Submitted by Green Umbrella.
While the phrase Farm to School conjures up images of fresh, local produce served to happy, healthy kids in a school cafeteria, getting kids to be happy with eating healthy food can be a challenge. The Greater Cincinnati Regional Food Policy Council will address that challenge head on at the Farm to School Educators Workshop, a virtual workshop scheduled for Sept. 19 from 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. The workshop is designed to support teachers working to institute farm-to-school practices at their schools whether in person or virtual. In the past three years, 25 school districts around the Greater Cincinnati region purchased produce from local farms and served it in their cafeterias.
“Being able to offer students healthy, local foods is a huge success,” Greater Cincinnati Regional Food Policy Council director Michaela Oldfield said. “But we have to couple access with education. Education on how food is grown and tastes is key to getting students to eat and enjoy local produce.”
The workshop aims to train to K-12 teachers and educators to integrate agriculture and food education into the school, classroom and extra-curricular activities. Panelists will address in-person and virtual resources and how they are making impacts during the COVID-19 period. Topics will include using school gardens and cooking classes for STEM, social studies and literacy education as well as a variety of ways educators can involve other parts of their school community in supporting farm to school education.
According to the National Farm to School Network, “Farm to school enriches the connection communities have with fresh, healthy food and local food producers by changing food purchasing and education practices at schools and early care and education settings.”
“Farm to School education is the social justice work of our time,” Mary Dudley, Agriculture Educator at Gamble Montessori High School, said. “A child’s engagement with the world of agriculture through healthy, nutritious meals and an experience of cultivation provides the power of resilience for a positive future.”
The cost of this event for teachers is covered by Green Umbrella with support from the USDA Farm to School program. Certificates will be provided for continuing education credits. Registration is required online at https://greenumbrella.org/event-3772372
Organizing Partners are Ohio State University College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences and 4-H; University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences; Gorman Heritage Farm; Northern Kentucky Health Department and Eat Healthy NKY and the Civic Garden Center.
The Greater Cincinnati Regional Food Policy Council is an initiative of Green Umbrella. It facilitates collaboration to create systemic solutions for healthy, equitable, sustainable food access. Learn more at greenumbrella.org/food-policy.