Happy New Year Farm to Fork Friends!
We hope you had safe and healthy holidays and are ready to start a bright new year of 2023! We have lots of funding opportunities posted this month, so if you need money to help make your New Year’s resolution projects a reality, scroll on down to the bottom and check those out.
What to Harvest This Month
We’re not called the Beehive State for nothing! Utah is home to many fantastic honey producers. Start your year off on a sweet note by trying one of our winter Harvest of the Season recipes including honey—we have Honey Dilled Carrots, Honey Lemon Chicken, and of course, a Honey Mustard Dressing that’s great for both dipping and glazes.
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.
Let Congress Know Your Priorities with Child Nutrition Reauthorization
As Congress takes up the next Child Nutrition Act Reauthorization (CNR), we have an important opportunity — the first in a decade — to leverage federal farm to school and other child nutrition policies to shift power towards a racially just food system. Your members of Congress need to hear directly from you about our shared priorities for a Child Nutrition Reauthorization that truly supports kids, producers, and communities. Click here to send your legislators an email today.
Webinars & Trainings
Music in the Garden Webinar with School Garden Support Organization
January 18th, 12pm MT
This session will demonstrate how to incorporate multi-sensory musical experiences into your school garden curriculum. Symon Hajjar of Hot Toast Music Co. will share songs and lesson ideas, lead activities, and facilitate discussion about how to take advantage of the integrated learning opportunities found in a garden. Learn more and register here.
Hands-On Learning with The Green Urban Lunch Box
The Small Farm Initiative at the Green Urban Lunch Box teaches students how to grow organic and sustainable specialty vegetable crops in an urban setting. Applications for apprenticeships (classroom and hands-on learning) and Stewardships (all hands-on) are open now. Learn more about the Apprenticeship here, and the Stewardship here.
Improving Equity
Advancing Urban Agriculture in Camden
Food justice, economic justice, and other social determinants of health are inherently intertwined. Learn how the Camden Dream Center is working to advance economic empowerment in an environmentally sustainable way by developing a food hub centered on food justice principles.
Job Opportunities Community Garden Coordinator, USU Extension, San Juan County
USU Extension in San Juan County is hiring a Community Garden Coordinator to assist with organizing, evaluating, and coordinating research-based educational programs for Community Garden projects in Blanding, Bluff, and Mexican Water. This is a part-time (10 hours/week) position that pays $18.00 per hour. Learn more and apply here.
Youth Educator, Wasatch Community Gardens, Salt Lake City
Wasatch Community Gardens is hiring for two Youth Educators, one at .85 FTE and one seasonal. The Youth Educator reports to the Youth & School Gardens Program Director and is responsible for teaching summer camps, field trips, and group visits with support from permanent and seasonal staff. This position requires strong communication and time management skills, self-motivation, the ability to work as part of a team, and a passion for teaching youth to grow and eat healthy, organic, local food. Learn more and apply here.
Funding Opportunities
Utah Outdoor Classroom Grant
The Utah Outdoor Classroom Grant funding is dedicated to permanent, built infrastructure that can support student learning and is limited to between $500-$15,000. Eligible applicants include nonprofits, public K-12 schools, and tribal organizations. And of course, school gardens are the ultimate outdoor classroom. The grant period opens January 17th, 2023 and closes March 17th, 2023. Learn more about this opportunity by registering for a virtual workshop on January 9th, from 4-5pm.
Local Food Purchase Assistance Program
The purpose of this program is to improve food and agricultural supply chain resiliency by supporting local and socially disadvantaged producers and strengthening partnerships between food producers and the emergency food distribution network and other local food networks. Utah Department of Health and Human Services anticipates making between 3-6 awards under this program. Project amounts can range from $150,000 to $1,000,000. The application is due January 30th, by 5 pm MT. Learn more and apply here.
Slow Food Utah Microgrants
Keep an eye out for the Slow Food Utah Microgrants to open early this month! These $5,000 grants usually have a quick turnaround so we’re posting this opportunity now to make sure you don’t miss it. Grants can be used for projects that help increase or enhance local skills and capacity, the availability of locally produced foods, regional and cultural food traditions, taste or youth education. What a great fit for farm to fork! Learn more here.
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!
Comments