Farm to School: October 2024 Newsletter
Happy National Farm to School Month
Let us be the first to wish you a very happy National Farm to School Month!
There are so many ways you can participate such as, invite a class to take a tour of your kitchen, feature a local item on your salad bar, and even have a farmer come and visit and eat with your students.
Indiana has two specific events taking place this month to help in the celebration, Apple Crunch and Indiana Food Day. The farm to school movement is powered by people like you taking small actions every day to grow healthier students, support local producers, and cultivate vibrant communities.
We hope you will be inspired and join us this Farm to School Month in celebrating lunch trays filled with healthy, local ingredients.
~Anna Holloway, Farm to School VCC-IDOH
Gary Area Career Center Culinary Arts Students Spotlight
High School culinary arts students at the Gary Area Career Center, were excited to work on new recipes with their teacher Chef Williams, as they prepared as a team to enter the Indiana Grown For Schools Recipe Contest. Students in the program this semester have already started learning the importance of local produce as they spend time in the school farm. Chef Williams discussed recipe ideas to submit for the contest, as they worked in the greenhouse planting seedlings for a fall crop of vegetables that they will be using as part of the class. Chef’s suggestion of a vegetarian pumpkin chili was met with some surprise, but the students were willing to try it. As the students and Chef worked on the recipe, they used pumpkin they purchased from a local farm, processed it into puree, and froze it. On the main recipe sampling day, students filled out survey sheets that included information on local produce, and questions that captured what they liked most about the dish, how they would serve the dish next time, and an opportunity to rate the dish on a scale of 1-5. With 5 being the highest, almost all of the surveys came back with 5's and some even rating it higher! Several students (as well as office staff and other teachers) shared that they couldn't believe the vegetarian chili was made with pumpkin as the main ingredient, going on to say it gave a nice flavor and texture. Other students sharing they were surprised at how good the vegetarian chili was and that they didn't miss the meat at all. Working on the recipe submission provided a fun platform to connect what the students are growing in the garden, the importance of purchasing local foods and learning that healthy recipes really can taste amazing!
~Erin Sherow-Hayes, Community Wellness Coordinator - Lake County Purdue Extension NEP
Harvest of the Month-Local Food Celebration: Pork, Pumpkin, & Apples
Pictured here from left to right is Char Siu Pork, Pork Loin and full meal: Pork Loin served with
brown rice and vegetable egg roll. Photos submitted by Don Hymer, Director of Dining at
Brown County Schools
Indiana Grown for Schools Monthly Harvest Highlight
Website: https://www.ingrown4schools.com/harvest-of-the-mont
<<< FEATURED RECIPE >>>
Pumpkin Muffin Squares
Pumpkin muffins are a classic fall dessert. They're soft,
fluffy, and packed with the warm flavors of pumpkin
spice.
Pureed pumpkin, raisins and spices give these Pumpkin
Muffin Squares their distinctly delicious and decadent
flavor.
NSLP/SBP CREDITING INFORMATION
1 piece provides 1 oz equivalent grains.
Components: Meat/Meat Alternative, vegetables, and
grains
Serving yield: 50-100 (You can scale the recipe)
Looking Ahead:
November Harvest of
the Month Highlight
>>> November
Meat/Meat Alternative - Turkey
Vegetable - Brassicas
Celebrating Local Food
Our Harvest of the Month is taking center stage in the Local Food for School Celebration Calendar! Each month, we'll dish up delicious recipe ideas featuring the freshest local finds. This isn't just a calendar; it's your secret weapon for creating mouthwatering menus that shine a spotlight on local goodness all school year long!
UPDATES
Join us in celebrating Farm to School Month this October! This year, the theme is "From Soil to Sea: Nourishing People and Planet."Let's cultivate a just food system for all through farm to school. Learn more at farmtoschool.org #F2SMonth
For ideas and resources on how to celebrate, check out this National Farm to School Toolkit
Indiana offers two exceptional opportunities to engage your students in National Farm to School Month
activities. To register your school for these events and access additional resources, please visit the links by
clicking on the pictures below.
Indiana Food Day: The Indiana Department of Education, in partnership with community organizations, annually promotes Indiana Food Day to celebrate local food and healthy eating. This year's focus is on Pumpkins, providing a unique opportunity to incorporate this versatile ingredient into your menus.
Indiana Great Apple Crunch: Encouraging healthy habits and supporting local food initiatives, the Indiana Great Apple Crunch takes place annually in conjunction with Indiana Food Day. This event highlights the state's culinary diversity while promoting farm-to-school practices.
RESOURCES
Farm to School Office Hours
Join Farm to School Coordinators from the Indiana Grown for Schools Network and other farm to school and early care stakeholders each month to discuss and find answers to your questions related to local foods. Farm to school office hours are on the third Wednesday of each month from 3:30 - 4:30 PM ET. You can request a monthly calendar hold by emailing Brianna Goode at bgoode@health.in.gov
Questions or feedback about the program?
Would love to hear from you!
Reach out to Veronica Jalomo, Farm-to-School Coordinator,
veronica@nwifoodcouncil.org, (765) 412-6136
