School gardens are wonderful educational tools for creating community, teaching young people where their food comes from, and providing delicious local food. New Jersey has a wealth of school garden experts. Come hear from the best!

In this session you will hear from school garden experts about the steps needed to create and maintain a successful school garden including fundraising, physical installation, exploring the classroom connection, and engaging the whole school community.

States across the nation are finding legislative success with farm-to-school programs.

National policy dictates what happens in our school cafeterias, and the connection between agriculture and the school lunch program. Come find out how farm-to-school policy has influenced and supported state-wide organizing efforts. Leave with strategies and ideas for how to make farm to school policy a reality in New Jersey.

Hear about current farm-to-cafeteria programs in New Jersey and learn about a city-wide program in Baltimore, Maryland. This presentation will outline current models of success around farm-to-cafeteria programs in the Garden State including sourcing food, staff training, and steps for success.

Farm to school programs are wonderful experiential educational opportunities. Don’t reinvent the wheel. Hear from educators who are leaders in creating national models for food and agriculture education in curricula including New Jersey. Learn creative ways to integrate healthy eating habits into experiential education. Leave with resources for how to bring food education into your New Jersey classroom, with or without a garden.