Celebrate Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month!

June 2018

Farm Fresh Spotlight Story

Celebrate Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month

June is Fresh Fruit and Vegetable month and you can celebrate by eating all of the colors of the rainbow found in Texas produce. June is a great month for berries, peaches, melons and other local products. Spring produce is rolli ng in and summer produce is also starting to hit farmers market stands and grocery store displays.

TDA's online seasonality wheel is perfect for learning about seasonality and making it fun and educational! Also, the TDA recipe book, Cooking for the Seasons: Summer highlights m any fresh produce

items available in June in recipes designed for su mmer feeding program participants.

All recipes in Cooking for the Seasons: Summer have been tested to up to 25 servings and analyzed for nutritional value.

Farm to Child Care Spotlight

Celebrate Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month with our Littlest Eaters

Celebrating Fresh Fruit and Vegetable month can be fun for little eaters too. USDA Food and Nutrition Services provides many resources that can help support emerging readers.

Discover MyPlate Emergent Readers- Fruits

Meet Farrah Fruits and learn about berries and other delicious fruits!

Grow It, Try It, Like It

Help youngsters learn about how a strawberry looks, feels, tastes, and smells along with other hands-on growing experiences.

Farm to Summer Spotlight

The 2018 Summer Farm Fresh Challenge is happening now across Texas!

The Summer Farm Fresh Challenge is part of the Texas Department of Agriculture's (TDA) Farm Fresh Initiative, a comprehensive effort that connects

children to Texas agriculture! Summer Sponsors across the state took the challenge to Eat Local, Teach Local and Be Social June 11-22, 2018. Look for their posts on social media with #FarmFreshFriday and share the message about the importance of local food and agricultural education.

SFSP CEs earn Farm Fresh Challenge recognition for taking steps to connect participants to local foods and education. For more information about the challenge for Summer Meal Programs visit Squaremeals.org/FarmFreshChallengeSFSP .

Producer Highlight

Welcome to the Farm Fresh Network!

We would like to welcome new members Bouldin Food Forest and Pryor Cattle Company to the TDA Farm Fresh Network!

Bouldin Food Forest is a sustainable, 150 acre farm using organic and permaculture principles to grow fresh produce for Central Texas. Pryor Cattle Company offers high-quality, all natural, grass-fed beef products in the Henderson area. Both companies are successfully selling their products to Texas schools and helping provide students local, farm fresh, nutritious foods in their school cafeterias.

Visit Squaremeals.org/FarmFreshNetwork to check out the map of Farm Fresh Network members statewide. Texas farmers, ranchers, and distributors can create a Farm Fresh Network profile online and get started connecting with schools, child and adult care centers, and summer meal programs.

Contact TDA

Emilee Case

Coordinator for Farm Fresh Projects

Beatrice Watson

Farm Fresh Specialist

Email us or call
(877) TEX-MEAL

Connect with Others

Texas Statewide Network

This LinkedIn Group is an online network connecting schools, child and adult care centers, producers, support organizations and community members with important information about expanding local food efforts in Texas.

Join Today!

Texas Farm Fresh Network

Use this tool to connect with Texas food companies that currently sell or are interested in selling to schools, child care centers and summer meal programs. Company listings include contact information, product availability and distribution radius.

Funding Opportunities

Financial support from organizations may help establish or advance local Farm Fresh initiatives.

Go here for a list of opportunities from TDA, USDA and other organizations.

Stay Connected

Interested in learning more about Texas products?

TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
COMMISSIONER SID MILLER

P.O. Box 12847 | Austin, Texas 78711