2009: Dec | Nov | Oct | Sept | Aug | July | Jun | May | Apr | Mar | Feb
Jan
2008: Dec | Nov | Oct | Sept | Aug
Local Food Systems Symposium: December 2nd and 3rd, Gail Feenstra, a Davis Farm to School Connection Steering Committee member, participated in the Local Food Systems Symposium. This symposium showcased local food systems projects funded by the statewide UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP), an affiliate of the UC Davis Agricultural Sustainability Institute (ASI). These projects demonstrate how partnerships and marketing opportunities can be created in new ways, linking consumers, distributors and producers in rural and urban areas. Gail Feenstra is the Community Food Systems/Nutrition Director for SAREP.
Garden Coordinator Grants Awarded: On December 19th, Davis Farm to School Connection awarded six schools in Davis with the Garden Coordinator Matching Stipend Grant of $500. The school PTA will match the grant, awarding a stipend of $1000 to school garden coordinators at Marguerite Montgomery Elementary, Fred Korematsu Elementary, Pioneer Elementary, Birch Lane Elementary, North Davis Elementary, and Emerson Junior High.
Crunch Lunch Marketing: Free Lunch for You!: This month Davis Farm to School Connection, in partnership with the Davis Joint Unified School District’s Student Nutrition Services (SNS), planned a Crunch Lunch Marketing Program. Crunch Lunch is the name given to the salad bars and hot lunch items in Davis school cafeterias that feature healthy, local, seasonal produce. Each school will receive ten free lunch tickets to be given out to adult role models at the school site. The results will be two-fold: adults will get a chance to appreciate first hand the new delicious lunch items in the school cafeterias, and students will observe these adults enjoying the school lunch, encourage them to try it for themselves.
End-of-Year Letters: Over 300 End-of-Year Letters asking for support for our programs went out in mid December.
“Greening School Lunch” Conference: Davis Farm to School Connection Steering Committee members, Jamie Buffington and Dorothy Peterson, were invited by Raphaelita Curva, incoming President Elect of the Davis Joint Unified School District Student Nutrition Services, to speak at a conference focused on “The Greening of School Lunch”. On Friday, November 14th, the Mother Lode Chapter #45 of the School Nutrition Association, an affiliate of the Student Nutrition Association, brought together over 60 interested food service directors, representatives from the California Department of Education, food sellers, and green food service product merchants for a morning of presentations and networking in Sacramento. The invitation was an honor for the Davis Farm to School Connection, and yet another tribute to the successful partnerships that make Davis School Lunch a model program for “going green” at the school level.
Farm Visits Scheduled: Sign-ups for spring Farm Visits concluded this month, with a total of 17 Davis second grade classes signed up to visit a local farm. Farm Visits are preceded by a classroom presentation by Davis Farm to School Connection staff or intern. During the Farm Visit, students participate in farm chores and harvest and taste some fresh seasonal produce. Following the Farm Visit, an artist from the Art in Ag Program, a project of the Yolo Land Trust, will visit the classroom and conduct an art activity related to the student’s experience on the farm. Davis Farm to School is grateful to be able to offer this rewarding experience free of charge to all second grade classes due to our partnership with the Art in Ag Program.
Garden/RISE Coordinators Meet and Eat: On October 2nd, 25 Garden and RISE (Recycling is Simply Elementary) Coordinators gathered at Davis Senior High School for a fall meeting. After a tour of the high school’s garden and recycling program, the coordinators split into small groups to discuss issues such as garden curriculum, fundraising efforts, and parent volunteers. Many expressed gratitude at having the opportunity to share resources and learn from each other. At 6:00 all the coordinators gathered at tables outside to enjoy a meal catered by Davis Joint Unified School District’s Student Nutrition Services featuring local and seasonal produce.
Reno Farm to School?: Visitors from Reno, Nevada came to visit the Davis Farm to School Connection program on Oct. 15th. These visitors are interested in starting a farm to school program in Reno. Steering Committee member Jamie Buffington gave them a tour of several different school gardens and cafeterias. They were very grateful and enjoyed the tour very much.
Avenue of the Scarecrows: October 25th was the Avenue of the Scarecrows at the Davis Farmer’s Market. Davis Farm to School Connection organizes this event in conjunction with the farmer’s market and school garden coordinators throughout Davis with the goal of raising money for school gardens. Students make themed scarecrows which are then auctioned off at the farmer’s market. This year seven schools participated and 40 scarecrows were made. Total revenue was $903.00, 100% of which goes to school gardens in Davis.
Crunch Lunch Salad Bars: This month saw the opening of new child-size salad bars featuring local seasonal produce at all schools in Davis. These new salad bars are a direct result of the implementation of Measure Q, the parcel tax that includes funds for the purchase and preparation of fresh local produce for the school lunch program.
New Program Coordinator: We also hired our first Davis Farm to School Connection Program Coordinator this month, Talia Hack-Davie. Talia spent her first day of work on a tour of six school garden and recycling programs, meeting several garden and recycling coordinators. She is very excited to begin work with Davis Farm to School.
School Board Gets on Board: At the request of the Superintendent, Dorothy Peterson, Davis Farm to School President, and Ann Evans, Steering Committee member, gave a presentation at the School Board meeting on August 21st, outlining Davis Farm to School projects and objectives for the school year. Dinner for the meeting was catered by the Davis Joint Unified School District’s (DJUSD) Student Nutrition Services, and featured local and seasonal produce.
Cooks Camp: Ann Evans and Georgeanne Brennan (Evans & Brennan, LLC) organized “Cooks Camp”. This was made possible through their work with the Yolo County Agricultural Marketing Initiative. The event was cosponsored by University Dining Services at UCDavis by Sodexo. They offered nutrition and seasonal cooking training to all institutional chefs in the county. From the Davis Joint Unified School District, Rafaelita Curva, Director of Student Nutrition Services, and 15 staff attended.
The Village Feast: The Annual Village Feast was on August 23rd under the sycamore trees in Central Park in Davis. The Village Feast is a long lunch celebrating the late summer harvest, and is Davis Farm to School Connection’s premier fundraiser. Proceeds fund school gardens, second-grade farm visits, recycling programs in schools, and seasonal produce in the school lunch program. This year we raised $28,500.
Slow Food Slow Journey: Evans & Brennan, LLC organized a Slow Food Slow Journey tour from San Francisco this month. 31 people, representing 10 states, came to Davis to see K-16 Farm to School Education. They toured UC Davis and DJUSD’s programs. As part of their tour they visited the Central Kitchen with Rafaelita Curva. The Central Kitchen is where most of the cooking and food preparation is done for all DJUSD schools in Davis. The Central Kitchen is adjacent to the Community Garden and the coordinator, Jane Shafer Kramer, has given permission for the SNS staff to pick herbs from the garden for their cooking needs.
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