Happy Holidays Farm to Fork Friends!
As you plan your festivities, check out this great resource for celebrations that support child health. We hope you have a wonderful and safe holiday season. We also have lots of job opportunities this month, so if you’re looking to make a change heading into 2023, scroll on down to find your next adventure.
What to Harvest This Month
Local Utah produce in season in December includes leeks, onions, winter squash, and turnips. Here are some fun and unique recipes to explore with these items!
If you make any of these, be sure to share your creations with us @utfarm2fork (Instagram) and @utahfarm2fork (Facebook). It's the next best thing to sharing a meal with friends!
Get Involved!
Strategic Planning Input Meetings
Save the date for the next round of strategic planning meetings! We will be having an in-person half-day meeting on Saturday, March 4th and an online meeting (for those who can't or don't want to attend the Saturday session) the evening of Thursday, March 9th. More details about timing (and location for the in-person meeting) are still to come, but we hope that by providing early notice (and by scheduling outside of "standard" work hours) many of you are able to make it-- your input is invaluable to this process! Click here to read the summary reports of our work thus far.
Webinars & Trainings
Farm to School and ECE Local Food Incentive Programs: The National Landscape
Local food incentive programs provide additional money to school and ECE (early care and education) child nutrition programs with the intention to stimulate increased purchasing of local foods. This recorded webinar from the National Farm to School Network provides a review of different designs of statewide incentive programs explored in a recent report released on the subject, and shares support available for policy advocacy and education. Utah is one of 15 states that currently provides incentives for local food purchases, but only for schools participating in the National School Lunch Program. Will childcare centers be next? It's up to you!
Improving Equity
Now More Than Ever
Strengthening community connections to fresh, healthy food and local food producers is a key piece of building a just, resilient food system. Check out the Now More Than Ever podcast to learn how farm to school is part of this movement.
Job Opportunities Youth Programs Instructor, Youth Garden Project, Moab
YGP is looking for individuals interested in working as an educator in a hands-on, outdoor setting within a variety of our elementary educational programs. In the spring & fall, we host two after-school programs, lead Garden Classroom field trips, and run a Spring Break & Fall Break camp—all of which will be facilitated primarily by two instructors. During the summer, four instructors collaborate to implement our nine-week Summer Camp program. YGP Summer Camp provides much needed hands-on, high-quality child care for 1st – 6th graders during the summer break. This position pays $15/hour, 35-38 hours per week. Learn more and apply here.
Food Education and Access Coordinator, Youth Garden Project, Moab
Under the direction of the Produce Manager, the Food Education and Access Coordinator will improve fresh food access and agricultural literacy for students and people of all ages in Moab. The Youth Garden Project’s 1.5-acre garden sits at the crossroads of Grand County High School and a well-traveled bike path. It includes an orchard, a flock of chickens, three outdoor classrooms, a playhouse, two greenhouses, native plant garden, herb garden, sensory garden, nibble garden, rabbit enclosure, historic home, commercial kitchen, and over 70 garden beds. Our mission is to cultivate healthy children, families, and community through educational programs and connecting people with food from seed to table. This is a full-time, one-year AmeriCorps position, with biweekly living allowance payments totaling $16,502 annually. Learn more and apply here.
Utah Farmers Market Network Director (location flexible with preference of Moab, SLC, or Logan)
USU Extension is hiring a Utah Farmers Market Network Director to advance the mission of the Utah Farmers Market Network. Location flexible within Utah, with preference of Moab, Logan, or Salt Lake City. This is a three-year part-time position (up to 20 hours per week) through Utah State University (USU) at a rate of $29 an hour, funded through the United States Department of Agriculture Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program (USDA FMPP). The position's start date is February 1, 2023, with flexibility for a January start date. Learn more and apply here.
Utah Farmers Market Network Handbook Coordinator, remote eligible within Utah
Utah Farmers Market Network (UFMN) Handbook Coordinator who will contribute to the mission of the UFMN by increasing the success of new and beginning farmers market managers. The primary responsibility of this position will be to create content for a market manager handbook that will specifically target market managers who are new to market management, starting a new market, or in their first two years of running a market. This is a part-time position (10 hours per week) through Utah State University (USU) at a rate of $25 an hour for 8 months. Learn more and apply here.
FruitShare Outreach and Development Specialist, The Green Urban Lunch Box, Salt Lake City
The Green Urban Lunch Box is seeking a FruitShare Outreach and Development Specialist through the Harvest Against Hunger AmeriCorps VISTA program. We are looking for candidates who have:
Familiarity with digital media and technology for operations, collaborating, and fundraising
Strong writing skills with experience writing for grants
Experience engaging with diverse populations in public spaces
Excellent communication skills and ability to manage communications multiple spaces
This is a 40 hour/week position with a one-year commitment. Learn more and apply here.
Create Better Health Ambassador, USU Extension, Tooele County
The Utah State University (USU) Extension Create Better Health (SNAP-ED) program is a comprehensive program that helps low-income individuals and families by providing direct education on basic nutrition, cooking skills and physical activity to youth and adults both online and face-to-face (as situations allow); collaborates with community partners to improve healthy food access and physical activity opportunities within communities (PSE work); provides outreach and education through social media platforms. Tooele County Extension is seeking a part-time ambassador to implement this program. This position pays $14.50/hr for up to 25 hours per week (depending on grant funding). Learn more and apply here.
Head Gardener, Sweetwater Kitchen/Boulder Mountain Guest Ranch, Boulder
We are a farm to table restaurant in a beautiful and remote area. Our main business is the guest lodge and restaurant. We have a 1.5-acre organic restaurant that needs to be managed and produce enough to supply our restaurant. Vegetables, herbs and flowers are the focus. We also have a few well-producing fruit trees that may need some care. 40-hour work week is required, sometimes more or less dependent on weather and needs at that time. Working alongside the head chef and restaurant staff is key to having an efficient garden with no waste. Learn more and apply here.
Funding Opportunities
USDA Farm to School Grants
The Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Farm to School Grant Program Request for Applications (RFA) is now open!
USDA will award up to $12 million in competitive grants to eligible entities through the Farm to School Grant Program in FY 2023. Each grant helps implement farm to school programs that increase access to local food in eligible schools, connect children with agriculture for better health, and inspire youth to consider careers in agriculture. Learn more here and then apply on grants.gov. The application deadline is January 6, 2023.
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 1st, 2023. Learn more and apply here.
Be sure to share your upcoming events, grant opportunities, and jobs with us so that we can share them here!
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