Ohio Farm to School

June Feature: Ohio Berries! 🍓🫐
�Sweet, colorful, and grown close to home! Ohio berries are perfect for tasting, snacking, and learning where food comes from. Try them fresh, in yogurt, or in a smoothie! 🫐🍓

Ohio Farm to School joined the Celebration of Agriculture with the Smoothie Bike 🚲

We served up fun for 1,800+ students from central Ohio with other Ohio partners✨

Students pedaled for smoothies, learned different methods of planting, tasted local foods, and explored the Mid-Ohio Farm 🌱🍎

Hands-on learning at its best by connecting kids to food, farming, and health! 💚

Join us for this summer's Home Food Preservation webinar series, "Let's Preserve It!"
Tuesdays 12-12:30 p.m.
June 9: Methods of Preserving
June 23: Water Bath Canning Basics
July 7: Pressure Canning Basics
July 21: Freezing Basics
July 28: Drying Basics
Aug. 11: Making and Preserving Juice

Webinars are free, register required go.osu.edu/fpwebinars

We want to hear from YOU!

From tiny sprouts to harvest ready veggies, Farm to Early Care & Education (ECE) and Farm to School programs across Ohio are growing amazing things with young learners🌱

💬 Tell us: What have your students planted this season?
🍅 What’s thriving in your garden right now?
🥕 Any favorite crops or garden wins to celebrate?

Share in the comments! We love hearing how your gardens are growing!💚

Let’s inspire each other and celebrate hands-on learning, local foods, and growing healthy kids 🌱💚

🥒 The Ohio Department of Education & Workforce has launched the Farm to Summer Cucumber Crunch!🥒

Join us July 9th and/or crunch along all month long!

Celebrate Farm to Summer with fresh, local cucumbers 🌱
�Anyone can participate!! Simply serve cucumbers as a snack or meal and get kids excited about trying local foods!

Let’s keep kids nourished, learning, and connected to agriculture all summer long 💚

✨ Register your event below to receive FREE promotional stickers!

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=xPz4UNiUB0-E6zbtV8fIog0ST9rbqOJHlcT-SX82bTlUNExXWTU1VDEyN1JKV1dJQzhEMVBEWVhONC4u

The Ohio Farm Bureau is excited to offer Imagine Ag in Your Classroom — TWO FREE professional development sessions at the Ohio State Fair!

Choose the session that fits you best:
• K–2nd Grade
• 3rd–5th Grade

📍 Held in the brand new Ohio Agriculture Building, home to the imAGine Ag Exhibit & Taste of Ohio

🌱 What to expect:
-Hands-on learning experiences
-Real classroom connections
-Ready-to-use resources on agriculture & food production

This is a great opportunity to bring Farm to School connections alive in your classroom!

📢 Please share with elementary teachers in your network!!

Here’s the link for more information & REGISTRATION :
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sXYpD3u8pEy9-v9Bbosw7nCG75UpNBORGtZjGEHlCjY/edit?usp=drivesdk

Garden Fun for Little Learners! 🌽🍓

Getting children involved in gardening builds healthy habits, curiosity, and a love for local foods! 🌼

Whether you have raised beds, containers, or a small patch of soil, there are plenty of hands-on ways young children can help in the garden🪴

Try these simple, age-appropriate garden tasks with your Farm to ECE kiddos:
-Plant seeds (beans, peas, lettuce) with small hands
-Water plants using kid-sized watering cans
-Dig in soil and explore textures with safe tools
-W**d the garden by pulling small weeds (with guidance)
-Harvest fruits and veggies like cherry tomatoes or herbs
-Sort and wash produce after harvest
-Compost scraps and learn what foods can be reused
-Observe insects and talk about pollinators like bees 🐝
-Measure plant growth using rulers or simple comparisons
-Taste-test garden foods and share favorites 🍅🥕

🌿 Gardening helps children connect with where food comes from while building skills in science, nutrition, and teamwork!

📍 Ohio-grown. Kid-approved. Farm to ECE 🌱

Did you visit an Ohio farmers market this week? 🥕🫜🥬🍅🥒

Farmers markets across Ohio are opening for the season!

It’s the perfect time to source fresh, local foods for Farm to School and Farm to Early Care & Education (ECE) activities.

These markets are ideal for taste tests, snacks, and introducing students to where their food comes from. Supporting local farmers and producers strengthens our communities and our classrooms. 🧀🍞

🥕 CACFP‑Friendly Carrots!🥕

Roasted Ohio carrots make an easy Farm to ECE side dish or taste testing activity!

🥕½ cup cooked carrots = 1 vegetable serving
🥕Simple, kid‑friendly, and locally grown
🥕Perfect for lunch, supper, or snack!

We’re featuring Ohio carrots in May!!
Crunchy, colorful, and grower approved by Ohio farmers 🥕 Carrots come in orange, purple, yellow, red, and white. They’re fun for children to taste, touch, and explore at home and in early learning settings. 🥕