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It happens every year....summer is over in a flash and the new school year opens. This year starts with intense storms, in person lunches back in cafeterias, supply chain stress and new attitudes in how we care for one another.

Let's take a loud CRUNCH, digest it all, and taste the sweetness of our collective harvest to dig in for the continued work of nourishing our communities.

In this Newsletter:
  • CT Grown for CT Kids Week, Oct.4-8th
  • The HardCORE CRUNCH: Order Free Materials!
  • Dip Into Summer Highlights
  • LOTS of Partner News, Updates not to miss!

Let's Celebrate CT Grown for CT Kids Week 
October 4-8th 2021
and October is 
! National Farm to School Month !

This week celebrates and supports local agriculture in connection with public education to uplift the importance of nutritious delicious CT Grown products in school meals.

JOIN IN - Choose from a menu of activities for the classroom, cafeteria & community. Find local farms for purchasing and U-pick for families. There's a Social Media toolkit, draft newsletter for families, fun educational materials, graphics for school menus AND MORE! All at CT Farm to School Collaborative! 


Be part of CT Grown for CT Kids Week in the cafeteria, classroom and at home. Use all of Farm to School Month to explore and celebrate all the ways you can bring the farm closer to the school! And for our Early Childhood Education friends. keep your eyes open for  ‘Menu of Activities’ for some ideas on how you can bring the farm a little closer for this community.
 
Visit our website HERE to Learn more about the CRUNCH and to order your materials TODAY!

"Dip in to Summer" &
Local Food Taste Test Wrap Up

By the numbers:
  • Over $2000 directly to local farmers in 8 districts
  • 8 Community Partners
  • 37 Pop-Ups reaching over 1000 children and families
  • 15 farms providing the best of the season to over 25 free summer meals sites!
Farm to School Highlight
The first day of school all students were treated to fresh corn from Dzen Farm in Ellington. "It was a big hit! That is a Johnny Appleseed apple back there too..."
- Elizabeth Fischer- Vernon Food Service Director
News, Resources &   
Partner Events
"The 2021-2022 cohort of FoodCorps AmeriCorps Service Members started in CT in early August! There are still positions open in New Britain and Norwalk, so if you know someone interested tell them to apply ASAP at www.foodcorps.org/apply"
Building Farm to School in Our State!
Connecticut Department of Agriculture received a $82,336 grant award to partner with UConn Extension and the Department of Education to undertake a comprehensive research and planning process with schools, producers, and distributors focused on procuring CT Grown farm products. This grant will engage four school districts in high need communities to pilot district level food services procurement support and grower outreach along with school activities to enhance these relationships.  It will also develop new curriculum and promotional tools during CT Grown for CT Kids Week, Ag Day at the Capitol, and through two new promotional campaigns highlighting diverse voices and food cultures in Connecticut.
 


SNACT Annual Conference
Planting Seeds For The Future - Staying out of the Weeds

We're back in 2021 with a hybrid approach! We will be offering a conference with both virtual and in person options PLUS a (modified) Food and Industry Trade Show and Farmers Market!
Full Agenda and More at https://snact.org/page/Annualconf
 


Adopt A Cow
A year-long FREE experience in your classroom

https://www.discoverdairy.com/adopt-a-cow/

Forget the guinea pig. How about adopting a 100-pound dairy calf for your classroom mascot? Don’t worry about finding a pen big enough to hold her. The photos and stories we’ll send you about her life on the farm will make her “come alive” for your students! The best part? It is FREE!
 


Supply Chain Issues Affecting School Lunches
Schools across the nation, including Cole County, are experiencing challenges with receiving food for school meals due to supply chain issues and staffing shortages among food vendors.
by Layne Stracener Sep. 11 2021 
https://www.newstribune.com/news/news/story/2021/sep/12/supply-chain-issues-affecting-school-lunches/887920/
 


The Future of Connecticut Farming
By  Nov. 16, 2020
This article is from Nov. 2020 but a really nice feature of up and coming farmers in CT and the challenges they face. These are the farms that are poised to feed our schools if the right mix of policy, relationships, vision and values connect!
https://ctexaminer.com/2020/11/16/the-future-of-connecticut-farming/
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Put Local on Your Tray · Tolland County Extension Center · 24 Hyde Ave. · Vernon, Ct 06066 · USA

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