Southeast Regional Farm to School Conference

Thursday, July 17th – Asheville NC

Sponsored by the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project

and the Community Farm Alliance,

Southeast Regional Lead Agencies for the National Farm to School Network

 

 

What is Growing Minds Farm to School Program?

 

As part of a national farm to school initiative, Growing Minds is the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s (ASAP) farm to school training program. Growing Minds strives to cultivate mutually beneficial relationships between farms and schools that create dynamic, wellness-focused learning environments for our children. We do this by working with farmers, educators, and communities to serve local food in schools, while expanding opportunities for farm field trips, experiential nutrition education and school gardens. Currently at least one of these four components is being implemented in Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, Mitchell, Rutherford, and Yancey County, as well as Asheville City Schools.

Who should attend the Farm to School Conference?

If you …

• live/work in Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia or Florida AND
• are either an agriculture professional, farmer, Child Nutrition Director, food distributor or school personnel AND
• are currently involved in farm to school work or plan to be

YOU SHOULD BE THERE!!!

 

Workshop topics include:

Making the Pitch to Child Nutrition Directors

Policy Panel

Distribution: Opportunities and Challenges

Connecting Farm to School with Local Food Campaigns

Child Nutrition Directors’ Perspective

The National Farm to School Network and How Farm to School Works

The Education of Farm to School

 

Conference cost? $50 

Includes a full day of workshops, resource notebook, breakfast and lunch

 

Registration is limited. 

Sign up now to reserve your spot.

 

Registration Deadline is July 1st!

Email your registration and pay online

or

Download registration form

or

call 828-236-1282

Scholarships (that also cover travel expenses) are available on a first come, first serve basis. Contact Libby at libby@asapconnections.org or call her at 

 

828-236-1282.

 

Accommodations available the Four Points by Sheraton

 

Call the reservations department (828-253-1851 or 888-854-6897) and mention that you are with Appalachian Sustainable Agricultural Project (ASAP) and that the group has a rate offer and the reservationist will automatically extend your discounted rate ($150 per night for standard king and double rooms plus 10.75% tax

Travel information

Questions?

libby@asapconnections.org

828-236-1282

 

 

 

 

Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project

 

729 Haywood Rd., #3, Asheville, NC 28806

(828) 236-1282 (phone); (828) 236-1280 (fax)

www.asapconnections.org

 

 

Earth Day in DC- Green Apple Festival

On April 20, 2008 DC will host a festival celebrating earth day the size of which the world has never seen. The producers of the Green Apple Festival in New York and the Earth Day Network have collaborated to bring amazing earth day festivals to eight cities around the country: New York, Chicaco, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, and San Francisco. This is the biggest celebration of earth day in US history (hmm, kinda cheezy, but good!)

There will be enivronmental action and green technology exhibits along with (Tah Dah!) The Roots (featuring Doug E. Fresh, Ne-Yo, Talib Kweli, will.i.am, Chrisette Michele and more), O.A.R. Acoustic, Gov’t Mule, Thievery Corporation (DJ Set), Toots & The Maytals, Warren Haynes Solo Acoustic, Umphrey’s McGee, CityDance Ensemble, Joy of Motion: Urban Impact, DC Boys Choir, The National Anthem with Jordin Sparks

There will be speakers like, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Richard Cizik, vice president of the National Association of Evangelicals, some members of congress and maybe even some presidential candidates…Apparently they’re still trying to book Al Gore!  Thats all according to The Washington Post, the festival website still boringly says “speakers to be announced.” 

Man, thats a nice long list. Basically they draw you in with good music and then talk sustainability at you, doesn’t sound to bad to me…

So bike to the festivities and have a super-dee-duper time!

You can check out the festival website here to learn how to volunteer, who the sponsors are, who’s playing in the other cities, and not much else.

You can get that Washington Post article I was referencing from March 26 here.

And while you’re here looking up fun earth day stuff, check out my website!  Its all about urban gardening and how nifty it is.  Its especially cool if you like history because I’m still working on the rest.  

Check back often!

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Baltimore Green Week

If you live in or around Baltimore, green week is coming your way stuffed with lectures, green legislation hearings, rides on a coast guard cutter, a green building tour, and the aptly named Ecofestival at Druid Hill Park.

Almost everything (except some coffeehouses) is free and interesting.  Should be bombastic.

you can check it out at http://baltimoregreenweek.org to participate, find out more about the many events, or learn more about what sustainability is…

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