Farm to School BC brings healthy, local and sustainable food into schools across British Columbia and provides students with hands-on learning opportunities that develop food literacy, all while strengthening the local food system and enhancing school and community connectedness.
Farm to School BC empowers students and school communities to make informed food choices while contributing to vibrant, sustainable regional food systems that support the health of people, community and environment. Farm to school activities differ by school, but always include the following three elements: Healthy, Local Food, Hands-on Learning, and School & Community Connectedness.
It was so lovely to have Laura-Lyn join us for this SGM discussion on "Outdoor Planting". Visit our F2SBC Program Library for slides and a list of resources shared (farmtoschoolbc.ca/sgm-program-library/) 🍏
We were happy to have Geoff Styles, Ceren Caner, and Sonya Rokosh guide us through "Classroom Growing and Building the Garden". To learn more about what the School Garden Mentorship Program has to offer visit farmtoschoolbc.ca/garden-mentorship/ 🍏🌱💚 In this session, we highlight The School Garden Curriculum by Kaci Rae Christopher 📖(outdoorlearningstore.com/product/the-school-garden-curriculum/). Other cool resources from this session can be found in our Program Library: farmtoschoolbc.ca/sgm-program-library/
What questions do you have about garden design? We were happy to have Robin Jenkinson from Salt Spring Elementary guide us through "Designing our School Garden and Crop Planning". To learn more about what the School Garden Mentorship Program has to offer visit farmtoschoolbc.ca/garden-mentorship/ 🍏🌱💚
Totally agree with Aaren! Promote, promote, promote and then leverage the community relationships you form to get things done. Communities want and need projects like this and don't often realize there are obstacles they may have unintentionally created.
I live in Toronto which is located on the traditional territory of several nations including the MISSISSAUGAS OF THE CREDIT, the ANISHNABEG, the CHIPPEWA, the HAUDENOSSAUNEE and the WENDAT PEOPLES. It is covered by Treaty 13 with the MISSISSAUGAS OF THE CREDIT.
Creating a pollinator and market garden is easy for us because of underutilized, preexisting facilities. I love the insect habitat ideas, and general idea of creating spaces for learning. The possibility of beekeeping is totally new! I have a class who is very excited about keeping chickens and other poultry, so I have been looking into bylaws and school district policies.
Hoping to learn: How to do a year-round garden within the context of a September to June school year…Also about how to make connections with seniors…and more on “next steps with what is planted” and “reflections on learning”. Looking to make a network with others to help kids have an audience for their learning and to see what other kids are doing (not to just compare to adults). My kids have expressed interest in growing native plants for ecological restoration processes.
Great ideas! Did you know Farm to School BC has a Crop Planning Guide that aligns with the school year? You can check it out here! farmtoschoolbc.ca/crop-planning-guide/. We will also be talking about this during our upcoming webinar on March 8. We hope you can make it!