![]() ![]() Conservation-focused community celebrations and service-learning projects are a great way to promote critical thinking and social responsibility while reinforcing healthy habits. Link field trips with literacy goals too! Why not collaborate with your library on an agriculture themed book nook? Partner with Parks Farm to School Month is the perfect time to work with parks and recreation and other organizations with roots in nature. Never stop searching for extensions and collaborators. Imagine your next fall festival or a healthy Halloween potluck featuring local produce provided by new partners. ![]() A Farm to School Month field trip could turn into a long-term relationship with new adult allies. Ask the farmer you visit to provide regular updates on crops and progress photos of animals and plants. Maybe even organize a mini Youth-Hosted Forum to amplify youth voice in your community. ![]() After your field trip, dialogue with students and find out what their interests are. Whether you visit a creamery or a vegetable farm, foster an ongoing relationship by starting a pen pal project with a local farmer. Turn Field Trips into Long Term Relationships A simple way to engage with local business leaders is through field trips, but don’t stop there. Find out if your local art or hardware store will donate supplies year-round for creative activities. Don’t forget to provide take-home printables, like these from USDA, highlighting seasonal produce that’s budget friendly. Take a bite out of childhood hunger with 6 more apple themed ideas from a past article I wrote for School Breakfast Week. At your gathering, host a fresh fruit taste test. Why not ask a local orchard grower to serve as a guest speaker for your next family event. Spotlight a local farm and regularly feature “Foods of the Month.” October’s Food of the Month theme is Apples, Pears and Winter Squash. Start Simple and Go Do-it-Yourself (DIY) Swing by your arts and craft store and ask them to sponsor a farm-focused bulletin board to cultivate curiosity and brighten up your physical space. To help grow the STEM and wellness conversation, check out our new educational brief, STEM and Wellness: A Powerful Equation for Equity and recorded workshop during the National AfterSchool Association Virtual Convention in November. If you’re hosting an event or celebration this month, invite business leaders to speak with your students and work together on fun enrichment activities like Apples Turning Brown! (page 3), that intentionally link nutrition with science. Agriculture is uniquely situated at the intersection of STEM and wellness. Build Bridges with STEM In The Power of Partnerships with the Business Community, I emphasize that “healthy children grow up to be consumers with increased earning and buying power.” Farm to School Month is a tremendous opportunity to build bridges with local STEM-focused companies. ![]()
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