Monthly Harvest - August 2025

Hello Farm to Fork friends!

As kids head back to school, we’re excited to roll out new resources to help school professionals kick off the year strong. Whether you're in the cafeteria, classroom, or school garden, we’re here to support your work with tools and ideas that connect students to fresh, local food.

Next month, we’ll also be celebrating our next two Movement Building Workshops—happening in Salt Lake City and Moab—as we continue strengthening connections across Utah’s farm to school community.

And stay tuned for a full recap of our Squash Summer Hunger campaign and all the fun, food-focused activities that took place across the state!

If you haven’t registered your summer meal celebration yet, there’s still time—let us know so we can celebrate your efforts! Register here!

Squash Summer Hunger BINGO

Looking for a fun, kid-friendly way to stay connected to local food this summer? Join us for Squash Summer Hunger BINGO—an engaging activity that promotes healthy eating, supports local farms, and celebrates summer meals in your community.

Each BINGO square encourages participants to try new fruits and veggies, visit a farmers market, thank a school nutrition worker, or get creative in the kitchen with local produce. Complete a row—or the whole board—and share your progress with us for a chance to be featured on our social media!

Good news: the deadline to participate has been extended to September 1st! Let’s squash summer hunger, one BINGO square at a time.

Download your card today!

Movement Building Workshops

Join us for a series of engaging workshops designed to elevate farm-to-school efforts across Utah! Each session highlights real-world success stories, offering inspiration and actionable strategies to strengthen local food systems. Whether you’re a farmer, educator, food service professional, or community advocate, these workshops provide the tools and connections needed to build a thriving farm-to-school program.

Beyond the Cafeteria: Creative Farm to School Pathways - Register here!

Friday, September 5 - Salt Lake City, UT

Highlighting diverse and innovative farm-to-school models, from farm-based charter schools to refugee youth programs and nonprofit-run community gardens, demonstrating the many ways farm-to-school can thrive.

Sowing Seeds of Success: Farm to School Grants in Action - Register here!

Monday, September 29 - Moab, UT

Featuring a successful farm-to-school grant recipient to inspire and guide others in applying for funding, showing the impact that grants can have in making local food accessible to schools.

Network Spotlight

Celebrate Squash in Provo

 This summer, we teamed up with the Utah County Health Department and Community Action Services to host a fun, hands-on celebration of local squash at 815 S. Freedom Blvd in Provo! Held on July 30 and continuing on August 6, 13, and 20 from 10:30–11:30 AM.

Guests are encouraged to bring a fresh produce or canned food donation to support local families in need.

Resource Spotlight

New Resource: Farm to School Coordinator Job Description Template

Thinking about creating a Farm to School Coordinator position in your school, district, or organization? Check out this new job description template from the National Farm to School Network.

This flexible, field-informed resource includes:

 – A sample job description adaptable to various settings – Core responsibilities and qualifications based on best practices – An editable Google Doc for easy customization

Whether you're launching a new role or updating an existing one, this tool can help you highlight the essential work of farm to school coordination.

Download here!

Get Involved

Community Chat: Funding Youth Gardens

August 6 | Register here

Join us for an informal, peer-to-peer Community Chat focused on funding youth gardens. Whether you're just getting started or have years of experience, this is a great opportunity to share challenges, explore funding ideas, and connect with fellow garden educators and advocates.

10th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference

 Registration Now Open! | Register here

The National Farm to Cafeteria Conference is happening December 2–4, 2025 in Albuquerque, New Mexico! This year's event will bring together farm to institution leaders from across the country for learning, networking, and collective action to strengthen local food systems.

Don’t miss this chance to connect and grow with the movement! Planning to attend? Let us know! We’d love to know who’s representing Utah!

Now Open: Utah Farm to Fork Teacher Workshop Registration!

September 26 & 27 | Register here!

Join Utah Agriculture in the Classroom and Farm to Fork for a dynamic two-day teacher workshop exploring local agriculture through hands-on farm and business tours. Open to educators of all grade levels and subjects, this workshop offers fresh ways to connect students to food, farming, and the natural world.

Teachers who attend will receive:

• $250 stipend

• USBE relicensure hours or CE credits through USU

• A classroom resource kit ($150 value)

• Hands-on instruction + new lesson plans

• Networking with fellow Utah educators

Food Justice

Could Child Care Centers Strengthen Local Food Systems?

Check out this Q&A from Civil Eats, with local foods expert, Dara Bloom, to learn more about this untapped potential market for farmers.

Read it here!

Job Opportunities

Community Garden Site Manager

Salt Lake City | August 15 | Apply here

Wasatch Community Gardens is hiring a Community Garden Site Manager to join their Agricultural Operations team! This role is responsible for maintaining and improving infrastructure and irrigation across all WCG community gardens, supporting both ecological health and community use.

Key responsibilities include overseeing garden design and construction projects, developing best practices, and training garden managers in light maintenance. Ideal candidates have experience in building and landscape maintenance, strong organic gardening knowledge, and a passion for community education.

Funding Opportunities

Whole Kids Foundation Salad Bar Grant

Rolling Basis | Apply here

As the school year begins, it’s the perfect time to start thinking about your child’s or students’ nutrition. One powerful way to support healthy habits is by bringing more fresh options into the cafeteria.

Thanks to the Whole Kids Foundation Salad Bar Grant, in partnership with Salad Bars to Schools, your school can apply to receive a free salad bar setup, giving students daily access to fresh fruits and vegetables.

Did You Know?

The National Farm to School Network has a Policy Map! This interactive map highlights how partners and state advocates are advancing policies that benefit kids, farmers, and communities by supporting local, nourishing school meals. Explore the interactive map to see the latest farm to school policy developments in your state or territory during the current legislative session.

Check it out here!

Join Our Network!

Learn more about new sources and connect with other farm to school advocates!

Join today!