Hello everyone and Happy New Year!

Here are your first updates of 2015…

Updates and resources:

1.Colorado Farm to School Task Force and Spark Policy Institute Release “The Farm to School Evaluation Toolkit”
The Farm to School Evaluation Toolkit, created by the Colorado Farm to School Task Force and Spark Policy Institute, is a resource to help farm to school programs of all sizes, in all states, undertake evaluation. Evaluation can serve many purposes for farm to school programs, including enabling implementers to demonstrate program success or progress. Evaluation information collected allows users to better communicate program impact to funders, parents, school leadership, and other stakeholders. Evaluation can be a tool to recruit new funders. It can also be useful for program improvement.
The FTS Evaluation Toolkit provides simple, straightforward information about how to design and implement evaluations of school gardens and other farm to school activities. In a succinct ten pages, the FTS Evaluation Toolkit Guide walks users through each step of the evaluation process, including how to prepare for an evaluation, identify outcomes, select and adapt measurement tools, complete an evaluation plan, implement an evaluation plan, and use evaluation results.Click here to check out the Farm to School Evaluation Toolkit.

2.MSU Center for Regional Food Systems Releases “The Michigan Food Hub Network: A Case Study in Building Effective Networks for Food System Change”
This new publication from Michigan State University provides an overview of the Michigan Food Hub Network’s creation, implementation, short-term outcomes, and lessons learned in the first 30 months of operation. The publication provides a useful resource to all those working to create, strengthen, or improve their own regional food system. Click here to read the report.

Policy:

1.National Farm to School Policy Update

Looking Back and Looking Forward: Farm to school policy in 2014 and 2015
As the national policy leaders for the farm to school movement, policy is at the core of what we do as a network. As we near the end of 2014, we want to celebrate this year’s many farm to school policy successes and set the stage for upcoming opportunities in 2015.

Webinars, trainings and conferences:

NFSN Webinars:

1.Telling your story: Share your success with the media, the community and funders
February 10, 1 p.m. EST
Your school garden is growing, your lunch line is local, and your community's health and economy are improving thanks to farm to school. But if you don't learn how to tell your story in a concise, compelling way, interest in your program could stagnate. Maintain momentum for farm to school within your community through media relations, funder outreach and community partners with persuasive success stories. The National Farm to School Network's communications staff, Chelsey Simpson and Stacey Malstrom, will offer simple best-practices and easy tips for sharing your story and finding your audience. The 20-minute presentation will be followed by a Q&A session.

2.Making change: How you can support farm to school policy this spring
March 10, 1 p.m. EST
Although the Child Nutrition Act (known as CNR) isn't set to expire until September 30, the action in D.C. is happening now, and we need your help. Join us to learn how farm to school legislation is progressing as part of CNR and what you can do to help make sure farm to school gets the support it needs from Congress! We will cover actions that anyone can take to join the effort and become an effective advocate for farm to school. The 20-minute presentation will be followed by a Q&A session.

Partner Webinars:

3.Outdoor Classroom Management
January 15, 4 p.m. EST - Hosted by edWeb
Along with abundant opportunities for learning and fun, outdoor classrooms come with a unique set of challenges, particularly in relation to classroom management. How do I focus students' attention on the lesson when the squirrels are dropping walnuts from the tree? How do I convince 30 students that the garden is a learning environment and not a space for extra recess time? Whitney Cohen, Life Lab’s Education Director, will use stories, photos and discussion to share tried-and-true tips for managing large groups of students in an outdoor environment.

4.What’s in Store for the USDA Farm to School Program in 2015?
Chat with Deborah Kane, National Director of USDA’s Farm to School Program
Event details: Tuesday, January 20th at 2:00 pm EST.
Wondering what’s happening with the next Farm to School Census or what new resources the USDA Farm to School Program will be developing in 2015? Connect with Deborah Kane in the first of what we expect to be a regular opportunity to learn more about the USDA Farm to School Program’s activities.

Can't join us live? The event will be recorded and available on our website.
Sign up here!

5.Farm Commons Farm Law Webinars
Let Farm Commons help you plan for a stable, resilient farm business with our Farm Law Webinars. This year we are hosting 13 different- and completely free- farm law webinars. First up, we have 8 webinars in our Farm Law Basics series. Later in the winter, we are offering 5 new Advanced Farm Law webinars.Register now at our website for the upcoming sessions:

Put Your CSA On Strong Legal Footing

Hosting Safe, Legally Secure Farm Events

Adding Value Without Adding Legal Liability To Farm Products

Farmland Leases Built to Last: Content and Legal Context

Food Safety Liability And Regulations For The Farm

Sales Contracts for Farm Produce: Why and How

Making Employment Law Work For Your Farm

Farm Sole Proprietorships, LLCs, S Corps, C Corps, and Coops: Which? Why? How?

Going In-Depth With CSA Farm Law

Getting Farm Work Done Legally With Interns, Apprentices, And Volunteers

Financing A Farmland Purchase: Legal basics for traditional and non-traditional farmland purchases

Efficiently Manage Your Farm’s Risks With Insurance

6.Free Training from NFSMI Coming in 2015
The National Food Service Management Institute is offering free face-to-face training sessions in Oxford, Mississippi for 2015. Keep thecalendarhandyand plan your training session soon. Trainings at the NFSMI headquarters in Mississippi are only one of the many options for taking advantage of NFSMI training. If you are unable to attend a training in person at NFSMI, please consider the free online courses:Visit the NFSMI website at click on the tab for NFSMI's Online Courses page ( for more information

7.Children's Environmental Health Network Research Conference
CEHN will be hosting its 2015 Research Conference, “Children: Food and Environment,” about how the interaction between food and environmental factors affect children’s health, along with further policy, regulatory, and research implications. The research presented will include micro-level factors such as nutrient-mediated microbiome effects as well as macro-level influences such as contaminants rising from modern food production practices. The conference will take place on February 4-6, 2015 in Austin, TX, and provides an excellent opportunity to meet leading researchers, administrators, and public health leaders with at least 150 professionals expected to attend.

8.Partnership for a Healthier America 2015 Building a Healthier Future Summit
PHA, in coordination with PHA Honorary Chair First Lady Michelle Obama and Honorary Vice Chairs The Honorable William H. Frist, MD and the Honorable Cory A. Booker, invites you to the fourth Building a Healthier Future Summit. Join us for breakouts, nationally renowned speakers, thought-provoking keynotes, and an audience of industry leaders. We look forward to seeing you there.
February 25 – 27, 2015
Washington Hilton
Washington, DC
Register today and lock in early bird pricing.

9.Join us for the GRuB Institute
February 25-27th, 2015
Creating place-based and community-connected youth engagement experiences
For over 15 years, GRuB has been running agriculture-based alternative education, employment, and drop-out prevention programs that engage local teens in land & community-based projects, working to break cycles of hunger and poverty. Through these programs, participating students consistently show a greater sense of identity, increased enthusiasm for learning, and increases in school credits, attendance, and graduation rates.
Who Is GRuB For?

  • People seeking to deepen the impact on youth in farm & outdoor-based education.
  • People hoping to start an organization that does similar work.
  • People wanting to learn a successful model of youth engagement.
  • People exploring strategies for future school district partnerships.

Grants, contests, awards: (the first time an opportunity is posted, it will be highlighted)

1.Nominate a Farm to Preschool program for a Let’s Move Child Care Award! Deadline January 23rd
(separate categories for home and center based programs, as well as for CACFP sponsors and state agencies)
Let’s Move! Child Care (LMCC) is excited to announce a call for nominations for child care and early education centers and homes who are participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and primarily serve children 0-5 years of age; CACFP sponsoring agencies; and State CACFP agencies who are making outstanding efforts to improve child nutrition programs that promote young children’s health and prevent childhood obesity. The top nominees and their efforts will be recognized and showcased at an LMCC Recognition Event at the 2015 National CACFP Sponsors Association Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. To make a nomination for this special recognition and see the selection criteria, go to:

2.Crowdfunding for Green School Initiatives
The nation-wide, nonprofit crowdfunding platform ioby is offering a special ‘match funding’ opportunity to schools that are starting an environmental project for the very first time. Eligible projects can be anywhere in the US, and must run a crowdfunding campaign with a goal of $1000 or less, in early 2015. Thanks to the support of the Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation, donations to Green Schools campaigns will be doubled, up to $500 per campaign. Visit ioby.org/green-schools for more info and to apply.

3.Wellmark Foundation Invites Applications for Healthy Communities Small Grant Program
The Wellmark Foundation, the charitable arm of health insurer Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa, strives to be a catalyst in bringing groups together within a community to impact health improvement. In 2015, the foundation will continue to focus its funding on community-based wellness and prevention efforts in Iowa and South Dakota. The goal of the foundation's Healthy Communities program is to encourage new collaborations that are focused on improving the health of a community in either one of the two states. This includes ensuring that all residents have access to nutritious food and safe places tolive, work, play, and learn.Through the program, the foundation will award grants of up to $25,000 for sustainable, innovative community-based wellness and prevention initiatives. Priority will be given to projects that address access to nutritious foods and safe places.

4.Lowe's Toolbox for Education Program
DEADLINE: February 13, 2015
Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation is looking to award $5,000 to as many as 1,000 schools this year. Grants are available to both educators and parent groups with project ideas to enhance their school or community.
URL:

Job opportunities:(the first time an opportunity is listed, it will be highlighted)

1.Cedar Circle Farm and Education Center,Education Program Manager (Vermont)
Cedar Circle Farm and Education Center, East Thetford, Vermont, is currently hiring for two positions. Cedar Circle is a certified organic farm with a social mission to engage the community in developing and sharing practices that promote regenerative agriculture, good health, and a resource-rich environment. The farm grows annuals, perennials, bedding plants, certified organic vegetables and you-pick strawberries and blueberries. It also offers a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, hands-on freezing and canning classes, and annual strawberry and pumpkin festivals.
The farm is seeking an enthusiastic and experienced individual to manage our Education Program. The ideal candidate must be a self-starter but be able to work well with a team and supervise staff assistants. Required experiences include working with children, program and curriculum development, proven expertise with promotional media (website & social media), & events planning. Candidate must have farming or gardening experience and a passion for local organic food & agriculture. Position is year-round.Please view description and application here.

2.Farm to Child Care Coordinator/Health Educator, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control
Under general supervision of the Early Care and Education Coordinator in the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, this position will support the implementation of obesity prevention efforts in the early care and education setting. This position serves as a statewide trainer for child care providers implementing nutrition and physical activity best practices and standards. In addition, this position will serve as the SC Farm to Preschool Coordinator. coordinate the implementation of a nutrition and physical activity quality improvement initiative within the ABC Child Care Quality. For more information and application instructions, please visit the job posting.

3.Director Of Education at Oceanfront Organic Nonprofit Farm (Freeport, OR)
The Director of Education (DoE) will play a key role on the Foundation’s senior leadership team, will report directly to the Foundation’s Executive Director and will collaborate closely with Foundation Staff as well as with the Board of Directors to provide inspirational and strategic direction to all Education programming at Wolfe’s Neck Farm. The DoE will connect with other agriculture and education related partners and organizations throughout the region to design, promote and execute programs for a range of age groups that teach all aspects of sustainable agriculture; all the while supporting a stronger local and regional food system. The DoE will be responsible for identifying, designing and successfully launching a range of new, innovative educational offerings aligned with the Foundation’s mission, in addition to strengthening the focus and implementation of current programming. This is a terrifically exciting opportunity for the right individual to join a growing organization at the launch of a new Strategic Vision.For more information about how to apply for this position, please visit the job announcement.

4. Washington Sustainable Food & Farming Network is hiring a Program Director that will help to develop programs and implement a new Farm to School grant. See: Applications submitted by 1/23 will be given priority consideration.

In the news:

Special shout out to the National Farm to School Network's former Communications Director Deb Eschmeyer on this AMAZING recognition and selection! We are so proud of you Deb!

1.Debra Eschmeyer named as Michelle Obama’s new ‘Let’s Move’ campaign director
First lady Michelle Obama on Thursday announced the new White House senior policy adviser for nutrition policy and director of the “Let’s Move!” campaign, a driving force behind controversial changes to school lunches.DebraEschmeyer, who founded the FoodCorps service program designed to teach cafeteria workers about nutrition, will fill the role vacated by Sam Kass.

2.2015 a big year for nutrition and school lunch standards
In the new year, Congress is tasked with reauthorizing child nutrition programs, Obama will appoint a new senior adviser for nutrition policy, the release of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans are expected by fall 2015, and there is anticipation of new food label guidelines from the FDA. The Packer

3.Learning science, math and more in school garden
The garden isn't new but the way it is being used is. All the teachers at Corte Madera have been trying to use project-based learning, with academic subjects incorporated into hands-on projects. The Almanac (CA)

4.Magdalena greenhouse gets kids growing produce
As the only solar-powered school greenhouse in New Mexico, Magdalena Schools’ greenhouses provides fresh produce to school cafeterias year round. The produce grown in the greenhouses, with the help of high school students, is also officially certified organic by the New Mexico Department of Agriculture. DChieftain.com

5.Why Cafeteria Food Is Best
Many parents undoubtedly think they are doing the best for their children by having them bring lunch from home instead of eating the lunches served in school. But recent studies clearly prove them wrong. New York Times Blog

6.Nothing's wasted at Huntington Beach High's sustainable urban farm
Students are learning about sustainable urban farming through an elective class and a club at Huntington Beach High by growing produce and making money selling their crops to Slapfish, a local restaurant that serves sustainable seafood. The Green Team added a self-sustaining system called aquaponics to the farm in May 2013. Orange County Register