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.

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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.

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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.

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F2S Spotlights
Farm to School
Spotlights

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

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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.

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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.

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Seasonal Resources

Whether you’re looking for a sweet eating apple or a tart baking variety, you’ll find what you need in Western North Carolina. Don’t miss the opportunity to try our region’s claim to fame. Apples are a member of the rose family of plants, along with pears, peaches, plums, and cherries. Eat a local apple in your school cafeteria today!

Explore December resources »

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.

Watch more from our video series »

WNC Farm to School Jumpstart Grant is now open!

Pre-k through 12 schools, homeschool groups, teacher and nutrition education programs, and community-based organizations serving children and families within the 23 westernmost counties of North Carolina are eligible to apply for jumpstart grants of $500-$1,000 to fund a farm to school project. Farm to school projects provide children with positive experiences with local agriculture and fresh local foods through edible school gardens, farm field trips, or local food cooking, taste tests, or meals. Grant applications are due January 15, 2022.

Learn more & apply here »

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