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Harvest Highlights - April 2025

Thursday, April 10, 2025

News for Wisconsin School Food Authorities

From Seed to Capitol: The Journey of WI DPI’s Flex Farm

 

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (WI DPI) recently embarked on an exciting journey with its new Fork Farms Flex Farm hydroponic grow tower. On January 13, 2025, the first lettuce seeds were planted, which were ready for transplanting into the tower by February 3. Throughout February, the seedlings grew into mature lettuce, and by March 3, the first harvest was ready! The freshly grown lettuce was served at the WI DPI School Nutrition Team’s monthly meeting and potluck—where it received rave reviews.

The hydroponic adventure didn’t stop there! The lettuce regenerated throughout March and on March 31, the Flex Farm was showcased at the Wisconsin State Capitol for a special Farm to School event. Visitors were invited to explore the grow tower and take home free lettuce and bean seed packets, branded with the Wisconsin Farm to School logo. The event drew many curious onlookers, including students on field trips and teachers eager to bring hydroponic farming into their own classrooms.

Following the event, the lettuce was harvested and 19 gallon bags of lettuce were donated to the St. Vincent De Paul Food Pantry in Madison. The pantry was thrilled, stating, "We never get fresh lettuce like this!"

The journey of this hydroponic grow tower will continue, as it finds a new home at Luck Joint School District. Selected at random from 134 school applicants, this district will receive the Flex Farm free of charge. The fifth-grade class will play an active role in setting up and maintaining the tower and greens grown in the unit will be used on the student salad bar, providing fresh, healthy options for the students. We hope the students, staff, and community enjoy this fun and interactive experience of gardening year-round!

Cultivating Connections: A Wellness and Farm to School Summit - Registration Open!

 

Location: Chula Vista Resort, Wisconsin Dells

Dates: August 5 and 6, 2025

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction-School Nutrition Team is excited to announce that registration is open for the first wellness and Farm to School summit! Cultivating Connections: A Wellness and Farm to School Summit is a two-day event that will provide innovative strategies to promote student health and knowledge of local food systems through educator engagement, policy implementation, and partnership opportunities.

School nutrition professionals will learn valuable information from sessions such as:

  • Fundamentals of the School Marketplace
  • Learning Through Lunch: Nutrition in the Cafeteria
  • Savor the Seasons: Cooking with Local Ingredients
  • Show Me the Money: Funding for School Wellness and Farm to School
  • Making Connections Work for Your School Nutrition Program

A local foods vendor show will be held on August 5 from 1-4 PM. Attend to find tasty, fresh, and delicious local products for your school meal programs.

For more information and to register as a conference attendee, visit the Summit webpage!

Muffin Maynia: Celebrate Spring with Wisconsin’s Local Flavors!

 

This May (or any time of year), join us in celebrating Muffin Maynia with muffins made from Wisconsin-grown ingredients! Whether for breakfast, lunch, or a la carte, enjoy a variety of delicious muffins featuring local fruits, vegetables, eggs, and grains.

Why Muffins?
Muffins are a tasty and fun way to highlight the fresh, local produce of Wisconsin. Every muffin supports the Farm to School initiative, connecting students with local farmers and healthier food options.

Featured Muffin Recipes:

All recipes have been approved by the DPI for use in school meal programs and credit as 1 oz. equivalent whole grain-rich. Additional recipes will be added for the 2025-26 school year.

Funding Opportunities

 

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) Grant - Due Tomorrow (4/11)

Deadline: Friday, April 11, 2025

Pending receipt of funds from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) grants will be available for the 2025-26 school year. The level of funds provided to any one school depends on the school’s enrollment and the level of funding provided by the USDA. Multiple schools operating under a single school food authority (SFA) may apply to receive funding; however, a separate application for each site is required.

Funds can be used to:

  • Purchase fresh fruits and vegetables to be served to all students during the school day, at a time other than breakfast and lunch. Fresh fruits and vegetables can be purchased from local farmers, producers, aggregators, or food hubs!
  • Purchase non-food items that are necessary to prepare and/or serve the fresh fruits and vegetables.
  • Pay for operating labor costs to prepare and serve the fresh fruits and vegetables.
  • Pay for administrative labor costs and/or equipment necessary to operate the FFVP.

Learn more and apply on the FFVP webpage.

Wisconsin Pollinator Habitat Kits

Deadline: Rolling (accepting proposals for 2026)

The Xerces Habitat Kit Program is offering free habitat kits that contain native milkweed and pollinator-friendly wildflowers to Wisconsin farmers and community partners who are excited to provide the land, time, and labor to plan and manage a habitat project.

The Wisconsin Habitat Kit Program specifically supports habitat projects for both of the below individuals or groups:

  • Farmers who use organic or ecologically mindful practices; or,
  • Community food initiatives: school gardens, community gardens, food pantry gardens, incubator farms, or other sustainable food educational projects.

Proposals will be reviewed as they are received until funding has been exhausted. Though proposals may be submitted at any time, they must be received at least 3 months before the expected planting date to allow for their timely review and the thorough completion of site preparation and planting practices.

Garden Supply Discounts

Various opportunities

Looking for supplies for your garden or educational resources? These retailers offer special discounts for schools.

Wisconsin Go Outside Fund

Deadline: Rolling (applications accepted on a quarterly basis)

The Go Outside Fund provides funding that helps connect Wisconsin youth to outdoor, nature-based learning experiences. Teachers or partner organizations may apply for funding to cover costs that facilitate getting kids outside and hands-on with nature, such as purchasing field supplies, or paying for transportation, substitute teachers, or educator costs. Grants between $100 and $500 are available. Learn more and apply on the Go Outside Fund webpage.

Madison Public Library Seed Library

Free Seeds! The Madison Public Library Seed Library is open! Visit to get free seeds for your gardens. Check your local library if you are outside the Madison area to see if your area offers something similar.

New Resources Now Available!

 

Promotion of Local Foods and Seasonal Availability

The Farm to School Specialists at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction have added new resources to the Farm to School (F2S) webpage. These two tools can assist in menu planning and procurement by helping you determine when local products are available in Wisconsin. They also provide valuable information for promoting local foods featured in school meal menus.

Local Food Purchasing

Check out a new resource, Continuing the Momentum for Local Food in School Meals, now available on the In the Cafeteria and In the Field webpages! This guide covers funding options for schools to purchase local foods, procurement requirements, trusted local suppliers, and strategies for educating students and staff on the benefits of buying local.

Culinary Trainings and Beef Resource Guide

The Wisconsin Beef Council partnered with Chef Irene Pawlisch to produce two new training videos for school nutrition staff.

These videos compliment the Beef Resource Guide for K-12 School Foodservice. The guide and recipes can also be found on the DPI’s F2S webpage “In the Cafeteria” tab.

Celebrate Wisconsin School Garden Day - May 15, 2025

 

Celebrate Wisconsin School Garden Day on Thursday, May 15! This day honors and celebrates all who have made garden-based education a reality and an asset in communities throughout the State! Celebrate by engaging students in a garden-based education activity such as (but not limited to) planting, observing, art, literature, STEM, or weeding. For more ideas, check out the WI School Garden Day Activity Guide.

Email Erica Krug (erica@rootedwi.org) to share your plans and to be featured on the webpage!

Cucumber Crunch - Registration Open!

 

Celebrate local foods and Farm to School efforts by joining the Wisconsin Cucumber Crunch! Choose any date this summer for staff and students to collectively enjoy the satisfying crunch of locally grown cucumbers or another seasonal fruit or vegetable. Partner with a local farmer or harvest produce from your school garden to make your Crunch event special. Participation in the Cucumber Crunch can be used as a procurement activity for the Wisconsin Farm to School Recognition Program.

Visit the Celebrate Summer webpage for recipes, nutrition education, and promotional materials, and be sure to Register your Event! Registered participants will receive Cucumber Crunch stickers while supplies last. For any questions, contact DPIF2S@dpi.wi.gov.

Starting Seedlings - Time to Start Gardening!

 

Starting vegetable seedlings requires consideration of available resources, environmental conditions, proper timing, patience, and a bit of strategy.

Here are some helpful tips to provide plants with a great start from seed to sprout:

  • Choose unexpired, high-quality seeds from a reputable source.
  • Use a high-quality seed starting mix.
  • Select a container that has good drainage, keeping the size of the transplant in mind. Examples include seed trays, small pots, egg cartons, or cups.
  • Water gently to keep the soil moist but not swampy. Using a spray bottle to provide a light mist works well and adding nutrients to the water is beneficial.
  • Provide good airflow and manage the temperature with a heat mat if needed to keep between 65-75°F.
  • Provide a grow light or a south facing window.
  • Once the seedlings have leaves beyond the first sprout leaves, gradually introduce the plants to the outside environment during the daytime and back inside at night for at least a week.
  • Label the seedlings to identify the plant species.
  • Consider whether the plant could be planted directly into the soil such as beans, corn, carrots, radishes, lettuce, peas, squash, zucchini, dill, and cilantro.

     

New Webinar Series Available

 

The School Garden Support Organization Network (SGSO) has launched a new 2-part webinar series titled Indigenous Connections in School Gardens, aimed at integrating Indigenous culture into school garden programs.

  • Wednesday, April 30th Webinar: Re-Indigenizing Diets Mariah Gladstone will showcase a recipe featuring Indigenous foods that can be grown in school gardens. Register Today! 
  • Wednesday, May 28th Webinar: Multiple Access Points The Hardin School District in Montana will share how they’ve used community feedback to create curriculum reflecting local tribes and ancestral gatherings. Register Today!

Postponed - 2025 National Farm to Cafeteria Conference

 

Hosted by the National Farm to School Network, the 10th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference has been postponed to December 2-5, 2025, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Registration, scholarship information, and the conference agenda will be available soon.

Check the conference webpage for updates.

Ask Your Gardening Question: Live Session

April 21, 2025, 1:30-2:30 PM

Don’t miss the next Ask Your Gardening Question: LIVE session. Held Mondays on Zoom, this monthly web series offers the opportunity to connect directly with plant health experts from the UW-Madison Division of Extension.

Whether it’s about houseplants, choosing the right varieties from your seed catalogs, or the general care and maintenance of plants around your home, our panel of experts will provide you with helpful advice.

Learn More and Register Today!