What is Growing Minds Farm to School Program?

As part of a national farm to school initiative, Growing Minds is the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s (ASAP) farm to school training program. Growing Minds strives to cultivate mutually beneficial relationships between farms and schools that create dynamic, wellness-focused learning environments for our children. We do this by working with farmers, educators, and communities to serve local food in schools, while expanding opportunities for farm field trips, experiential nutrition education and school gardens. Currently at least one of these four components is being implemented in Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, Mitchell, Rutherford, and Yancey County, as well as Asheville City Schools.

Read about Growing Minds in the News!

As part of a small non-profit ( ASAP), the Growing Minds training program work is primarily grant funded and concentrated in specific projects each year.

2008

• Regional Lead Agency for the National Farm to School Network
• Experiential Nutrition Education -Chefs in the classroom, 31 Days of Nutrition
• Facilitate a regional farm to school committee
• Ongoing support of school gardens
• Providing resources through the web
• Building connections to serve local food in area schools
• SSARE R&E Farm to School market research
• UPS - Farm to School Distribution
• Partnership with the Council on Aging

2007

• Head Start- Implement the four components of farm to school at a head start center in Henderson County.
• Farm Field Trip Workshop and test trips
• Creating an action plan for farm to school in Henderson County
• Providing resources through the web
• Chef training
• Facilitate a regional farm to school committee
• Ongoing support of school gardens, experiential nutrition education
• Building connections to serve local food in area schools
• SSARE R&E – Farm to School market research
• UPS - Farm to School Distribution
• Partnership with the Council on Aging
• Regional Lead Agency for the National Farm to School Network

Local Food in Schools

The main goal of the farm to school program is to provide farmers a viable market in their community to sell produce, while supplying our schools with the freshest food possible. >>more

Farm Field Trips

This component of the program strives to rebuild a connection to where food comes from and who is growing food in our local communities. >>more

Nutrition Education

With the loss of connection to where food comes from, there has also been a disconnect with preparing food and healthy eating. The nutrition component of the farm to school program consists of cooking demonstrations and classes to help students learn to enjoy preparing and eating healthy fresh foods. >>more

Schools Gardens

Students will eat what they grow. The school garden component is the link between healthy eating and reconnecting students with their agricultural heritage. >>more

If you are interested in implementing Growing Minds programming at your school we would be happy to provide community and/or curriculum resources to help you move forward.

Grants available to schools

Upcoming Events

Farm Fieldtrip for Chefs - Thursday May 29th

Southeast Farm to School Network Regional Meeting - Isaac Dickson Elementary, July 17th

Past Events

31 Days of Nutrition - March 2007

Chef Fest - Vance Elementary, October 4th, 2007

Henderson County Farm to School Action Plan Meeting - Bruce Drysdale Elementary, August 7th 4-6pm, 2007

Farm Field Trips - May 10th and June 7th, 2007

Henderson County Head Start Hendersonville, March 26th, 2007

Mitchell County Farm to School Festival- Bakersville, September 13th,2006

Asheville Cafeteria Mangers get a taste of local produce on farm tour - Full Sun Farm, August 7th, 2006

Farm to school teacher workshop - Asheville, July 24th, 2006