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

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

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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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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Find Seasonal Resources

Spring delivers the sweetest of WNC’s farm fresh treats—strawberries! These bite size treasures are at their best in May. Look for strawberries in the school cafeteria this month or head out to a u-pick strawberry farm.

Find May 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 »

Spring Seeds Available for School Gardens!

Free vegetable seeds, including seed potatoes, are now available to public and private pre-K to 12 schools in the Appalachian Grown region. Email us at [email protected] to learn more. Thanks to our partners at Sow True Seed, Seed Programs International, and New Sprout Organic Farms!

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