Planting the Seed with Farm to School

Planting the Seed with Farm to School

A plastic dishpan of potting soil, a cup of seeds and some small plastic baggies made their way around a conference room at the Traverse Bay Area Intermediate School District. These simple materials evolved into tiny greenhouses and a mini-science lesson for teachers to engage their students on local food and agriculture. The Michigan Land Use Institute, TBAISD and FoodCorps teamed up to plant this seed-literally and figuratively-that local food and agriculture can be an integral part of the classroom.

Building a conversation around school food

A recent overhaul of the federal nutrition rules for schools is meant to provide healthier options for children. But the new requirements-including larger servings of fruits and vegetables that local farmers could grow, less sodium and fat, and more whole grains-have sparked a heated debate nationally and right here in Traverse City.

10 Cents a Meal aims to bring local food to school cafeterias

10 Cents a Meal aims to bring local food to school cafeterias

Would you chip in $1 if it meant 10 schoolchildren could eat locally grown fruits and vegetables at lunch on Monday? How about $10 for 100 kids? That’s about four classes full of children, bursting with energy and ready to learn new things. You can do just that by contributing to a new campaign that starts this fall for a program that could be in place by spring: 10 Cents a Meal for School Kids & Farms.