Thursday, March 6, 2025
News for Wisconsin School Food Authorities
Fork Farms Flex Farm Giveaway!
The DPI School Nutrition Team (SNT) is giving away a Fork Farms Flex Farm to one lucky School Food Authority (SFA)! This indoor hydroponics garden grows approximately 25 lbs. of fresh food every 28 days, without any soil and provides a great learning opportunity for students. Complete the Fork Farms Flex Farm Giveaway Form to be entered into the drawing. To be eligible for the drawing, the SFA must be located in Wisconsin and participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and/or School Breakfast Program (SBP). Each SFA, regardless of the number of schools, is allowed one entry. Only complete applications (addressing all question prompts) will be entered into the final drawing. The SFA must be ready to receive the tower in late March/early April. Applications are due Wednesday, March 12.
*The Flex Farm was used for promotional activities by the DPI SNT for approximately two months. The unit will be shipped after it has been cleaned and will include any remaining supplies.
Attend the 2025 National AITC Conference-Scholarship Opportunity
Scholarship Applications due March 15, 2025
Educators from around the country are making plans to attend the 2025 National AITC Conference in Minneapolis, MN - June 23-26 and Wisconsin AITC wants to bring YOU! Apply for a Wisconsin AITC Scholarship which includes conference registration and hotel lodging for four nights. Do not miss out - applications open Monday, February 18.
Take the 2025 National Food Hub Survey
The Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems, in partnership with the University of Michigan Program Evaluation Group is excited to launch the 2025 National Food Hub Survey! This is the sixth national survey to seek data on the economic growth, activities, opportunities and challenges of food hubs and similar businesses across the United States. You do not have to call yourself a food hub to participate. If your business or organization aggregates food products from multiple producers and distributes them locally/regionally, we want to hear from you!
The deadline to complete the survey is March 31, 2025.
Wisconsin School Garden Day – May 15, 2024!
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.
Now Accepting Host Site Applications for the AmeriCorps Farm to School Program!
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is accepting applications for new and continuation partner sites across Wisconsin for the 2025-2026 grant year in anticipation of receiving AmeriCorps Farm to School Program funding in the 2025-2026 grant cycle. Through an AmeriCorps (AC) grant, we are able to offer the AC Farm to School (F2S) Program to communities around Wisconsin.
For more information on the application process, what our program is, what would be expected of you as a host site, what our goals are, and more. Please refer to the Notification of Intent to Apply form found here.
If you have questions about the program, you may contact Kara Ignasiak at kara.ignasiak@dpi.wi.gov.
Timeline:
March 31, 2025 – Notice of Intent to Apply Due to DPI
April 18, 2025 – Host Site Application Due to DPI (this will be sent to you once the Notification of Intent to Apply is received)
April 19 to May 4, 2025 – DPI Application Review Process
May 5, 2025 – Target Date for Grant Award Notification
May through August, 2025 – Host Site Member Recruitment and Onboarding
August 15, 2025 – Program Implementation
Thank you for your interest in becoming an AmeriCorps Farm to School Host Site in the 2025-2026 service year!
Save the Date: Upcoming Summer F2S Conferences
2025 National Farm to Cafeteria Conference
Dates: June 3-6, 2025
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Hosted by the National Farm to School Network, this conference will convene hundreds of movement leaders working to source local food for institutional cafeterias.
Cultivating Connections: A Wellness and F2S Summit
Dates: August 5-6, 2025
Location: Wisconsin Dells, WI
Join the first Wisconsin statewide gathering of farm to school and wellness advocates including school wellness leaders, school nutrition staff, farmers, and educators. This two-day summit will provide innovative strategies that promote student health and knowledge of local food systems through educator engagement, policy implementation, and partnership opportunities. Registration will open in March 2025.
Wisconsin Local Foods for Schools and Child Care (LFSCC) Program Announcement!
For the upcoming Local Food for Schools and Child Care Cooperative Agreement (LFSCC) Program, the Department of Public Instruction School Nutrition Team (DPI SNT) plans to send out a Qualtrics application to all subscribed to the Harvest Highlights Newsletter on approximately May 1, 2025, to be completed by a tentative timeline of June 30, 2025.
Contingencies exist for funding due to required approvals from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Farm Highlight
Nature’s Select Orchard started in Turtle Lake, Wisconsin by Jeff and Sally Becker as a hobby farm and now has over five hundred apple trees. Many different varieties of apples are grown to include Honeycrisp, Snowsweet, Connell Red, Haralson, Cortland, Sweet Sixteen, Reagent, Fireside and Honeygold. Sometimes Winter Squash, deer apples, sauce and baking apples, and honey are available too. Jeff and Sally Becker have 20 years of experience in farming and are an integral part of the New Richmond School Farming Team for 6 years. They supplied the local school with over 23,000 pounds of apples which equates to approximately 70,000 apples.
Potential Problems and Solutions in the Garden
Gardening is an art, a science, and sometimes a comedy of errors. Even the greenest of thumbs occasionally find themselves staring at a withering plant, wondering where it all went wrong. No worries because you can usually eat your mistakes! Here are some areas to keep in mind to ensure a healthy garden.
- Watering: Both over-watering and under-watering can damage plants, so it is important to find the right balance.
- Soil Composition: Poor soil can lead to poor plant growth. Regular soil testing and amendments, like compost or mulch, can improve soil quality.
- Planting Location: Plants need to be placed in spots where they get the right amount of sunlight. Sun-loving plants should be in sunny areas, while shade-loving plants need more cover.
- Spacing: Plants should be spaced out to prevent competition for resources like water, nutrients, and sunlight.
- Weeds and Mulch: Weeds can steal nutrients from plants. Using mulch helps retain moisture, suppresses weeds, and regulates temperature.
- Fertilizing: Too much fertilizer can harm plants, leading to root burn and excessive leafy growth at the expense of flowers or fruit.
- Pruning: Pruning at the wrong time can harm plants, so timing is essential.
- Pest Control: Ignoring pests can lead to severe damage. Early intervention is crucial to prevent infestations.
- Hardiness Zones: Choose plants that are suited for your climate zone to ensure their survival.
- Crop Rotation: Growing the same plants in the same location repeatedly can lead to disease and nutrient depletion, so rotate crops to maintain healthy soil.
- Pollination: For crops like corn, planting in a block rather than rows can improve pollination and yield.
- Protection: Use fences or other barriers to protect plants from pests and animals.
- Learning from Mistakes: Gardening involves trial and error. Mistakes are inevitable, but learning from them improves your skills.
Gardening requires attention to detail and a willingness to learn from errors. With care and knowledge, even mistakes can lead to tasty rewards!
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.
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.