Stay up to date with opportunities, events, resources, and news from the Farm & Sea to Institution Network | | Participants build hands-on scratch cooking skills with Chef Sam during a workshop at the 2026 Maine Farm & Sea to School Conference. Photo by Andy Gagne | | |
In This Edition:
- The Network Launches New "SEEDS" Program to Support Farm & Sea to School
- New Resource: Farm to Institution Producer Guide
- Upcoming MEFTI Tour with Crystal Springs Farm and The Maine Flower Collective on September 15
- Video Series Showcases Creative Recipes Using Maine Marinara
- Share Your Story and Help the Network Celebrate Farm & Sea to School Month this October
- F2I Jobs, Funding, & Resources Board
- F2I Events Calendar
- Harvest of the Month (HOM)
| |
Maine Farm & Sea to School Network Launches SEEDS Program | | |
SEEDS is an introductory program for individuals that would like to build an integrated and thriving farm & sea to school program in their community.
Every thriving farm & sea to school program starts with a team. SEEDS helps schools and early childhood programs identify champions across their community and supports goals of local food sourcing, agriculture and food systems education, and hands-on place-based learning.
Participants will finish the program well positioned to attend the
Maine Farm and Sea to School Institute.
Core components of the program are:
- Four virtual meetings as a cohort with the Maine Farm & Sea to School Network
- Access to curated resources to support your goals
- Opportunity and invitations for professional learning throughout the year
- Guest speakers on building a farm & sea to school team
- Individualized coaching for your ME Farm & Sea to School Institute application
-
Supportive cohort for peer learning and sharing
The 2026-2027 SEEDS cohort will meet virtually from 4:00-5:00pm on the following dates:
- October 5, 2026
- November 9, 2026
- January 25, 2027
- February 8, 2027
| | Do you know an individual, school, or early childhood program that might be interested in joining the upcoming SEEDS cohort? Please pass this along to your networks, or get in touch at s.sims@hccame.org. | | New Resource Guide for Producers: Accessing the Institutional Market | | |
The Maine Farm & Sea to Institution Network (MEFTI) has published a new resource for farms and food businesses: Producer Guide: Accessing the Institutional Market.
The guide helps producers assess whether institutional markets are a good fit for their business, and covers key considerations, common requirements, and what to expect when working with distributors. It also includes Maine and New England specific resources and examples, along with sample tools to help producers get started, including a pricing worksheet, a sample spec sheet, and a sample sell sheet.
The guide is free to download at mainefarmtoinstitution.org/resources with support from the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.
| | |
Upcoming Event:
MEFTI Tour with Crystal Springs Farm and The Maine Flower Collective
| | |
Tuesday September 15, 2026 | 2:00 - 4:00 pm | Brunswick, ME
Join MEFTI on a tour of Crystal Springs Farm and The Maine Flower Collective to examine how cooperative infrastructure can build market access for small and mid-scale producers.
We'll be joined by Sofia Oliver, Operations Manager of The Maine Flower Collective, a member-owned cooperative that provides Maine flower growers and wholesale buyers with a centralized sales network and product delivery system.
From there we'll get a tour of Crystal Springs Farm with owner Seth Kroeck to learn about their production, history, and markets.
.
Learn about how their model supports smaller producers reach wholesale markets and join a conversation to explore how aggregation and cooperative models support value chain coordination in Maine's food economy.
| | New Video Series Showcases Creative Recipes Using Maine Marinara | | |
|
The Maine Department of Education’s Child Nutrition Team has partnered with the Maine Marinara Collaborative to produce a three-part video series showcasing creative ways Maine Marinara can be incorporated into school lunch programs.
Mike Flynn, a certified executive chef and school nutrition director for RSU 12, takes viewers through each recipe.
Links to the Recipe Videos:
| | Share Your Story and Celebrate Farm & Sea to School Month this October with the Network | | |
The Maine Farm & Sea to School Network is a community of organizations and individuals passionate about connecting students with local food and agriculture.
October is Farm & Sea to School Month, and we want to celebrate the people and programs connecting students and school communities with local food, agriculture education, and hands-on garden learning across Maine.
All month, we'll share stories from across the state that showcase how Maine kids are connecting to where their food comes from, and building healthier habits, stronger communities, and a more resilient local food system.
This October, celebrate Maine Farm & Sea to School Month by sharing your story with the network!
All submissions will be entered to win a $50 gift certificate to a participating Maine farmer's market.
Deadline to submit: September 30, 2026
To learn more, visit www.mainefarmtoschool.org.
| | |
F2I Jobs, Funding, & Resources Board
Have a job posting, funding opportunity, resource, or event to share with the network? Send it to Sarah at s.sims@hccame.org
| | |
-
Kindred Fellowship for School Nutrition Leaders | FoodCorps - Due 8/31/26
- The Kindred Fellowship for School Nutrition Leaders is a nine-month leadership program designed to equip school nutrition professionals and emerging school food leaders in transforming their fields.
| |
-
2027 Healthy School Food Pathway Fellowship | Chef Ann Foundation - Due 9/2/26
- The Fellowship empowers experienced K-12 school food professionals to champion equitable school food reform and lead healthier, sustainable school food programs rooted in scratch cooking. Over 13 months, Fellows gain the operational knowledge, leadership skills, and innovative vision to drive school food transformation in their home districts and on the national stage.
| |
FUNDING BOARD
-
Maine School Garden Caretakers Grant | Deadline: August 30, 2026
- Thanks to funding from the Sewall Foundation since 2023, the Maine School Garden Network is proud to continue to offer School Garden Caretakers Grants that provide a $2,000 grant to pay School Garden Caretakers in Maine for their work!
-
USDA Specialty Crop Multi-State Program | Deadline: August 31, 2026
- USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will provide $14.3 million in grant funding through the Specialty Crop Multi-State Program (SCMP) to support collaborative multi-state partnerships and enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops.
-
Caplan Foundation for Early Childhood Grants | Deadline: September 30, 2026
- Funds innovative research and development directed at improving the general welfare of young children. Application process starts with letter of inquiry.
More Funding Opportunities...
| | |
Thank you for being part of Maine’s Farm & Sea to Institution community.
For any questions about Maine Farm & Sea to Institution, please contact Healthy Communities of the Capital Area's Food Systems Coordinators
Alida Peterson at a.peterson@hccame.org and Sarah Sims at s.sims@hccame.org
| |
MEFTI fosters collective power through collaboration and coordination to strengthen farm to institution efforts in Maine. By addressing systemic challenges and supporting public health, education, and the local food economy, MEFTI catalyzes a resilient, equitable, and sustainable food system that benefits all.
| | | | |
