Friday, September 25, 2009

We're in fashion!

An article in the Washington Post, Thinking outside the school lunchbox, highlights how schools are adopting the goal of eating healthy by using fresh, local products in their school meals. This article has examples from schools in and around the captial while estimating that there are "more than 2,000 farm-to-school programs...in about 40 states."

Monday, September 21, 2009

Building 'Tactical Teams'

The USDA has announced the new ‘Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food’ initiative. This article in the Chicago Tribune gives a nice analysis of this new program with lots of useful links. The official USDA press release gives more details and even an official USDA YouTube video on the USDA Youtube Channel.

Lessons from Summer Meal programs

An article in the Spokesman Review details the summer programs for meals for kids and the possible effects of the upcoming Child Nutrition Reauthorization that may be beneficial for feeding the children in our state that need support. Keeping programs viable in the current recession is of high interest to our communities.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Another funding oportunity!

AeroGrow is a system that allows inside gardening without dirt or weeds. Sounds perfect for an in-class experience, doesn't it? The AeroGrow Growing Kids Award is for K-6 classrooms with at least 15 students. 300 winners will be supplied with eveything needed to start a classroom garden that can help teach kids nutrition and life science. The easy instructions will guide the class through providing water, nutrients and light (imitating nature) to make this garden a replica of what happens naturally. The applications are due October 24th.