Check out our interactive Conference Program: Using the “Virtually Everywhere” Conference Program’s table of contents, you can click on the day and/or a specific session. Each session is broken down into a link to watch the recording, description of the session, speakers and their contact information, and resources to further your conference experience! The resources for each session include websites, activities you can do from home, more information on farm to school, and how you can get involved in your community food system.
Keynote & COVID-19
Welcome Address & Keynote
Join us as we kicked off the 2020 Louisiana Farm to School “Virtually Everywhere” Conference with a welcome from our local and national partners who share our passion and dedication for moving farm to school forward in Louisiana.
Resources:
- National Farm to School Network (NFSN)
- NFSN Fact Sheets and Resources
- NFSN COVID-19 Resources
- LSU AgCenter
- Louisiana Farm to School Program
- Louisiana Believes (Louisiana Department of Education)
COVID-19 & Farm to School
When the COVID-19 emergency closed schools across Louisiana, child nutrition programs responded by instantly pivoting their practices to ensure children and families continued to have access to nutritious food. This session will showcase Child Nutrition Program Directors from two districts. Participants will identify strategies to incorporate farm to school practices and local foods in school nutrition programs during public health emergencies and natural disasters.
Resources:
- Livingston Parish Public Schools Department of Child Nutrition
- Child Nutrition Program – Monroe City Schools
- Child Nutrition – Louisiana Department of Education
- Cleaning and Disinfection of Food-Contact and Touch Surfaces for the COVID-19 Virus
- LA FitKids
- Food Safety from Delivery to Plate Video
- Farm to Early Care and Education in the Context of COVID-19
- National Farm to School Network Local Food in COVID-19 Response and Recovery
Watch the Full Day:
Local Procurement & School Gardens
A Story of Local Procurement
We will discuss a basic overview of procurement principles and regulations as they relate to Louisiana and identify areas of flexibility to target local products. Celeste Finney will share her story of local procurement in Lafayette with Lester Williams (Farmer) and Crystal Besse (Louisiana Farm to School Program). This session will explain how a child nutrition director begins buying from a local farmer, the farm tour process, what to look for, and the procurement process.
Resources:
- *NEW* School Guide for Local Food Purchasing
- Louisiana Farm to School Resources- In the Cafeteria
- Lafayette Parish School System Child Nutrition Services
- Williams Produce MarketMaker Profile
- Louisiana MarketMaker
- Supreme Rice
- Farmer Checklist and Conversation Guide
- “School gardens open doors to learning, and fun, at nine Lafayette schools”
Farm to School Garden Sustainability
Learn how to start and maintain a successful school garden from three non-profits through generating buy-in, building a team, finding funding and support, gaining growing know-how, and using your garden to involve students. Also learn how to use and maintain your gardens during a pandemic!
Resources:
- SPROUT NOLA
- Shreveport Green
- Organic Gardening 101 (Shreveport Green) PowerPoint
- Good Food Project
- Good Food Project Community Garden Application
- Good Food Project Videos available to the public on Food Bank of Central Louisiana YouTube channel
- Good Food Project Facebook
- Good Food Project Monthly Newsletter- Sprout
- Food Bank of Central Louisiana
- A Compendium of Activities & Lessons on Louisiana Food Products– Use this collection of lessons, books, and videos connected to Louisiana Student Standards to teach your students about Harvest of the Month items.
- The Junior Master Gardener Program– The program is piloting a 10-week series of virtual lessons (Learn, Grow, Eat and Go). If you sign up for the pilot, your class can participate for FREE.
Harvest of the Month Taste Test
Sweet potatoes are in season! Let’s highlight them this week with a lunch prep featuring local sweet potatoes and Louisiana Harvest of the Month. The taste test will showcase how to make Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadillas and will include tips and tricks on prepping and cooking Louisiana sweet potatoes. Get your local ingredients together and join us in a healthy lunch as we learn more about this wonderful root!
Resources:
- Harvest of the Month Sweet Potato Poster
- Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadilla Home Recipe
- Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadilla Recipe Video
- The Sweet Truth About Sweet Potatoes in Louisiana
- Harvest of the Month Sweet Potato Resources
- What is Louisiana Harvest of the Month?
- Louisiana Seasonality Chart
- Find Local Sweet Potatoes — Louisiana MarketMaker Sweet Potato Growers
- Louisiana Sweet Potato Breeding: From Seed to Variety (Don LaBonte)
Watch the Full Day
Farm to School at Home & Success Stories
Farm to School Education at Home
With COVID-19, many schools have gone partially or fully virtual this school year. In this session, you’ll learn about the farm to school resources and activities available for education at home! Thus, helping to ensure that even from home, agriculture is incorporated into the classroom.
Resources:
- Seeds to Success
- Louisiana Harvest of the Month
- Dairy MAX Resources:
- Fast Food Farms
- American Farm Bureau
- National Agriculture in the Classroom
- Louisiana Ag in the Classroom
- Nutrients for Life Foundation
- Other Resources
Farm to School Success Stories
Are you considering incorporating farm to school in your area but are not sure what to do? This session will highlight how others around the state have gotten involved to share some inspiration and motivation to get you started!
Resources:
- RESEARCH BRIEF: Implementation of a K-12 School Garden Leadership Workshop
- “Over $5 Million in Farm to School Grants Awarded”
- USDA Farm to School Grant Program
- Farm to School in Louisiana
- Benefits of Farm to School
- Louisiana Resources
Watch the Full Day
LA Heritage & The Food System
Louisiana Heritage in the Cafeteria
In this session, we’ll discuss the importance of carrying on our Louisiana culture through our cuisine and explore the practical ways to select and incorporate foods that reflect Louisiana heritage in the cafeteria.
Resources:
- Us Up North
- Culinaria — Food Blog: Southern Food and Beverage Museum
- LSU AgCenter Farm to School Program Harvest of the Month Recipes
- ICN, Healthy School Meals Resource System, and Team Nutrition from USDA/FNS
- What’s Cooking? USDA Mixing Bowl: A Collection of Recipes for Schools and Child Care Centers
- Recipes for Healthy Kids (R4HK) in the Team Nutrition Resource Library
- “Louisiana’s Food Traditions: An Insider’s Guide,” By Maida Owens
- The Southern Foodways Alliance documents, studies, and celebrates the diverse food cultures of the changing American South
Farm to School in the Food System
This session will be about the role of Farm to School in the Food System and show how different parts of the food system affect others.
Resources:
- Mississippi Farm to School Network
- Louisiana Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)
- Slow Food USA Farm to School Network and Resources
- Community Food System Fact Sheets
- Five Reasons Why You Should Celebrate Farm to School Month
- Mississippi Food Justice Collaborative
- Article “‘Our Food System Is Very Much Modeled on Plantation Economics’”
- Article “‘The most nutritious meal they’ll get’: How Mississippi districts are feeding kids in a pandemic’”
- Collective Impact
- SoulFire Farm
- The Biggest Little Farm movie (available on Hulu!)
Harvest of the Month Taste Test
Broccoli is in season! Let’s highlight it this week with a lunch prep featuring local broccoli and Louisiana Harvest of the Month. The taste test will showcase how to make roasted broccoli and will include tips and tricks on cooking, storing, and growing this cold season crop. Get your local ingredients together and join us in a healthy lunch!
Resources:
- Harvest of the Month Broccoli Poster
- Roasted Broccoli Recipe
- Roasted Broccoli Recipe Video
- Harvest of the Month Broccoli Resources
- What is Louisiana Harvest of the Month?
- Louisiana Seasonality Chart
- Find Local Broccoli — Louisiana MarketMaker Broccoli Growers