Planning for Local!

“If you are talking about food you are talking about land. You can’t talk about land without talking about race.”
- Liz O'Gilvie, Keynote FINE Summit 2021

We cannot do the work of farm to school in a world divided with violence and fear. Working to ensure that all students are nourished with healthy delicious meals and snacks cannot be done without doing the work to create a just and equitable society. The recent violence against Asian American and Asian, Pacific Islanders has us thinking of our farmers, farm workers, cafeteria workers, students and families who are part of the rich heritage of Asian and Asian descended people. We want to share this statement from The National Young Farmer Coalition that says it so well and contains great resources to educate ourselves on the history of AAPI racism in this country.

- Program Updates:
Spring Sign-Ups.
The Great Smoothie Slurp
- 21- Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge

- Farm to ECE Updates
- 2021 CT Farm to School Collaborative Annual Summit

- News, Resources & Partner Events

Program Updates

Our first Local Tray seasonal campaign is right around the corner! This year the Great Smoothie Slurp is June 1st-4th. This is the week to source some local greens, yogurt or milk and enjoy some seasonal strawberries! Stay tuned for information on our website!

The Berry Green Smoothie Recipe
Ordering Free Materials
Put it on your calendar and start thinking of ways to 'slurp' some local products!

In Spring of 2020 we suspended sign-ups for Put Local on Your Tray in response to the emergence of COVID and the uncertainty facing schools and food services. This year we are coming back with fresh changes and a renewed commitment to empowering districts to source, serve and celebrate local.

Are you ready to pledge to serve more locally grown foods, learn tips and tools to accomplish your goals and share challenges and success in our Farm to School Community?
JOIN US!!

We are in the middle of the 21-Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge. Join us for an informal reflections and listening session on the topics we are learning about togther. Friday April 16th at 1:30 on zoom. Email shannon.raider@uconn.edu for the link to join. Learn more about the Challenge by clicking here!

Farm to ECE

CT Farm to Early Care Grant Program
The Department of Public Health in partnership with Uconn Ext. and All Our Kin are enrolling a second cohort to receive funding! Applications being accepted now for Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE) projects that strengthen relationships between children and nutritious, locally grown food.
Due date extended to April 15, 2021
Click HERE to find information in English and in Spanish
Family based and center based programs can apply. Awards are from $250-$750 with technical assistance for implementation.
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Guest Presenter, Wande Okunoren-Meadows, Executive Director of Little Ones Learning Center and Executive Board member from the National Farm to School Network joined the Farm to ECE subgroup of the CT Farm to School Collaborative Education Action Team to share her incredible work at her ECE center in Forest Park, GA. Her center features culturally representative food justice curricula, a large garden and farm stand that serves the neighborhood. Her accomplishments are an inspiration that will serve in motivating our work in Connecticut.
Would you like to join the Task Force? We meet every other month, on the 4th Wednesday of the month at 10 am, next meeting is May 26. If you are interested in joining, contact Debora Brandon, Debora.Brandon@ct.gov.

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Join us Wednesday April 14th at 10am for a special meeting of CT Farm to ECE with Soumya Bhat, M.P.Aff. Ms. Bhat is the Director of Early Childhood Equity Initiatives at The Policy Equity Group, LLC, a DC-based organization that works to build the capacity of socially-conscious public and private organizations that are dedicated to improving the lives of young children.

She will speak with us about new features in the ECE landscape today and how new funding opportunities could support more Farm to ECE programming. With her rich experience she will share lessons learned from other states and steps to take toward developing robust programming. This is poised to be an amazing conversation with much to learn from Ms. Bhat!

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88418034223?pwd=Qncxbk1RV2E1Nk9mUWh6T2Zub1hFZz09
Meeting ID: 884 1803 4223 Passcode: 6irj7z

Connecticut Farm to School Collaborative's Annual Summit, April 28th! Join us & Click here to Register!

Serve with FoodCorps, school year 2021-2022. Spend a year teaching kids about healthy food in schools through hands-on nutrition & garden lessons, promoting healthy school meals, and fostering a school-wide culture of health.
Learn more and apply at www.foodcorps.org/apply.

News, Resources &
Partner Events

Farm to Family Night Event on 4/22 from New England Dairy. Our first-ever virtual From Farm to Family night for families with children in grades K-5.

A kid-friendly butter making activity with Marisa Kaplita, CT FoodCorps Service Member
A grilled cheese demo with Chrissy Carroll, Registered Dietitian and Food Blogger
A mini dairy farm tour with Connecticut dairy farmer Kies Orr
Dairy trivia and a physical activity break with New England Patriots player Chase Winovich

REGISTER HERE, FREE
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CFSA is hosting a Legislative Lab on Thursday, April 29, at 4pm via Zoom to discuss 4 bills in the general assembly pertaining to food and agriculture in Connecticut. Plus, learn and share ways to get involved in the legislative process.

Our panelists will speak on behalf of the following bills:

Register on Eventbrite
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From the National Farm to School Network
Learn More Here Farm to School Bill 2021
Targeting funds to help kids, schools, and farmers through federal farm to school grants is more important than ever. The Farm to School Act will improve access to the USDA Farm to School Grant Program for low-income communities, Tribal organizations, and underserved producers. It will also raise the annual mandatory funding to $15 million
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Bringing Farm to School to Home

Students at Balsz Elementary School District are still participating in farm-to-school activities during the pandemic with garden kits, cooking demos and more. (Foodservice Director)

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Put Local on Your Tray · Tolland County Extension Center · 24 Hyde Ave. · Vernon, Ct 06066 · USA