Promoting Community Agriculture by Bringing the Farm to School
It starts with the littlest eaters. To help kids learn where their food comes from and encourage healthy eating habits, Field to Family brings the ‘farm to the school.’
Driven by our mission to support local farmers and educate our community on the power of local foods, Field to Family partners with Eastern Iowa school districts to connect schools with local farmers, procure local food for school lunch menus, and provide food system educational programming.
Keep reading to learn more about our efforts to get every eater on board, or click the button below to access the classroom resource portal.
Sourcing Local Food for School Lunches
We know getting healthy foods on kids’ plates is the best way to create healthy eaters for life. Field to Family procures fresh, locally grown fruits, vegetables, honey, mushrooms, meat, and dairy for school lunch menus. The demand for locally produced foods in schools ensures producers can expand their operations year after year to meet the growing demand. By providing students with easy access to fresh, local foods, we also give hard-working Iowa producers an outlet to promote and sell their products wholesale.
Field to Family has been procuring local food for the Iowa City Community School District since 2011. Our wholesale food hub has since expanded local food procurement to other school districts, private schools, and early care centers. During the 2022-2023 school year, Field to Family sourced local to 36 school districts, providing over $180,000 in food.
For the 2023-24 school year, Field to Family serves 39 school districts, with the goal of providing over $220,000 in local food purchases.
Hosting Farmer Fairs
During a Field to Family Farmer Fair, kids can interact with local farmers without leaving the classroom. Farmer Fairs are in-school field trips where students rotate through various hands-on learning activities. They meet local farmers, taste freshly harvested foods, and more. At the end of the day, students will better understand where food comes from and learn ways to increase the amount of healthy food they consume.
Field to Family has previously hosted Farmer Fairs at Lakeview Elementary in Solon, Van Allen Elementary in North Liberty, Grant Wood Elementary in Cedar Rapids, and Kenwood Learning Academy in Cedar Rapids.
Are you an educator looking for Farmer Fair resources to share with your students? Click the link below to access our classroom resource portal.
Note: During the pandemic, Farmer Fairs were put on hold. We will be resuming and schedule Farmer Fairs again soon.
Join Our Producer Contact List
If you are a producer interested in bringing your farm into classrooms throughout our region by sharing your story and teaching lessons, sign up by filling out the form, or visit the producer portal below.
Help Preserve the Future of the Program
We envision a regional and sustainable food system where everyone can eat fresh, locally grown food with the seasons and where farmers of all backgrounds can make a living. But we need every eater on board.
Learn more about how you can help support Field to Family’s mission and our work through the Farm to School Program.
