F.R.E.S.H Schools( Farm Resources Educating and Supporting Health)

The following description is a summary of our farm to school plan funded by a 2014 USDA Farm to School Program grant: The Eastern Upper Peninsula Intermediate School District’s “F.R.E.S.H. Schools Project” is located in Michigan’s rural and isolated Upper Peninsula, an area with high rates of unemployment and low incomes. We are applying as a consortium of seven districts, with 55% of the students receiving free or reduced price lunch. We will collectively assess the districts and come to the table with farmers, local supply chain access points, our schools, and our partners on a monthly basis to create a plan for farm to school program implementation. We will complete menu audits and then design a common menu between districts. This will allow growers to better plan for demand will facilitate group procurement. We will implement the Michigan’s Harvest of the Month program featuring ready‐to‐go tools and resources for educators to give students hands‐on opportunities to learn about the importance of eating fruits and vegetables. We will also provide field trips to local farms, connecting students with the people who grow, raise and produce food. During these visits, farmers will go through operations and talk about the products they grow or raise food on their farms.