Hello Farm to Fork Friends,
Buying locally is a great way to spread the love this holiday season. To get started, check out the Love Local holiday gift boxes from our friends at Wasatch Community Gardens. What’s the best local gift you’ve ever received? Let us know online @utfarm2fork.
What to Harvest This Month
Thanks to the magic of greenhouses and hydroponics, we can enjoy fresh salad greens all year round in Utah. Check out the farmer list here on our website to find an indoor grower near you. And if you want to learn more, this article in the Salt Lake Tribune describes the efforts of Longvine Growing Company in Mona to transform indoor agriculture.
Get Involved!
Become a Utah Green School!
Does your school engage in sustainability efforts or integrate environmental education? If so, you are likely eligible to be recognized as a Utah Green School! UGS recognizes and inspires 21st-century sustainable practices in Utah schools, including environmental literacy, health and wellness, and building facilities. Many farm to fork activities, like agriculture education, school gardens, and composting, are also sustainability efforts, and you deserve to be recognized for them. Learn more and apply here. The application deadline is March 1, 2022.
Webinars and Trainings Edible Schoolyard Webinar recordings: Understanding Organic
Interested in including organic practices in your school garden? Edible Schoolyard has a webinar series that breaks it down for you. These webinars introduce their Understanding Organic Curriculum, explore organic approaches to soil fertility, planting, and pest management, and provide learning strategies to tie it all together. The webinar recordings can be viewed here.
Improving Equity Recognizing Indigenous Foodways
Some people don’t think of Utah as having farms or a rich agricultural heritage, but indigenous people have been growing food here for thousands of years! To learn more about native agriculture in Utah, read this article about how indigenous communities are working to re-populate the Four Corners Potato in Southeast Utah. (And then check out the other articles in Civil Eats’ Indigenous Foodways series).
Job Opportunities New Roots Farm Coordinator, International Rescue Committee, Salt Lake City
This position is directly responsible for management of New Roots farm sites and will coordinate farmer-participant activities and participation pertaining to all retail markets and outlets, including farmers markets, schools, grocers, restaurants, and a robust Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. The New Roots Farm Coordinator will oversee farmer technical assistance and training on organic and sustainable agricultural production, small scale production techniques, and agricultural production methods adapted for the semi-arid environment of northern Utah. Learn more and apply here.
Multiple Positions, Youth Garden Project, Moab
Youth Garden Project is hiring for multiple full time and seasonal positions, as well as internships. Positions include Farm Manager (full-time, year-round, desired start date January 5, 2022), Garden-Based Educator (full-time, seasonal, start date February 22, 2022), and Youth Program Instructor Spring & Summer Internships. Learn more and apply here.
Funding Opportunities 2022 Youth Garden Grant
The 2022 Youth Garden Grant from KidsGardening.org is now open! A total of 50 programs will be awarded grants this year. Any nonprofit organization, public or private school, or youth program in the United States or US Territories planning a new garden program or expanding an established one that serves at least 15 youth between the ages of 3 and 18 is eligible to apply. Learn more and apply here. The application deadline is December 17, 2021.
USDA Farm to School Grants
The USDA expects to award approximately $12 million in Farm to School Grants this year. The RFA includes three tracks: Turnkey, Implementation, and State Agency, with awards ranging from $50,000 to $500,000. Eligible schools, State and local agencies, Indian tribal organizations, small- to medium-sized agricultural producers or groups of small- to medium-sized agricultural producers, non-profit organizations, and institutions operating the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) at non-school based sites are all eligible to apply! The application deadline is January 10, 2022. Learn more here and then apply on grants.gov.
FFA Living to Serve Grants
Living to Serve Grants provide an opportunity for FFA chapters and state FFA associations/foundations to seek funding to support various types of service projects through a competitive application process. Applicants must identify a community need that falls within one of four focus areas: community safety; hunger, health and nutrition; environmental responsibility; or community engagement. The Day of Service Mini Grants provide up to $400 for a one-time event. The application is always open! Applications received by the 1st of each month are awarded by the 15th. The Spring Semester Grant application opens December 15th and closes February 1, 2022. Learn more and apply here.
Harvest of the Season Microgrants
Stay tuned for information about Garden and Local Food Taste Test Microgrants. Coming soon!
Be sure to share your upcoming events, grant opportunities, and jobs with us so that we can share them here!
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