Local Food in Schools
Local Food In Schools

Growing Minds connects farmers, distributors, and school food leaders to ensure students have access to healthy local food.

Farm to Preschool
Farm to Preschool

Early childhood is a critical stage of child development. Learn how the Farm to Preschool movement is connecting young children to local food and farms to support health and wellness.

School Gardens
School Gardens

We provide resources and support for pre-K-12 school gardens in the Southern Appalachian region, including lesson plans, training, seeds,
and mini-grants.

F2S Spotlights

Read about the people implementing farm to school in our region, from teachers and nutrition professionals, to dietetic interns and farmers.

Day by Day
Growing Minds
Day by Day

From gardening to goats, our farm to school-themed Day by Day resource lists can be used by families learning at home, or by educators in the classroom. Find read alouds, recipes, simple activities, and more.

Lesson Plans

Browse our collection of garden, food and farm, and recipe lesson plans for preschool, K-5, and more. All Growing Minds lesson plans include connections to age-appropriate children’s literature and are aligned with Common Core State Standards, NC Essential Standards, or NC Foundations for Early Learning and Development.

Seasonal Resources

Farm-fresh berries make the perfect summertime snack. Just give these jewels a quick wash and eat them right away! Look for blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries at local tailgate markets in the summer months, or visit a u-pick berry farm with your family or school.

Meet Your Farmer

A video series by Growing Minds

Meet some of the people who grow your food! Our Meet Your Farmer and Junior Farm Tour videos provide students and families with virtual tours of family farms in Western North Carolina.

As we reflect on another school year, we are again amazed by all of the wonderful farm to school activities that educators have brought to life in their school communities. Thanks as always for your support of farm to school and our program! We hope you have a restful and rejuvenating summer, and we look forward to connecting with you next school year. Feel free to reach out to us anytime at [email protected]

Suzi, Danielle, and Debbi

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