Southeast Iowa Farm to School

Brief Outline of the Project

The Southeast Iowa Farm to School (F2S) project provides opportunities to use fresh, locally-grown food in meals for K-12 students. Just as importantly, F2S looks to reconnect these students with our agricultural heritage and the values of sustainable farming.

Why do it and what motivates you?

There are four main reasons to support Farm to School efforts: healthier eating habits that will follow into adulthood, appreciation of sustainable agriculture and small- to mid-size family farms, a steady market to help build a strong and resilient local food system, and a stronger local economy.

Your vision, for your project AND for Fairfield as a sustainable community:

The Farm to School vision sees children participating in a healthy food system, learning to grow their own food, appreciating the role of ecological services and how sustainable agriculture preserves those services, and appreciation and preference for fresh, organic fruits, vegetables, meats, poultry, eggs and dairy over processed and chemically-engineered foodstuffs.

Your philosophy of sustainability:

Values learned in childhood typically are typically carried into adulthood and passed on to the next generation.  If value is learned now for sustainable agriculture, local food, and healthy eating, the next generation of children will have fewer emerging health and environmental issues.

The Big Picture (how your project fits into the larger Sustainability Project):

Farm to School projects help students piece together the relationships between healthy eating, clean air, clean water, and clean soil, sustainable agriculture, and good health.  Farm to School also brings the community together to find farm-fresh food for students and to help them learn about food and growing food.

One thought for the community and City of Fairfield:

The SE Iowa Farm to School project gives kids a healthy start in life both nutritionally and through their understanding about the relationships between the health of the earth, wholeness of food, and the health of our bodies.

How others can get involved:

Talk to the schools and let them know you want your students eating fresh, healthy food from local farms.  Work with a school and help them plan a student garden.  Organize a volunteer party to work in the school kitchens during summer to freeze fresh summer produce, or volunteer for any of these activities if they are available.