CT Farm to School Conference 2015-03-13T16:52:48-04:00
Farm to School Conf Flyer
Join us for a full day of exciting workshops and networking opportunities focused on creating healthier school communities!
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To register as a volunteer and receive your registration coupon code, please contact schoolgardens@commongroundct.org

Download a flyer here!

Who Should Attend? Calling all school garden enthusiasts, educators, farmers, policy makers, public health advocates, food service professionals, and more!

What Will I Learn?

  • best practices for the school garden
  • local foods procurement and promotion
  • experiential food education
  • food, farm, and nutrition curriculum
  • funding opportunities, and more!
What Will I Gain?
Each conference registration includes a FREE resource manual containing workshop materials, curriculum, articles, and other relevant Farm to School information!

Click Here to Read Workshop Descriptions and Presenter Bios
Conference Agenda
8:00-9:00 Arrival and Registration
9:00-10:15 Opening Remarks and Keynote Speakers
Ron Adams: Director of Food Services – Portland Public Schools, Maine
Ellen B. Libby: Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development, Healthy Lifestyles, State Supervisor for FoodCorps Maine, State Co-Lead for National Farm to School Network – University of Maine Cooperative Extension
10:25-11:40 Workshop Session A

    • Procurement 101: Targeting Local Foods through Fair and Open Competition
    • CSI: Creating, Sustaining, and Implementing District Wide School Garden Programs
    • School-Based Farmers’ Markets
    • There’s No “I” in “Eat”: How Bridgeport’s Large School District Teamed Up for Nutrition
    • There are Bugs and then there are BUGs: Growing Safer Fruits and Vegetables with Good Agricultural Practices
    • Never Too Small to Grow: Examining the Design and Successes of Two Early Childhood Garden Models
11:50-12:35 Lunch & Networking (Featuring Locally Sourced Ingredients)
12:35- 1:35 Plenary: Farm to School Collaborations Across the State Featured Programs:
Alicia McAvay (Farm FRESH New London County Schools) , Sally Mancini (Growing Great Schools, West Hartford),
Sally Millius (Grow Windham), and Melissa Spear (CT School Garden Resource Center)
1:45-3:00 Workshop Session B

  • Funding Your Future: A Guide to the USDA’s Farm to School Grant Program
  • Starting and Sustaining School Gardens
  • Harvest of the Month: An Easy Way to Grow Farm to School in Any Size District
  • Teaching The Millennials
  • Farm-Based Field Trips
  • Kids Dig It: Using Garden-Based Learning to Engage Students in Food and Agricultural Education
  • Youth-Led Gardening and Engagement in High Schools
3:10-3:50 Round Table Discussions/Open Space
3:50-4:00 Closing Remarks (Continued Networking with Local UCONN Ice Cream & Hosmer’s Soda)
 Friday, March 20th, 8 – 4pm
Student Center at Eastern CT State University
83 Windham Street, Willimantic, CT 06226
Parking: Please park in the parking garage and follow signs for the Student Center.
For more information, please contact: schoolgardens@commongroundct.org.

Brought to you by: USDA Farm To School, CT Food System Alliance, and the School Garden Resource Center at Common Ground.