It's October - Happy Farm to School Month!
Shari Brown
To vote (once per day!), please visit: 50statesforgood.com. With just a click of the mouse, you and your friends can ensure the programmatic flourishing of SEEDS and the uplift of a deserving Chicago community area. Voting concludes October 15.
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2) Join us in celebrating Farm to School Month
Key Dates:
Oct 16: World Food Day - This year's theme is Sustainable Food Systems. Check out their site for activities and information about their international children's painting competition for the environment with theme "Food Waste."
Oct 24: Food Day in Chicago - We will be out celebrating @ Daley Plaza - join us for nutrition and garden activities!
For a complete list of October FFF events, please visit our Calendar.
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3) Webinars: EdWeb offers numerous webinars for educators to gain more knowledge and resources in any academic area, especially gardens.
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4) Are you hosting a farm to school event this month? Enter the Farm to School Challenge and win prizes for your school!
October is National Farm to School Month!
Take the Illinois Farm to School Challenge
to WIN GREAT PRIZES for your school!
Just by entering the Challenge you will become eligible to
win great prizes for your school garden including:
· Fruit trees
· Berry bushes
· Vegetable and herb seeds
· Vegetable plants
· Herb plants
· Garden preparation
· Gardening books
· Garden based Classroom curriculum
Who is eligible?
· Schools principals
· Teachers
· School food service staff
· Community advocates
· Parents and more!
How can I qualify?
· Check out the ideas and examples below. You can start planning your activities for October now, or initiate your Farm to School future planning steps during October. When you have completed the activity, you can log on tohttp://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FSchallenge and check the appropriate box. You can go back in and add additional activities as they are completed throughout the month.
Where to apply/register: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FSchallenge
Winning schools will be chosen by number of Farm to School month activities completed and logged on survey site. Winners will be announced and prized will be awarded in early spring 2014 in time for spring school gardens!
Illinois Farm to School Challenge Ideas and Examples:
Superintendents:
· Encourage schools in your district to celebrate National Farm to School Month with a theme of the day activity: http://www.farmtoschoolmonth.org/theme-of-the-day-calendar-2013/
· Encourage schools in your district to celebrate National Food Day. October 24, 2013:http://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/foodday/pages/80/attachments/original/1368129187/FoodDay2013_SchoolsOnePager.pdf?1368129187
· Take the Illinois Department of Agriculture pledge for schools at: http://www.agr.state.il.us/marketing/ilprod/
· Register for a free salad bar(s) along with your districts SFA- for more information go to:http://web.extension.illinois.edu/smallfarm/downloads/48948.pdf
Principals:
· Encourage the School Food Buyer/staff, Parents/PTA, School Board Members and teachers to take the Farm to School month Challenge to earn extra points for your school.
· Have a potluck for the staff using local foods and/or invite a local chef to make desert.
· Initiate a Farm to School 101 presentation for your staff and community members. To do this, check the appropriate box on the Challenge survey.
Teachers:
· Celebrate Farm to School Month with a Theme of the day activity: http://www.farmtoschoolmonth.org/theme-of-the-day-calendar-2013/
· Invite a local farmer to come in to speak to your class
· Hang posters in your classroom to encourage discussion with your students:http://www.farmtoschoolmonth.org/resources/
· Invite a local chef to come in to speak and/or cook with your class
· Organize a Farm Field Trip for your class- for more information see: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/farmtoschool/newsletter/2013/ILF2SGuidetoEducationalFarmFieldTrips_Fall2012.pdf
· Assign a class project to search the media for news related to Farm to School.
· Celebrate Food Day with the classroom curriculum at: http://www.foodday.org/resources#schools
· Poll your students on what healthy local foods they would like to see served in the school cafeteria.
· Ask your students make a collage, story or poem about what Farm to School means to you.
· Take your students on a See if you can tour the school kitchen and learn about the school food challenges.
· Create and send home a flyer home about Farm to School to parents and welcome their participation in the challenge.
· Initiate a Farm to School needs assessment/ meeting with your local Extension staff members for information on classroom or school garden resources. To do this, check the appropriate box on the Challenge survey.
Food Service Staff:
· Serve lunch using locally grown food. http://www.farmtoschoolmonth.org/resources/
· Take the Illinois Department of Agriculture “Buy Local” pledge for schools at: http://www.agr.state.il.us/marketing/ilprod/
· Celebrate Harvest of the Month: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/smallfarm/cat140_4020.html
· Visit a classroom to talk about food safety, school nutrition, or challenges for serving local food.
· Hang posters in the lunchroom: http://www.farmtoschoolmonth.org/resources/
· Poll the students about what they like and don’t like about school lunches.
· Register for a free salad bar- for more information go to: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/smallfarm/downloads/48948.pdf
· Host a taste testing using locally grown food- http://www.vtfeed.org/materials/guide-taste-testing-local-foods-schools
· Purchase local foods if you are a recipient of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Grant (FFVG).
· Purchase local food items from your regular distributor/vendor
· Purchase locally grown foods from a community farmer.
· Initiate a Farm to School training event with your local Extension staff members. To do this, check the appropriate box on the Challenge survey.
School Board Member, Community Member, PTA, Local Food Advocate
· Offer to help at your local school garden
· Host a Farm to School Organizing event in your community-for more information see:http://web.extension.illinois.edu/farmtoschool/docs/ParentsToolkit.pdf
· Organize a Local Foods CSA for your school fundraiser: xxx
· Organize a local fundraiser for your schools salad bar- for more information go to:http://web.extension.illinois.edu/smallfarm/downloads/48948.pdf
· Determine if Farm to School language is included in your local schools wellness policy. If not, work to have it added.
· Take the Illinois Department of Agriculture “Buy Local” pledge at: http://www.agr.state.il.us/marketing/ilprod/
· Initiate a Farm to School community-wide Farm to School 101 event with your local Extension staff member’s. To do this, check the appropriate box on the Challenge survey.
For more information about Illinois Farm to School see:
For more information about National Farm to School month see: http://www.farmtoschoolmonth.org/resources/
To receive the weekly Illinois Farm to School Newsletter register here:
https://webs.extension.uiuc.edu/registration/?RegistrationID=8868
Seven Generations Ahead | 
October is National Farm to School Month!
Celebrate with us all month long.