Modesto City Schools Farm to School

Program Type: 
School Cafeterias, Kitchen Classrooms, Garden Classrooms
Grade Level/Age Group: 
High School, Middle School, Upper Elementary, Lower Elementary, Kindergarten
Number of Individuals Program Serves: 
10,000
Year Founded: 
2014
About the Program: 

Modesto City Schools implemented a district-wide farm to school program aimed at increasing the quantity and variety of local and regional food items in school meals. We received an Implementation Grant from the 2014 USDA Farm to School Program.

Modesto City Schools implemented new school gardens at 6 schools (installing a total of 73 new raised beds constructed of either redwood, steel, or TREX-like material), and enhanced school gardens at 5 schools with existing gardens. Vegetables planted/harvested and taste- tasted by students include cauliflower, broccoli, onions, sweet peas, beets daikon, celery, carrots, bok choy, cabbage, cilantro, and potatoes. Examples of experiential activities include the partnership between Muir Elementary and Downey High, where Downey Ag students built a steel table to be used at MuirĀ as an outdoor classroom. Muir 6th grade students toured Downey Culinary Arts and Ag Department sampling food prepared by Downey Culinary Arts students, and Downey Ag students visited Muir to showcase projects they had completed. Each grade level at Muir adopt a raised bed to plant. Special day class and 3rd grade classes have visited Farmers Market. Another example is the partnership between Orville Wright Elementary and Beyer High, where Beyer provided cross-age opportunities for Orville Wright elementary students to visit Beyer High School Ag Department and tour greenhouse. Beyer students also assisted Orville Wright students to plant vegetables and flowers in their elementary school garden. Everett Elementary 5th graders plant, weed, and harvest their 6 raised beds and invite 2nd graders to do taste tests with them. Davis High provides vegetable starts for Martone and Everett Elementary gardens. Enochs High has 31 redwood raised beds built by Enochs Ag students and provides vegetable starts to the other elementary schools in the district.

Program Members: 

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