Posted by: thepinetree on 01/29/2015 12:54 AM
Updated by: thepinetree on 01/29/2015 08:26 AM
Expires: 01/01/2020 12:00 AM
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Calaveras County Non-Profit receives $22,960 State Grant For Farm to School Projects
San Andreas, CA...Gardens to Grow In, in partnership with Calaveras High School’s Future Farmers of America (FFA) program, received a huge financial boost this past week to help them develop an Ag Mentorship Program, as one of five programs in the state to receive a CDFA CalAgPlate grant in the inaugural year of the program. CalAgPlate Press Release, 2014 CalAgPlate Award Recipient Information
The Calaveras FFA Ag Mentorship Project will develop a school garden and farm to school program that is based on linking FFA members to local farmers and to the elementary and middle school garden and agriculture programs. It will focus on building a working relationship with a local farmer who will mentor the FFA members at Calaveras High School to revitalize and manage their campus farm as well as use the local farm as a working model to teach the students the skills and knowledge they will need to sustain the high school farm.
These same students will then be part of a team that works one day a week at elementary schools in the district to support the garden maintenance and management at those sites. They will pass on the knowledge and skills they have gained to 6th grade students, teachers and volunteers at each of the elementary school sites by helping them build and sustain their gardens.
“I am excited about this opportunity,” said Dylan Rose, a sophomore at Calaveras High School and an officer of the Calaveras FFA Chapter. “Not only will we be able to learn from a farmer, but we will also be able to teach the elementary students about agriculture and help them develop a strong work ethic.”
The funds will be used for infrastructure materials and support at the high school farm, provide each of the four FFA teams with $1000 budget to develop a project at their elementary site, purchase local produce for classroom tastings and provide busing for elementary field trips to local farms.
“By training FFA students to run a farm and support a local grower, we will be addressing the agricultural career training, awareness and development goals of the 2014 CalAgPlate program,” said Kevin Hesser, CUSD teacher and co-founder of Gardens to Grow In. “This component will then create a built-in agricultural education component by having these same students host farm tours and teach the elementary students what they have learned about agriculture and healthy lifestyles.”
“This project really helps tie together the work Gardens to Grow In has been doing the last few years and connects all of the schools in Calaveras Unified School District to help our students become connected to their food, each other and the world around them in order to develop healthy lifestyles and the foundation for a healthy community,” said Odile Morrison, UC Master Gardener and Gardens to Grow In co-founder. “This project allows the students to take a real leadership role in this process.”
The students have been working on the farm this past fall, and this project will officially get under way in February when the steering committee is formed, with FFA members leading the way.
In addition to Gardens to Grow In and the Calaveras FFA Chapter, FoodCorps, UC Cooperative Extension Central Sierra, UC Master Gardeners, Metzger Family Farms, Calaveras Unified School District and The Mother Lode Farm to School Network will be active partners in the grant’s implementation.
Mission
Promote and support healthy and sustainable lifestyles, youth development, community involvement and self-reliance in schools and communities by teaching children and adults how to grow and prepare healthy food.
Vision
We envision a community where schools are the model for healthy and sustainable living
Students, staff, parents and community members are engaged in the process of growing and preparing healthy food.
We understand the importance of taking care of ourselves, and the world around us.
Every school and community has a garden to gather, learn, and celebrate in.
All children and families have access to healthy food; and local food producers thrive with the support of the community around them .
We envision schools and communities that work together to grow our own food and support the common goals of food, social and economic justice and security for all.
Goals
Raise money and help finance garden construction and maintenance.
Help fund garden education managers and release time for teachers to teach in the garden.
Distribute free plants and seeds to garden programs.
Develop and support adult and youth volunteer programs for gardens
Teach sustainable and organic gardening/farming practices that can be used to grow food in back yards or on a small farm.
Increase the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables to students and families.
Provide nutrition and cooking lessons to children and adults.
Build and cultivate community partnerships.
Offer events and networking opportunities.
Offer workshops for teachers and community members on how to build and sustain school and community gardens (CSYSG) and implement standards-based nutrition and garden curriculum.
Support Farm to School efforts in the Mother Lode - connecting schools to farms.
Support school site based farmer’s markets.
Connect children and adults to their food, environment and all living things.
Operate a community farm that provides produce for the school district meal program, families in need, a CSA and a Farmer’s Market
Engaging Children
Children from Calaveras and Amador pre-schools, schools and youth organizations will use the gardens as outdoor learning labs. Master Garden and community volunteers, teachers, parents and high school students will use the gardens to provide hands-on instruction in sustainable garden practices and environmental and nutrition education to these students. Our Master Garden volunteers and Garden Coordinator(s) will provide standards based, cross curricular activities during school hours and in after school and summer programs. Students will eat what they grow.
Engaging Families and Community
The Resource Connection, UC Davis Cooperative Extension, First 5 Calaveras, 4-H garden groups, local churches and other community groups will use the gardens for youth and adult nutrition and garden education classes, to produce food for local consumption and educate families on how to grow their own gardens.
Current Community Partners: (* indicates financial sponsors)
Calaveras Unified School District Calaveras County Health Department
Calaveras UC Master Gardeners*** Valley Springs Youth Center***
The Resource Connection – Food Bank The Resource Connection - Head Start
UC Cooperative Extension Central Sierra School PTOs***
West Calaveras Rotary Tri-Dam Lions
FoCuS Outer Aisle Foods
Kid’s Place (After School Program) CUSD Educational Foundation***
First 5 Calaveras*** Community UMC – Valley Springs***
Calaveras County Farm Bureau*** Foothill Materials***
Blue Mountain Coalition Rising Sun Nursery
Valley Springs Home Center Mother Lode Harvest
UC Davis Children’s Garden Project EAT
Slow Food Calaveras California School Garden Network
UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Mar-Val Grocery Store
The Toro Company *** Jackson LOWES Store***
Tri-Dam 4-H Garden Group Calaveras High School FFA
Current School Partners with existing gardens (2012/2013) (* potential partners)
Valley Springs Elementary (CUSD) West Point Elementary (CUSD)
Rail Road Flat Elementary (CUSD) Toyon Middle School (CUSD)
Calaveras High School (CUSD) Michelson Elementary (VUSD)
Copperopolis Elementary* Mark Twain Elementary (BHUSD)*
Argonaut High School (Amador)* Calaveras River Academy*
Jenny Lind Elementary (CUSD) San Andreas Elementary (CUSD)
Current Community Gardens ( Potential Future Partners)
Paloma Community Garden Food Bank Community Garden (TRC)
Copperopolis Community Garden San Andreas Arts Center
Blue Mountain Youth Center Mountain Ranch (being planned)
Fairgrounds Community Garden (FFA) Master Gardeners Demo Garden
Potential Programs: Need to be prioritized and can only focus on what we have the resources and people to handle.......school gardens and nutrition education are priority
School Based Programs
Develop Pilot programs in CUSD – Expand from there in future.
*** School Garden Development and Support
Work with youth and adults to plan and sustain organic gardens on school sites
Help with design and garden installation as needed and resources allow
Provide grants to schools for garden development and maintenance
Provide paid Garden Education Managers (5-10 hrs week per school site) to help with garden maintenance, teach standards- based garden/nutrition lessons, and support teachers who integrate the garden into their curriculum.
GEMs are modeled after the Orfalea/SBCC School Garden program in Santa Barbara http://www.orfaleafoundation.org/focus-areas/education/school-food
Develop and cultivate a network of volunteers that assist in school garden education and maintenance
UC Master Gardeners (Parent Clubs Sponsor a Volunteer)
High School agriculture class that works on school garden projects
Parent/Community Volunteers
Develop local YouthCorps to work on school projects
Work with AmeriCorps/FoodCorps to provide volunteers
*** Garden-Based Nutrition Education Implementation
and Teacher Training
Provide Nutrition Educator(s) to work with pre-schools and elementary schools.
Garden/Nutrition Coordinator (GTGI/CUSD)
Nutrition Educator (UCCECS)
FoodCorps Member(s)- Find out January 21st.
Teach sequential garden-based nutrition education program to students in Pre K-6
Modeled after Project EAT ( Hayward - Christine Boynton)
http://www.projecteat.com/
Provide training for teachers and GEMS to teach supplemental nutrition lessons.
** Farm to School
Provide the cafeteria with fresh produce grown in the school gardens.
Provide direction and assistance to school district food service personnel in procuring locally grown, fresh produce for the school lunch programs.
* Food Bank Support Program
Donate a percentage of all food grown in the gardens to the Resource Connection Food Bank and local food pantries
** After School and Summer Programs
Provide after school and summer garden programs at school and community garden locations
Incorporate cooking, healthy food choices and physical activity into programs
Offer programs to students, youth center and after school child care.
Gardening Summer Camp
* School Garden Workshops and Trainings
“Creating and Sustaining Your School Garden” Workshops (CSYSG)
Yearly full day workshop to teach others how to build their own gardens and network with those who have them.
* Junior Master Gardener Program
Use Junior Master Gardener Curriculum in Elementary and Middle School.
Partner with Calaveras UC Master Gardeners to create program where High School students can be trained and graduate as “Master Gardeners”
School Based Farmers Markets
Coordinate monthly (weekly/) Farmers Markets at each school site to make locally grown food available for families
**Sell produce grown in the gardens to support the garden projects (CSA boxes for staff and parents)
Large Farmers Market (run by high school Ag. Students) at Toyon during sports season. (Soccer Saturdays – 1000 plus people, Football Practice – 300-400 people)
School District/Community Farm Plan
Full Circle Farm – Sunnyvale model http://www.fullcirclesunnyvale.org/
La Semilla Farm - New Mexico
Develop a 10-20 acre farm that can produce food for School Lunch programs, Farmers Market, Food Bank, Senior Homes, Hospitals, CSA etc.
Farmer works with FFA/High School Ag students and local volunteers, mental health program, Mother Lode Job Training etc. to run the farm.
Demonstration farm and educational resource as well as food producer.
Jr. Chef Day
Support one day a year where students prepare the entire meal for the school
Modeled after the School Food Initiative in Santa Barbara
http://www.orfaleafoundation.org/focus-areas/education/school-food
Healthy Roots Nutrition Education Program
7-12 Nutrition Education Program
Developed by the School Garden Network of Sonoma http://schoolgardens.org/
Potential Community Based Programs
Community Garden Development and Support
Work with youth and adults to plan and sustain organic gardens on community sites
Help with design and garden installation as needed and resources allow
Provide grants to communities for garden development and maintenance
Provide ongoing technical support
Cooking Lessons and Nutrition Education
Use gardens for adult/community cooking and nutrition lessons
Home Garden Support - Gardening Workshops
Support families and community members in starting their own gardens to provide some of their own food and create food security for more families
Partner with The Resource Connection to support Food Bank clients and other community members (garden can be the distribution site) and educate and support them in the use of the fresh food and give them skills to grow and prepare their own meals.
Supply them with materials, seeds, plants and knowledge to be more self-reliant.
Values
(From Collective Roots (East Palo Alto) http://www.collectiveroots.org/)
We value social justice
We advocate communities exercising their right to grow, sell and eat healthy food that is fresh, nutritious, affordable, culturally-appropriate and grown locally with care for the well-being of the land, workers and animals.
We believe that food justice leads to a strong local food system, self-reliant communities and a healthy environment.
We value accountability:
We maintain high ethical standards which ensure accountability to the community: donors, volunteers, government, and the public.
We adhere to the highest ethical fundraising standards and practices[1], fundraising that supports our mission statement, prudent expenditures, and accurate measurement and reporting of program outcomes.
We value stewardship:
We believe it is our responsibility to properly utilize and develop our resources, including our people, property and financial assets.
We believe that our employees and volunteers are our greatest asset and promote worker health and safety and fair employment practices.
We value health
We believe that health is a fundamental right of every human being.
We embrace prevention and collective action to improve the health and nutritional status of populations, especially the most vulnerable.
We believe that the health status of populations can improve by informing, educating, and empowering youth and communities to adopt healthy behaviors to enhance their health status.
We value respect
We treat everyone with dignity and equality with thoughtful consideration to each other’s differences and opinions.
We value our community
We value the wisdom of community members
We promote the facilitation and exchange of skills between community members
We value the history and culture of this community and we seek ways to develop stronger relationships with the community.
We value empowerment
We believe that people have a right to be able to access healthy food
We promote a healthier food system on a community scale
We believe that people have a right to a meaningful livelihood (especially one in which they can save money by growing their own food and selling the excess)
We believe that it is critical to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty
We value the environment
We promote the responsible use of the earth’s ecosystems and resources.
We believe in educating youth and communities to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment.
We promote an ethic that supports sustainable and healthy communities, environmentally responsible organic gardening practices, building healthy ecosystems, water and energy conservation.
[1] The Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Code of Ethical Principles and Standards and Donor Bill of Rights
Additional Resources
Gardens to Grow in is being developed from the following models:
Collective Roots – East Palo Alto, CA http://www.collectiveroots.org/
School Garden Network of Sonoma – Sonoma County, CA http://schoolgardens.org/
S’cool Food Initiative – S’cool Gardens Program - Santa Barbara County, CA
A partnership between the Orfalea Foundation and Santa Barbara Community College Center for Sustainability
http://www.orfaleafoundation.org/focus-areas/education/school-food
GROWINGGARDENS – Portland, OR http://www.growing-gardens.org/
Full Circle Farm – Sunnyvale, CA http://www.fullcirclesunnyvale.org/
Project EAT – Alameda County Office of Education http://www.projecteat.com/
Other Useful Websites, Resources and Organizations Supporting School Gardens, Nutrition Education and Farm to School Programs
Life Lab – UC Santa Cruz, CA http://www.lifelab.org/
California School Garden Network http://www.csgn.org/
UC Davis Children’s Garden - http://studentfarm.ucdavis.edu/
Occidental Arts and Ecology Center - Occidental, CA http://www.oaec.org/
Healthy School Environment http://www.healthyschoolenvironment.org/
FoodCorps – National http://foodcorps.org/
Silicon Valley HealthCorps - http://www.healthtrust.org/svhealthcorps/
Kids Growing Strong - CA - http://kidsgrowingstrong.org/
CAFF – The Community Alliance with Family Farmers - http://caff.org/
Shelbourne Farms – Shelbourne, Vermont - http://www.shelburnefarms.org/
Sustainable Schools Project – Vermont http://www.sustainableschoolsproject.org/
National Gardening Association - http://www.garden.org/
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