October 5, 2016
Take One Small Step for Farm to School!
October is National Farm to School Month! From preschool to college, more students are enjoying locally-sourced meals in their cafeterias and learning about where their food comes from. In fact, according to the 2015 farm to school census, 61 percent of New York State school districts surveyed participate in farm to school activities, and another 16 percent plan to start them.
The 2016 National Farm to School Month theme, One Small Step, highlights the simple ways anyone can get informed, get involved and take action to advance farm to school in their own communities and across the country. Learn more about National Farm to School Month, how you can get involved, and sign the One Small Step pledge by visiting the National Farm to School Network’s website at farmtoschool.org. Join the celebration on Facebook and Twitter with #F2SMonth.
National Kale Day
October 5th was National Kale Day! Read how one food service director got creative to get kids hooked on kale chips.
Students from University at Albany celebrating National Kale Day in fall 2014
Farm to You Fest
During this first week of Farm to School Month, The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets is promoting Farm to You Fest for New York school districts to celebrate their local farms with special menus, tastings and educational programs. Share how your school is celebrating on Facebook and Twitter with #FallintoFarmtoSchool. Read the press release here.
New York Campus Crunch & Big Apple Crunch
On October 20th, college campuses across the state are participating in the annual New York Campus Crunch. Last year, more than 6,100 students took the crunch! Register your college here. Colleges can use #NYCampusCrunch to tweet and post photos from crunch events. Questions about the New York Campus Crunch may be directed to [email protected].
Schools and businesses can join in the Big Apple Crunch hosted by FarmOn! Foundation. Learn more about the Crunch and register to host a crunch event. New York schools that sign up to participate will be entered to win $1,000 for a FarmOn! school victory garden!
Students taking the 2015 New York Campus Crunch October at Syracuse University
Farm to Institution in the News!
The Hub of Hubs: New York is Investing $15 Million in Large-Scale Regional Food Distribution, Civil Eats
With this new Regional Food Hub, FINYS partner GrowNYC/Greenmarket Co will grow its wholesale business as well as house other entrepreneurs to aggregate, process and distribute fresh foods from farms to New York City stores and institutions.
Bard College Purchases Montgomery Place Farm Stand and Orchard, Edible Hudson Valley
David Haight, New York State director for American Farmland Trust, sees Bard’s decision to keep the farm running as reflective of a bigger movement to rethink the role of institutions in the food system. “Bard College is located near some of the most threatened farmland in America,” he says. “We need institutions to connect with local farms and bring them into their programming, education, internships—and most importantly, into the cafeteria.”
The Business of Eating Local in School, Hudson Valley Table
It takes a team to get local food into college cafeterias. University at Albany, Bard, Marist colleges describe how they worked with distributors and FINYS Farm to SUNY to make it happen.
Chefs Compete to Create Healthy School Lunches for Farm to School Chef Challenge, News 4 Buffalo
Local chefs competed in first Buffalo Farm to School Chef Challenge to create healthy school lunch choices based on USDA guidelines and the Harvest of the Month initiative. The winning recipe will be on the menu for December in 12 Buffalo schools.
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