Campers explore the woods at Pearlstone Center in Resiterstown, MD.
Greetings from Baltimore
 
Dear friends,

This year the FBEN national conference will be held in the Baltimore region.   I joined FBEN in April as the Baltimore Conference Organizer, and will be coordinating the conference's many moving parts. At a time when there are are so many challenges, locally and nationally in the farming world, I am thrilled to welcome you to Baltimore, and Maryland as a whole.

Baltimore has often been described as a tale of two cities, with enormous disparity and disinvestment in predominantly black and brown neighborhoods, and extraordinary wealth in others. From the Inner Harbor to the inner city,beauty and blight coexisting in the same place. There is an ever-growing urban agriculture movement, and the state of Maryland has a wide diversity of commercial and family farms and farmers. I come from many generations of farmers in Zimbabwe, and the past  twenty years in my adopted home of Maryland, have led me to believe that good things always come from working together. At FBEN our mission is to inspire, nurture and promote farm-based education. Across the state of Maryland and the United States, that will look different, but that should not deter us. Old and new communities alike are restoring the earth, and learning and renewing community through farms. I look forward to seeing you in November 2019, and I am inviting you all to be part of that journey.


Tafadzwa (Taffy) Gwitira


Upcoming Workshops
Gather with peers at these enriching events. View calendar .

 Edible Schoolyard | NYC, NY
June 6 | New York, NY

June 7 | Orange, MA
  
June 17-June 21 | Portland, OR

June 19-June 21 | Little Rock, AK


Farm-Based Education Network Conference Attendees 2016
2019 Farm Based Education Network Conference

The Farm-Based Education Network's 7th Conference is around the corner, and we are thrilled to call Baltimore our host city! With field trips to farm and garden projects in Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and in towns throughout Maryland, followed by workshops at the 
Pearlstone Center in Reisterstown, MD, the conference promises to offer four days of rich learning, relationship building, growth, and inspiration for all. 



Cherry Bombe | NYC, NY
Womxn Food Figures Coast to Coast
As female and non-binary presence continues to grow in the professional food scene, networks of diverse food professionals are emerging across the nation. Want to find a community event near you? Organizations like Pineapple Collaborative and Fresh Collective offer robust calendars for commuity-building as do the publications Cherry Bombe and GRLSUASH. 
Q & A : Ellena Baum of Grow Food Northampton (Northampton, MA)
"When I arrived I was handed a slip of paper with Wendell Berry's poem, A Vision typed on one side. I still have that poem taped to the wall of my room, a little battered, having traveled with me everywhere I've been since then. It's one of my favorites..." Read the rest of Ellena Baum's Q&A and learn about the inspiration and drive behind her work with Grow Food Northampton.

United States Department of Agriculture
2018 Farm Bill: Requests for Abstracts 
Food system activists, including many members of this community, fought long and hard to maintain several grant opportunities in the 2018 Farm Bill. Don't let that energy go to waste! North Eastern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (NESAWG) has put together a comprehensive list of grant opportunities by category. Here are some upcoming deadlines:
National Farm to School Network, Washington, DC
National Farm to School Network Welcomes New Executive Director
After nearly a decade of working with the National Farm to School Network (NFSN), Helen Dombalis will transition from her role as Director of Program and Policy at NFSN to Executive Director. Join us in congratulating Helen on her accomplishment!
Takeover Our Instagram!
The FBEN Instagram account invites you to draft a week-long series of guest posts! Share what makes your organization or program unique and reach new audiences on a wider platform. Check out previous takeovers  @farmbasededucationnetwork  and contact Lizzie at  elizabethgrabow@gmail.com  for more information on scheduling your takeover.
Penn Farm | New Castle County, DE
Fruit to School
School gardens and farm to school programs highlight annual crops as the stars, while an occasional guest appearance by a perennial herb or berry keeps the field diverse.However, a handful of programs are breaking the mold--venturing into the world of orchards and vineyards as tools to broaden their farm to school curriculum. Get a glimpse into one such program at Penn Farm in New Castle County, DE.
Wild Roots Forest School | Eastern Sierra and Santa Barbra, CA
Photo Credit: Lia Grippo
Room for Foraging in Farm to School?
"Get that out of your mouth!" An all-to-familiar phrase to parents and teachers alike. However, some educators are channeling their students' innate curiosity for the edible into educational lessons at nature schools like Wild Roots Forest School in Eastern Sierra and Santa Barbara, CA.
Photo Credit: Amir Farms | Davis, CA
Jobs in the Field
Work in the field of farm-based education! View additional openings on our site.

National Farm to School Network | Remote

FoodCorps | Oakland, CA

Schoolyard Roots | Tuscaloosa, AL

GrowGood | Los Angeles, CA
Food52
Spring Risotto to Please the Masses
No matter the dietary restrictions around the table,
this vegan spring risotto  is sure to please everyone's appetite. Asparagus and allium bring the flavor and steal the show in this delicious one-pot dish. *White wine can be omitted or subbed at the chef's discretion.

The FBEN is a free member network established to strengthen and support the work of educators, farmers, and community leaders who provide access and experiences on working farms.  

Know someone who might enjoy this email? Share it with them.
Did someone share this email with you? Sign up to receive more of our emails.