Upcoming Events
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Maine Ag in the Classroom Summer Teachers' Institute
August 3-9, 2015
UNE Biddeford Campus
Maine Farm to School Conference
Save the Date
October 16, 2015
Kennebec Valley Community College
8th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference Save the Date
June 1-4, 2016
Madison, WI
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| MFSN Contacts |
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State Co-Coordinator: Ken Morse
kenmorse@mac.com 207.393.0134 State Co-Coordinator: Renee Page rpage@mcd.org 207.588.5020
Aroostook District: John Chartier
Aroostook County Healthy Aroostook
jchartier@mofga.org 207.521.1200
Central District: Renee Page
Kennebec & Somerset Counties Healthy Communities of the Capital Area
Cumberland District: Blair Currier
Cumberland County
Yarmouth Schools
blair_currier@yarmouthschools.org
DownEast District: Katie Freedman
Hancock & Washington Counties
Healthy Acadia
katie@healthyacadia.org
207.288.5331
MidCoast District: Heather Burt
Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc & Waldo Counties
Penquis District: Bonnie Young
Penobscot & Piscataquis Counties
207.745.4797
Western District: Laura Quynn
Androscoggin, Franklin, & Oxford Counties
Healthy Community Coalition of Greater Franklin County
207.779.2828
York District: Kristine Jenkins
York County
Partners for a Hunger-Free York County
207.409.9193 State Co-Lead to National Farm to School Network Northeast Regional Steering Committee: Ellie Libby University of Maine Cooperative Extension ellen.libby@maine.edu 207.832.0343 State Co-Lead to National Farm to School Network Northeast Regional Steering Committee: Renee Page Healthy Communities of the Capital Area rpage@mcd.org 207.588.5020 USDA Farm to School Northeast Regional Lead: Danielle Fleury danielle.fleury@fns.usda.gov 617.565.1604 |
Links to Useful Resources
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National Farm to School Network
NFSN enables every child to have access to nutritious food while simultaneously benefiting communities and local farmers.
USDA Farm to School
Resources to support local farm to school programs.
Maine Ag in the Classroom
MAITC provides information about agricultural concepts to teachers, students, and interested citizens.
Maine School Garden Network
MSGN promotes and supports educational gardens for youth and encourages school programs that teach healthy eating and environmental stewardship.
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| Join Our List |
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Here are this month's Maine Farm to School Updates. Included are save the dates, funding opportunities, and more. Please share this monthly update with others and encourage them to subscribe to this newsletter. Also be sure to let us know what's happening in your area related to Farm and Boat to School.
Ken Morse & Renee Page,
Maine Farm to School Network Co-Coordinators
Contact Information:
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| Farm to School Indicators |
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Let Us Know What's Happening
Each month we compile all the exciting things that are happening in Farm to School across Maine. This data collection is critically important in helping us evaluate the impact of Farm to School activities. We really appreciate your time and effort in telling us about anything you did in
May related to the following:
- Information, resources, and materials developed by you and others.
- Conferences, convenings, and trainings you've participated in.
- Contact with policymakers and other decision makers.
- Local or state policy and administrative initiatives.
- Key Farm to School or Farm to Preschool initiatives.
- Key Farm to School or Farm to Preschool pieces.
Each month we will be collecting this information, so please send things my way as they happen. Thank you to those of you who have already sent along your contributions!
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| Save the Date! |
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Maine Farm to School Conference
Please save the date October 16, 2015 for the 4th Annual Maine Farm to School Conference. This year's conference will be at Kennebec Valley Community College and Good Will-Hinckley Maine Academy of Natural Sciences.
Here are some of the things we have planned:
- Interactive hands-on workshops related to school gardens, ag education in the classroom, and school foodservice
- Increased focus on Boat to School
- Learn more about Teen Agriculture opportunities
- KVCC Campus Tours
- Great, fresh, locally sourced food!
- Much, much, more
If you are interested in being a conference sponsor, would like to share resources at a display table, or have a great idea for a workshop, please let us know.
Stay tuned for updates and more details in the coming months.
Mark those calendars!
Contact Information:
Sponsors contact Ken Morse kenmorse@mac.com
FMI & Presenters contact Renee Page rpage@mcd.org
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| How Do You Keep Farm to School Alive When School is Out? |
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Farm to School & Summer Feeding Programs
Throughout the school year, there are incredible efforts to educate, engage, and nourish kids through fresh, local foods and agriculture-based activities. We also know that the work does not end when the school year does, and that many of you continue to serve children over the summer months through the
Summer Food Service Program
(SFSP) or
Seamless Summer Option
(SSO). Help shine a spotlight on your work to continue farm to school efforts in the summertime by submitting a description of your summer meals program -
how you source locally, align with school or community gardens, and engage kids in fun, hands-on activities
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Be sure to include a photo or two! Click here to share your story
and the USDA Farm to School program will select model programs to feature in communications throughout the summer.
~
Submitted by Danielle Fleury, USDA Farm to School Northeast Regional Lead
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| Farm to School Census Participation Success |
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Thank You to All Schools Who Participated in the 2015 USDA Farm to School Census
 WOW!! 96% of Maine school districts participated in the USDA Farm to School Census this Spring. This is up from 51% participation in the Census' inaugural year 2013. Thank you to everyone who completed the Census or helped provide the data needed. The USDA Farm to School Census is the first of its kind effort to collect information nationwide on local level efforts related to local food procurement for school meals, school gardens, and more! Expect preliminary results later this year and early 2016. Explore 2013 data to see the impact Farm to School efforts are having at the national level down to the individual school district level at the interactive website www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/census
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| Farm to School in the News |
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| Northeast Farm to School Institute
Vermont FEED is expanding its pioneering Farm to School Institute to school teams from across New England and New York. Congratulations to School Nutrition Director Martha Poliquin and her team from Falmouth School District. They are one of thirteen teams recently selected to participate, thanks to funding from a USDA Farm to School grant. The Falmouth team will be joined by Jon Thurston, who will mentor them for a full year on how to better integrate Farm to School programming throughout their district.
Morning Ag Clips
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| Policy & Action |
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Farm to School Act 2015
Child Nutrition Reauthorization National Call-in Day Tuesday, June 23
Nearly 16 million children in America face hunger. As parents,
educators, doctors and nutritionists, religious and business leaders,
and anti-hunger advocates we believe that every child should have
access to the nutrition they need to grow up healthy and thrive. F
ederal child nutrition programs are critical supports for low-income
children in need. Tell Congress to invest in our children and take
action on a strong Child Nutrition Reauthorization.
Make your voice heard on June 23!
- Call the toll-free hotline at 888.398.8702.
- Listen to the pre-recorded message and enter your zip code when prompted.
- State that you are a constituent and give your name and your hometown.
- Let them know you are calling about the child nutrition programs and deliver this important message:
- "On September 30, the child nutrition bill will expire, and it's time Congress got to work. As your constituent, I ask you to pass a strong child nutrition bill that invests in and improves child nutrition programs so that our nation's kids have the fuel they need to grow up healthy and succeed."
- Dial back in to make sure you speak with both of your Senators and your Representative.
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| Funding Opportunities |
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Barnraiser
The National Farm to School Network is partnering with
Barnraiser, a crowdfunding platform dedicated to good food and farming projects, to elevate farm to school activities across the country. From school gardens in North Carolina to community cooking education in California, these projects are being funded by people who believe in the power of farm to school activities to support vibrant communities and to empower children and families to make healthy food choices. NFSN will be a
featured partner on the site with a page that aggregates farm to school crowdfunding campaigns from across the country. If you would like help initiating a crowdfunding campaign for your farm to school initiative, check out the
Barnraiser Campaign Guide and/or contact Marie Sayles, Projects & Partnerships Director, at
marie@barnraiser.us. Don't forget to let us know when your project is live!
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| Jobs & Opportunities |
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Farm to Preschool Associate
Join the National Farm to School Network Team!
National Farm to School Network is accepting applications for a full time Farm to Preschool Associate responsible for managing the implementation of a comprehensive farm to preschool growth plan for NFSN, with a focus on seamless integration of farm to preschool within all priority areas of NFSN including information/resource services, networking/partnership building and policy/advocacy. This position will report directly to the Director of Programs. Projected start date: early July 2015. For a full position description and application instructions, click
here. Please share this listing with anyone you think is interested and qualified. The deadline to apply is
June 18, 2015.
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Maine Farm to School Network
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| ME Public Health Districts |
Farm to School programs work to build and tend school gardens, deliver agriculturally-based nutrition education, and develop local food procurement systems to increase agricultural awareness, improve health, and support the local economy.
The MFSN aims to build communication and coordination infrastructure closer to schools and communities which are the foundation of this very special local foods movement.
The MFSN is organized with State Co-Coordinators and District Representatives in each of the 8 Public Health Districts in Maine. The first annual MFSN Conference, held on May 12, 2012 at Mt. View High School in Thorndike, brought together Farm to School champions from across the state for workshops and networking opportunities. Since then, annual conferences have been held in Portland and Ellsworth. This year, the conference is coming to Central Maine.
Contact your MFSN Representative (see left) to learn more.
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