March 2024
Hello Farm to Fork Friends!
This week, our team had a great tour of farm to school programs in San Juan, Emery, Carbon, and Grand Counties. Big thanks to everyone who hosted us for school lunch and showcased their work. Shoutout to those leading the charge for the next steps in this movement!
A few words participants have used to describe their experience so far include:
Movement Building Nights
Join the movement and register for your region today!
March Workshops:
Northern Utah Region - March 19
Uinta Basin Region - March 26
Have suggestions for your region? We want to hear from you!
What to Harvest This Month
Gardening season is upon us! Begin sowing seeds for cool-season vegetables like peas, lettuce, and radishes as soon as the garden soil becomes workable, adjusting based on your specific location within the state. One of the hardiest greens to grow this spring is spinach. When it’s ready to harvest, try our Chicken and Spinach Quesadilla recipe!
Get Involved!
National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) is March 4-8! Celebrate the importance of a nutritious school breakfast in fueling students for success. This special observance during the first week of March celebrates the national School Breakfast Program and the many ways it gives kids a great start every day. Click here to learn more about the National School Breakfast Program in Utah!
Resources and Trainings
School Breakfast 101: Implementing Innovative Breakfast Models | Thursday, March 7 at 1:00 PM MT Join the Food Research & Action Center this National School Breakfast Week to learn how schools are supporting student success through innovative breakfast models. The School Breakfast Program supports student health and learning and improves school attendance; however, traditional breakfast models, where breakfast is served before the start of the school day, hinder participation. Innovative breakfast models, such as Breakfast After the Bell, are effective ways to boost participation and ensure children start their day ready to learn. Register here!
A Deep Dive into the Community Eligibility Provision | Thursday, March 14 at 1:00 PM MT Join the Food Research & Action Center to explore the benefits of CEP, and what the lower eligibility threshold means for your schools and community. The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) provides eligible schools the opportunity to nourish all students at no charge. CEP reduces barriers to school meal participation and eases the administrative and operational burdens faced by school districts. In 2023, USDA released a new rule lowering CEP's participation threshold, thus allowing even more schools to participate. Register here!
Virtual Field Trip: Farmers, Robots and Technology - Caring for Cows | Tuesday, March 19 at 1:00 PM MT Join Dairy West for a LIVE Virtual Farm Trip to a robotic dairy, where you’ll explore how robots and other technology help dairy farmers feed, monitor, milk and keep their cows as healthy as possible; and their featured farmers will answer your students' questions! This trip is designed for students in grades K-5, with additional classroom resources available upon registration. Register today!
Farm to School Toolkit Training by Growing Minds | Wednesday, March 20 at 1:30 PM MT Growing Minds Farm to School Program is part of Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, a nonprofit based in Asheville, NC. We are excited to announce the launch of our new resource: “I Tried Local…” A Toolkit for Engaging Kids with Local Food and Farms. It is designed for use in early care and education (ECE) through second grade and offers curriculum alignment.
In this training you will learn about the different components of the Toolkit, hear success stories from farm to school champions across the state, and brainstorm ways you can start using it in your classroom. All are welcome no matter what your experience with farm to school is!
You can access a digital version of the toolkit here!
Food Justice
Moab Youth Garden Project - 14th Annual Online Auction Fundraiser
The Youth Garden Project 2024 Auction Fundraiser is now open! The auction will run from February 28 (8am) to March 5 (8pm). Bid on hundreds of items and experiences in Utah, Colorado, and beyond, all the while supporting YGP's mission of growing healthy food, kids, and community! Click here to bid!
Job Opportunities
Utah Ag in the Classroom is hiring a new Director! | Logan, UT | Apply today!
This position is responsible for directing the Utah Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) program as part of Utah State University Extension. The program staff develops, promotes, and presents PreK-12 teacher resources as a member of the National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization. The program is designed to enhance the ability of teachers to increase student knowledge in agricultural literacy while meeting mandatory Utah core standards in science, social studies, nutrition, and career and technical education. This is a fiscal year (12-month), tenure-track appointment within the Applied Sciences, Technology & Education Department in the College of Agriculture & Applied Sciences at Utah State University.
West Field High School is hiring a CTE Ag Teacher! | Ogden, UT | Apply today!
A position has been declared open in the Weber School District at West Field High School for a CTE AG Teacher. This position is for 8 hours per day, 9 months per year. The courses may include but are not limited to Ag Biology, Animal Science, Plant and Soil Science, Natural Resource Science, GreenHouse Management, Floracultural.
Youth Garden Project is now hiring for seasonal positions! | Moab, UT | Apply today!
Our Youth Programs Instructors work together in a hands-on, outdoor setting to lead a variety of elementary education programs. In the Spring & Fall, YGP hosts two after-school programs, Garden Classroom field trips, and a Spring Break & Fall Break Camp. During the summer, instructors lead YGP Summer Camp, providing much needed high-quality child care for 1st – 6th graders during the summer break. Instructors spend their seasons in a garden in Moab getting to know some of the youngest members of our wonderful community!
Do you have a farm to fork job opportunity you'd like us to share? Let us know! Jobs must be located in Utah or fully remote.
Funding Opportunities
Utah Outdoor Recreation Grants - Help build tourism in communities around the state through the construction and expansion of outdoor recreation amenities!
There are multiple grant programs available, including Utah Outdoor Classroom Grant that awards up to $15,000 to community-based non-profit organizations or publicly funded K-12 schools to help get Utah’s K-12 students outside— to learn, gain a skill, and enjoy the outdoors! Applications are due Friday, March 15! Apply today!
National Agriculture in the Classroom - Conference Scholarships
This year's National Agriculture in the Classroom conference will be held June 25-27 in Salt Lake City, Utah. This is an opportunity for educators from across the country to come together to not only experience agriculture within the host state, but to learn more about how to integrate agriculture into the core curriculum of their classroom
There are multiple scholarships available to attend. Learn more here!
Be sure to share your upcoming events, grant opportunities, and jobs with us so that we can share them here!
You'll hear from us again next month. In the meantime, we'd love to hear from you!