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