Hello Farm to Fork Friends!
What are you celebrating in these last few weeks of summer? There are lots of harvest festivals and celebrations coming up in the next few months. In addition to some of the in-person events we’ve got listed below, Eat Local Week is September 26-October 2 this year. Take the pledge to eat local at a level that works for you, and let us know how it goes on social media—use the hashtags #eatlocalutah and #eatlocalchallengeut and tag us @utfarm2fork.
What to Harvest This Month
Utah’s melon season is short but oh so sweet. Green River boasts our most famous melon growers (check out Melon Days September 17-18 if you’re in the area), but melons are grown all over the state. Whether your favorite is watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, or something more unique, check out our farmer list at utfarmtofork.org to find a ripe melon near you.
Get Involved Save the Date for the Greatest Crunch on Earth!
Save the date—the 5th annual Utah Apple Crunch will be held on October 20th, 2021. Registration and resources are posted at https://www.utfarmtofork.org/utah-apple-crunch. We encourage you to celebrate in-person if possible, but we’ll be keeping our virtual resources from last year as well in case you need to make a quick pivot. Remember, if you participate in the National School Lunch Program, Utah apples purchased for this celebration count towards your local purchase total for enhanced reimbursement.
USU Extension Field Day
We invite all hobby livestock owners, small pasture operators, and urban homesteaders to join USU Extension for a free pasture demonstration and tour from 6-8 pm on September 8 at the USU Botanical Center in Kaysville! Extension experts will present on cover crops and pasture management, and a hamburger dinner will be served. Learn more and register here.
Utah State Ag Day BBQ
This years Ag Day BBQ will be held on Saturday, September 25 from 1-3 pm. As always, the centerpiece of Ag Day is the impressive BBQ featuring an outstanding meal of Utah produced products such as beef, pork, lamb, ice cream, dried cherries, deli meats, cheese, corn on the cob, apples, onion rings, and tossed green salad. The cost is $15 for adults, $10 for USU students, and $8 for children. All proceeds from this event go to the Utah Agricultural Leadership Endowment at Utah State University. Learn more and register here.
Be a Featured Farmer We’re highlighting Utah farmers and ranchers on our social media all summer long. Fill out this short form to be featured on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
Webinars and Trainings Did you know you can book a personalized farm to fork training whenever you want? Visit the USBE CNP Bookings page, and choose any training that starts with the heading “Farm to Fork”.
Improving Equity Honoring Tribal Connections
Wherever your school or organization is located, it’s probably on ancestral tribal lands. Collaborating with Native community partners is one way to honor that connection. First Nations Development Institute held a recorded webinar earlier this year that highlights the way organizations in New Mexico and Maine have worked with tribal groups to restore traditional food ways and strengthen community partnerships. Access the webinar recording here.
Job Opportunities USU Create Better Health Ambassador, Beaver County
The USU Create Better Health (SNAP-ED) nutrition education program teaches nutrition lessons and cooking skills to low-income adults and youth who are Food Stamp eligible. Utah State University Extension Create Better Health nutrition education program in Beaver County is seeking a qualified individual to work part-time (20 hours per week depending on available grant funding) teaching nutrition and cooking skills. This position pays $12.50/hour. Learn more and apply here.
Funding Opportunities 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. Check back in December for information on the Spring Semester Grant. 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!
