Welcome to the new home of the Illinois Farm to School Network online. This space will hold great photos..
… information on wonderful programs…
(check out our member list!)
…and work done by and for the network. We are still growing our website and hope to add more resources throughout Fall 2015.
This May, Seven Generations Ahead partnered with the Kane County Health Department’s Fit For Kids Initiative to give out Tower Gardens at five Kane County public schools. What exactly is a Tower Garden? It is an innovative, portable, vertical garden that grows food using aeroponic technology, which is similar to hydroponics but harnesses the air in a way that is unique to its vertical structure. These towers have been placed in five classrooms across Kane County, and we will share their progress as the students learn how to grow delicious, fresh food indoors. Each tower came with a full lighting system so that teachers can grow food throughout the school year.
Where are the Kane County Tower Gardens?
• Rotolo Middle School, Batavia
• STEM Middle School, Aurora
• Hermes Elementary School, Aurora
• Kaneland John Stewart Elementary School, Elburn
• deLacey Family Education Center (Pre-K), Carpentersville
These Tower Gardens have been used in classrooms across the county to enhance student learning about the intersections of food, science and technology. Thanks to the Kane County Health Department Fit For Kids Initiative for bringing Tower Gardens to classrooms across Kane County! Here are some photos of our teachers putting their towers together.
When fresh produce is scarce at the corner store, students at Orozco
Asparagus bed at Orozco Academy
Academy of Fine Arts and Sciences in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood have learned that they can grow the ingredients in the ethnic dishes they love. Guided by Seven Generations Ahead’s Fresh From the Farm program, the community took an exciting journey through the lives of plants and into a brand new school garden designed by the students themselves. After exploring their own food culture, Orozco students chose to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, squash, jalapenos, strawberries and herbs. Many students are now tending the garden in a new after school program. The Fresh From the Farm program also held parent programming for a group of very energetic and involved Spanish-speaking parents. We taught them nutrition, healthy eating, shopping and meal preparations and two gardening education lessons. Along with their school garden, these families have cultivated a sense of ownership, respect and pride, as well as new habits for healthy living.
Just this month, a new bill supporting Farm to School programming was introduced in Congress: the Farm to School Act of 2015! This bill will be a part of the reauthorization of the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 – the original legislation that created a mandate to fund Farm to School programs. For the past five years, $5 million a year has been given to school districts and other groups working to increase local food access and student health and wellness. However, demand for the program is more than five times higher than available funding. The Farm to School Act of 2015 would increase that amount to $15 million!
How does this impact us in Illinois? Last year, only $25,000 of the USDA’s Farm to School grant fund (that $5 million) was given to Illinois programs. Imagine how much more work could be done in schools and communities if that amount increased alongside the general fund. The USDA Farm to School Grant Program increases the use of and improves access to local foods in schools – thus boosting farm income and economic opportunities – while also fostering experiential food education for our nation’s children. Here in Illinois, we could increase the number of school gardens and get children cooking and eating foods that they grow. We could increase capacity in school districts who want to procure local foods. There is so much possibility and the Farm to School Act of 2015 is the best way to make it happen.
What can you do? Add your name to the National Farm to School Network’s sign-on letter. You can show support as a citizen or organization. Also, look out for action alerts from the Illinois Farm to School Network and partners such as the Illinois Stewardship Alliance for specific calls to action. Our support will show our legislators that these programs are important need more funding.
Learn more about the Farm to School Act of 2015 here:
http://www.farmtoschool.org/cnr2015
http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/expanding-farm-to-school-nationwide/
http://www.ilstewards.org/you-can-help-support-farm-to-school-legislation-today/