The NWTN Local Food Catalyst |
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Farm to school enriches the connection communities have with fresh, healthy food and local food producers empowering children and their families to make informed food choices while strengthening the local economy and contributing to vibrant communities. |
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Farm to school implementation differs by location but always includes one or more of the following:
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Education: Students participate in education activities related to agriculture, food, health or nutrition.
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Growing Food: Students engage in hands-on learning through gardening; and
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Procurement: Local foods are purchased, promoted and served in the cafeteria or as a snack or taste-test.
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10 WAYS to CELEBRATE
NATIONAL FARM to SCHOOL MONTH!
October is National Farm to School Month! Join us and many schools, early care and education sites, farms, communities and organizations across the country as we celebrate food education, school gardens and lunch trays filled with healthy, local ingredients. Here are several easy ways to get involved:
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Give the Garden Some Love: Is anything growing in your school garden? Plan a harvest day celebration or garden clean-up day to prepare the garden for winter. Check out our volunteer opportunities!
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Connect with a Local Farm: Take a field trip to a nearby pumpkin patch or ask a farmer to present to your class about what it’s like to live and work on a farm.
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Get Fresh at the NWTN Farmer’s Market: Take a field trip to your local farmers market or encourage families to go to the market and post a photo of their purchases on social media using the hashtag #NationalFarmToSchoolMonth.
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Connect to the Curriculum: Teach a lesson or two during the month as part of your celebration. Check out Agriculture in the Classroom Matrix.
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Take action: Support Cafeterias, Classrooms, Community and Staying Power initiatives through the short-term and long-term goals within the Weakley and/or Gibson County Farm to School Action Plans. Are you an Obion County Schools' Parent, Teacher or Administrator? Please take our stakeholder surveys (3-5 minutes only)! Visit our farm to school webpage to learn more.
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Ways to Get Involved
OBION COMMUNITY INPUT NEEDED!
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Do you have kids that attend Obion County Schools? Are you an educator or school administrator working in Obion County? The Obion County Farm to School planning team is seeking input from Parents, Teachers and Administrators to assess current farm to school programming and plan for future project development. Based upon the information gathered from stakeholder groups, the team will produce an Obion County Farm to School Action Plan to serve as an implementation guide for the next several years. Questionnaires will be available online until December 1, 2021.
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Complete Action Plans Now Available |
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Starting in 2019, the Northwest Tennessee Local Food Network (LFN) began a partnership with Weakley County School District. In 2020, the LFN began a partnership with the Trenton Special School District and 4 other school districts in Gibson County. All partnerships involved Farm to School planning with the goal to publish and implement Farm to School Action Plans involving all 30 schools in our region. This year, 2021, the LFN is partnering with the Obion County School District and their 7 schools to develop an implementation framework for Farm to School initiatives in Obion County, TN. Read through these recently published action plans and learn how these schools and YOU can be a part of the Farm to School action!
A special thanks goes to both Weakley County and Gibson County Farm to School Planning Team Members for their Farm to School advocacy and input during the planning process (please read the press release links below)!
Additionally, Local Food Network Farm to School Coordinators: Caroline Ideus, Samantha Goyret, and Lori Littleton are making the world a better place through #FarmtoSchool initiatives in Northwest Tennessee.
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Since 2019, a small team of Weakley County Schools and NWTNLFN representatives worked together to determine the vision statement that will be utilized in the years ahead...
“The Weakley County Farm to School Initiative plants the seeds for students to learn where their food comes from by growing, observing, and experiencing hands-on opportunities. The growth of the initiative occurs as educators, farmers, and local ag-based entities work together to create a nationally recognized sustainable model.”
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Last year the Gibson County Farm to School Team, comprised of 33 representatives from 5 school districts developed the Gibson County Farm to School vision...
“The Gibson County Farm to School Initiative is a collaboration of five school districts dedicated to utilizing fresh and local produce that fosters nutrition education and healthy lifestyles through secured partnerships between the community and local farmers.”
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FARM TO SCHOOL SPOTLIGHTS
NWTN Farm to School - Education
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During the Spring of 2021 Milan Special School District (MSSD) School Nutrition and MSSD Coordinated School Health worked with students from MHS to help promote #BUILDINGBETTERBULLDOGS through Gibson County and Milan Farm to School Teams. A special thanks to Brandy Kemp Photography for the assistance with the project.
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Matthew Azbell supports his academics at Milan High School with a good balance of macronutrients.
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Taylor Arnold is cheering you toward your nutrition goals. Are you making sure you have adequate water intake especially in these warmer Tennessee months? #BuildingBetterBulldogs #MilanAwesome
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Nate Glenn is a Marching Bulldog and an advocate for proper nutrition in every day life. How many calories are you consuming versus the amount you are expending? #BuildingBetterBulldogs #MilanAwesome
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During the month of February- March 2021, Weakley County Farm Bureau Women’s Tennessee Ag in the Classroom Incubator Hen Project partnered with 15 second grade classes in the Weakley County School District raising chicks in the classroom for a month. |
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Close to 500 Gibson County students took a summer learning camp field trip to Discovery Park's AgriCulture Exhibit in June 2021 in celebration of the Gibson County Farm to School Action Planning Project while encouraging students and teachers to take action in their communities. |
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Mr. Miller's class at Stigall Elementary, Humboldt City Schools, plants seeds in pots with students during the summer of 2021. |
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The Northwest Tennessee Local Food Network reached over 15,000 students through 2020-2021 Farm to School and Farm to Early Childcare programming in Gibson, Weakley and now Obion Counties. Our goal is to support the planning and development of Farm to School intiatives in every school district in Northwest Tennessee.
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NWTN Farm to School - Growing Food |
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On Friday, October 1, 2021, the Local Food Network kicked-off Farm to School month at the Sharon School Garden! Sharon School 2nd grade class with Danielle Scott Johnson and Mrs. Allison’s first grade classes joined ENORMOUS CARROT DAY! The children read and discussed "The Enormous Carrot" book, by Vladimir Vagin, planted carrot seeds, and enjoyed an afternoon carrot snack! Mid-December the children will harvest and have an “Enormous Carrot” feast with a variety of carrot dishes!!! #WeakleyStrong, #Getitlocal, #NWTNLFN, #AgInTheClassroom
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Sharon School 2nd grade class with Danielle Scott Johnson (left) and Mrs. Allison’s (right) first grade classes joined ENORMOUS CARROT DAY! |
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The children pulled their math skills in by asking questions about measurements using cm, inches and meters. They topped their day off by planting carrots. |
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The Sharon School 2nd grade class is studying characters and challenges in their unit. Students were read to and discussed challenges the characters faced and the solution.They also used sequencing to order the events (reinforcing the skills they have covered) and discussed character and setting. |
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NWTN Farm to School - School Farms |
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(from left to right) Scenic Acres’ Samuel Nolt, Marvin Zimmerman, Issac Nolt, and Paul Irvine (with not pictured Danny Williams) set up Greenfield School’s new greenhouse in less than eight hours in the Spring of 2021. Both Dresden and Westview High school renovated their school greenhouses, as well. All greenhouses will be equipped with hydroponic growing systems. |
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The Bradford School Barn under the leadership of FFA Agriculture Teacher, Kyle Gehring, worked with Bradford FFA classes to restore their school barn. The students have been deeply involved in the planning, design, development and use of the future farm to showcase hands-on agriculture and applied learning through raising cattle, goats and swine.
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In December 2020, Weakley County Schools Livestock Farm received a Tennessee Care Acts Grant, through Covid stimulus funding to purchase a freezer for their farm products. The farm sources their pork into Weakley Schools cafeterias and sells beef and pork products to the community. |
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The Gibson County High School Farm Greenhouse, under the leadership of FFA Agriculture Teachers - Derek and Lyndsey Norman, run a diverse plant start program. The high school takes Farm to School to another level by providing over 1,500 fern plugs and plants to many high schools in the region including Milan, Peabody (Trenton), West Carroll, Obion Central, Dyersburg, Dyer County, and Henry County. |
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Milan High School has two greenhouses. One is primarily used for hydroponic vegetables, and the other for flowers and tilapia. Milan FFA Greenhouses are located behind the Milan High School grows a variety of colorful flowers and vegetable plants for home gardens in their community. |
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Obion County Central High School Greenhouses, under the leadership of FFA Agriculture Teacher, Stewart Watson, runs a hydroponic operation growing fresh lettuce with FFA students. They plan on procuring their school grown lettuce into the school cafeteria during the winter of 2022. |
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NWTN Farm to School - Procurement |
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Weakley County Schools celebrated Farm to School Month 2020 by purchasing locally grown Parham pumpkins and offering a pumpkin decorating contest using book themes! |
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During the Fall 2020, both Gibson and Weakley County School Districts participated in "Apple Crunch Day" with over 900 2nd grade and 4th grade students crunching on local apples sourced from Dixie Chile Ranch and Jones Apple Orchard.
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In May 2021, Bell Family Farms out of Gleason, TN, procured 68 flats of fresh strawberries to Weakley County School students who enjoyed them during lunch. YUM!
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Bradford School, Gibson County, TN, hosted a sweet-potato taste test in the fall of 2020, with 10 locally grown varieties provided by Steele Plant Farms out of Gleason, TN. |
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Attention Farmers!!
The Local Food Network is seeking to connect your food growing operations with local schools. During the 2021-2022 school year, the Weakley County School District is seeking the following locally sourced items:
- October – Apples & Pumpkins
- November – Sweet Potatoes
- January/February – Greens
- May – Strawberries
Are you interested in sourcing your local products into schools? Contact us! nwtnfoodguide at gmail.com or call (731) 281-4770
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Download posters, activities, recipes, and audio books
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Please take less than 2 minutes to watch our short video and learn why we need YOU! |
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Nourishing Connection Farm to Early Childcare
The goal of the Nourishing Connection program is to nourish the connections children have with healthy produce, gardens and farms by providing hands-on agricultural and nutrition education experiences through hanging and onsite gardens, training teachers to access and implement Farm to Early Childhood Education curricula (including Ag in the Classroom) and conducting educational outreach to parents and educators in pre-schools. Support of this program is provided by Farm Bureau's Agriculture in the Classroom mini-grants
Download Teacher Resources and Parent Newsletters HERE.
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It takes a village to create a local food movement. The NWTN Local Food Network is starting the movement with our children to serve as a catalyst for a thriving and equitable local food system that is accessible to ALL.
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#AgInTheClassroom is even better when the classroom is one’s very own garden. The Northwest TN Local Food Network is organizing volunteers to help keep the garden at Sharon School healthy. Consider joining the effort!
Sharon School
254 Woodlawn Ave, Sharon, TN 38255
Thursdays, October 7th – November 18th (not meeting during Fall Break)
3:00 - 4:30 p.m
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2021 Local Food Guide Magazine
The Northwest Tennessee Local Food Network’s Local Food Guide magazine is the resource for finding local food in Northwest Tennessee. Discover area farmers markets, family farms, u-pick farms, agri-tourism, animal goods, artisan foods, restaurants and cafes, local food trucks, processors, beekeepers, locally-owned plant vendors and hunger-relief organizations.
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Last month to #GetitLocal at
NWTN Farmers Markets!
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Farm Market Trenton
Season Opening: June 5th & 6th 2021
110 North Church Street, Trenton, TN
Wednesday: 10AM – 2PM, Saturday: 8AM -12PM
Manager: Bob Wilson, (731) 855-1700
Vendor Info: $10 per market day, tables and chairs provided
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Martin Farmers Market
Season: Saturday, June 5, 2021
Between Frederick Street and Hwy 431, Downtown Martin, TN 38237
Monday/Wednesday at 2PM, Saturday: 8AM -12PM
Manager: Richard Gallagher, (731) 332-1910
Vendor Info: $5/day
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McKenzie Farmers Market
Season Opening: June 5, 2021
The last market day will officially be Tuesday, 9/29 for inside the market; however, the farmers market will continue to be open outside through Saturday October 31st.
2431 Cedar Street, McKenzie, TN
Saturday: 8AM – 12PM, Tuesday: 3-6PM
Manager: Nancy Holland; (731) 358-5011
Vendor Info: Booth is $5, $20 for the season.
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Milan Farmers Market
Season Opening: May 22, 2021
1109 W. Front St., Milan, TN 38358
(Behind City Hall)
Wednesday 9-1, Friday 7-2, Saturday 7-2
Market accepts SNAP/EBT Cards
Manager: Seth Lee, (615) 739-8454
Vendor Info: Set-up is FREE
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Congratulations! You made it to the end of our e-newsletter!
Meet our Harvest of the Month 2021-2022 Artists
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(top row, left to right) Scarlett Lovell, Greenfield; Kimberly Mendenhall with NWTN Local Food Network Executive Director Samantha Goyret; Annslee Weatherly, Martin Elementary; (bottom row) Annabelle Lovell, Greenfield; Cara Webb, Dresden Elementary; Kiya Davis, Dresden Elementary. |
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(top row, left to right) Maci Jo Buckley, Dresden Elementary; Ellie Dodson, Westview; Lilly Beth Nevil, Westview; (bottom row) Madison Brewer, Martin Middle; Tegan Stout, Dresden Elementary; AhLee Mae Burton, Sharon. |
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Dresden Elementary School is well-represented in the Harvest of the Month Calendars. Four students had five pieces of art chosen. Seen here are Tegan Stout, Kiya Davis, Cara Webb, Maci Jo Buckley and principal Melanie Needham. The calendar is part of the Weakley County Farm to School Project in collaboration with the Northwest Tennessee Local Food Network and Weakley Arts Can. |
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Thank you for helping serve as a catalyst for a thriving and equitable local food system accessible to ALL in our region.
WE CAN'T DO WHAT WE DO WITHOUT YOU!
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The Local Food Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and relies on donations, sponsors and grant funds to keep us growing in the region. Your gift is tax deductible.
There are many ways to help - visit our SUPPORT US page.
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