The Northwest Tennessee Local Food Network serves as a catalyst for a thriving and equitable local food system that is accessible to ALL. | |
CALLING ALL STUDENT ARTISTS K-12!!! | |
Student Artists: download the REGISTRATION PACKET to get started. Contest closes 10/31/23, entries must be postmarked by November 3, 2023. | |
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Student artists, K-12th grades, are encouraged to submit Harvest of the Month poster entries during Farm to School Month from October 1st through October 31st. All students in the following NWTN counties are eligible to participate: Benton, Carroll, Crockett, Dyer, Gibson, Lake, Henry, Obion and Weakley. Entries must be postmarked by November 3, 2023. All winners will receive a local food prize and have their posters hung on school district cafeterias walls!
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Celebrate the Northwest Tennessee Local Food Network with a delicious homegrown meal made exclusively by Executive Chef Eric Waters, from Cocos with seasonal offerings paired with mocktails sourced from our Network of Northwest Tennessee Farmers. Silent auction items will be on sale for attendees to browse, place bids on, and purchase to support the LFN’s programming in 2024.
Check out our Farm to Table Dinner Menu and Silent Auction Sponsors!
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Meet Executive Chef Eric Waters
With over 17 years of experience in the Food industry with a mixed background of German, French, Italian, Creole, and New American cuisine, Chef Eric has been a private chef for one of the worlds biggest law firms in the world in St. Louis, MO, a Banquet Chef for one of an international company in Tennessee, State senators and governors of MO and TN, and has cooked for Oprah Winfrey and her Executives.
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Meet the Musicians
Live music will be provided by the Weakley County Open Mic Crew members offering "Freshly Squeezed" music throughout the night including Micah Barnes, Tennessee Bob, Richard Gallagher, and Slade Robertson.
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Join us at the Dresden Farmers Market for a night to remember.
421 Linden Street, Dresden, TN 38225
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Know Your Farmer. Know Your Gourd.
Celebrate #National Farm to School month
at a local pumpkin patch near you.
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Pick a day to pick a peck of pumpkins (and then say that 10x fast!).
Not only are pumpkins inexpensive, readily available and striking as fall decor, some varieties are as nutritious as they are delicious. Support local farms, buy some gourds, find your way through a corn maze, visit with animals for a full day of autumn fun. Share how you celebrate fall at a local pumpkin patch and hashtag your pictures with #Getitlocal.
And if you are wondering where to pick that peck of pumpkins ….check out our Local Gourd Guide.
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FARM TO SCHOOL EDUCATES CHILDREN ABOUT AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION | |
Fork Farms Flex Farms Recorded Training available
Over the summer, the Northwest Tennessee Local Food Network (LFN) partnered with Flex Farms, hydroponic grow towers, offering an online virtual training for one hour.
Watch Video and Download Resources
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Announcing...#GrowCheatham | |
During the 2022-23 School year, LFN Farm to School Consultants, Caroline Ideus and Samantha Goyret, partnered with the Cheatham County School District to design and implement a Cheatham County Farm to School Action Plan involving all 13 schools in the county. #Grow Cheatham. #Farm to School. #Get It Local. | |
Farm to Early Childcare
Farm to school and ECE (Early Childhood Education) empowers children and their families to make informed food choices while strengthening the local economy and contributing to vibrant communities. Learn how Weakley County Childcare Centers are teaching children how to grow and eat local foods.
Nourishing Connection Webpage
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NOW IS THE TIME TO PLANT FALL GREENS
When summer draws to a close, it's time to think about planting all those delicious greens that thrive as the weather begins to cool. Lettuce, spinach, arugula, corn salad, mustard, and a variety of Asian greens are all great choices to plant this fall.
Fall greens are a great choice for school gardens because their harvest season fits in well with the academic calendar.
Download Fall Greens Growing Guide from KidsGardening.org
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FREE STICKERS
Order these fun 2-inch stickers to share with students to encourage them to go “Loco for Local”!
Stickers come in rolls of 200 stickers per roll. Eligible entities listed can order up to 3 rolls.
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#FarmtoSchool Funding Opportunities | |
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Budding Botanist Grant
In late 2023, twenty high-need schools across the United States will be awarded $500 in grant funding to support their youth garden programs.
Website
Due Date: Friday, October 20, 2023, at 11:59 pm PST.
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The HSFP Fellowship Program will develop the next generation of diverse leaders in scratch-cook school food operations that can support a sustainable program and drive school food reform. Over a 12-month period, operators will grow their skills, knowledge and abilities through live, virtual learning sessions; in-person site visits and training; asynchronous, self-led instruction; and engagement within their own districts to implement their new ideas.
Website
Due Date: October 1, 2023
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Farm to School Coordinators Community of Practice
The Farm to School CoP is a two-year collaborative space for eight farm to school coordinators where members will engage in peer-learning and co-develop strategies to navigate farm to school implementation and bring learnings back to their work.
Website
Due Date: October 13, 2023
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Salad Bars to Schools Program | |
When you apply for a salad bar(s) and your application is approved you are immediately placed on our wait list and our team works to acquire funding for your school district as quickly as possible. You will be kept on the wait list until your salad bar(s) is funded and once funded you will be notified via email. If your grant contact changes or you have any questions please reach out to the Salad Bars to Schools team at [email protected]. The time frame for when a school district's salad bar(s) is/are funded varies; however, it can take up to 12-14 months for your salad bar(s) to be funded.
Website
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Partner with the LFN to help develop a Thriving Farm to School Program in your Schools!
Since 2019, the Northwest Tennessee Local Food Network has been partnering with local school districts to develop thriving farm to school programs.
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Additional Upcoming Events | |
MEET US AT THE TN LOCAL FOOD SUMMIT | | |
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The Local Food Network will be facilitating a round table discussion at this year's 2023 Tennessee Local Food Summit.
The event will take place December 1-3, 2023 at Cumberland University in Lebanon, TN, hosting farmers, gardeners, educators, activists, entrepreneurs and other food system stakeholders from across Tennessee and the Southeast region.
Full conference tickets can be bought at a discounted rate now through October 15, 2023. Join us to learn, connect, and work together to build a stronger community food network!
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Happy Harvest Season to ALL FARMERS!
In Mid-September, 10 participants from "Can you Dig it?" Meet-up learned about Steele Plant Company's Sweet Potato varieties, Harvest, Storage, and Plant Production.
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Kay (left) and Larry (right) Hudson gave a tour of Steele Plant Farms out of Gleason, TN. Participants were able to tour their warehouse and learn how Steele Plant Company has been diggin' sweet potatoes for over 40 years!
Would you like some 'taters? They are sold in 40 lb boxes at an affordable price! Contact Steele Plant Company
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Northwest Tennessee Local Food Network
113 Elm Street, Martin, TN 38237
(731) 332-9071
[email protected]
www.NWTNLFN.org
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