Meet the Farmer Classroom Visit

Back to School with Local Food

For Farm to School, the fall is a time of transition. Students are back in the classroom preparing for a semester of growing minds and farmers are back in the fields preparing for a season of growing food. We here at Sustainable Food Center know that access to fresh, healthy food is imperative for learning and bridging the gap between local farms, school cafeterias, and student participation through our Farm to School programs.

Over the last school year, our Veggie Sampling program supplied roughly 450 pounds of fresh, local, and unique vegetables to AISD elementary students. Believe it or not, many students eagerly tried veggies such as Hakurei turnips, watermelon radishes, and rainbow carrots. Plenty of students requested second samples, and a few even wanted to take a sample home to share with their families. By the end of the ’16-’17 school year, we introduced approximately 8,820 students across 33 AISD schools with these farm fresh veggie samples! Check out the infographic below for a visual.

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Veggie Samplings will be even bigger and better this school year. AISD will be conducting these fun and educational events across the entire district during National School Lunch Week in October. 100% of the produce for these veggie samplings will be purchased from local farms, which is no small ask of a district with 130 schools. In preparation, we have been working closely with our AISD partners to create a promotional toolkit for veggie samplings. Check out our fun Farm to School Bookmark for elementary students below! In addition to this toolkit, we will be providing both hands-on and cafeteria consulting support for the veggie sampling days in both the fall and spring semesters.

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Our Farm to School program also includes Meet the Farmer Visits - a unique way students can engage with the local food system. Research has shown that when children have a better understanding of where fruits and vegetables come from, they are more likely to eat these healthy foods. Bringing a farmer into the classroom to tell the story behind the produce on the students’ lunch trays allows students to feel a much stronger connection to their food and community. Last year, we worked with 4 local farmers and 5 Austin-area schools to bring the local food system to the classroom.

SFC is partnering with AISD to plan 32 classroom hours’ worth of Meet the Farmer Visits this year! If you are a parent, teacher, or other staff member at an AISD school, and are interested in having a local farmer come talk to your class or school, fill out this event request form. If you are a local farmer and have an interest in educating students on the value of the food you grow, contact Danika Trierweiler at Danika@sustainablefoodcenter.org.

The 2017 – 2018 school year is gearing up to be one with minds and tummies full of fresh and healthy local food!