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Education Farm
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Education Farm

Education Farm
Farm to School creates opportunities for students to learn about nutrition, agriculture, cooking, science, and so much more. MPS Culinary & Wellness Services works closely with schools and Minnesota Thursdays and True Food Taste Tests in our school cafeterias, coordinate farmer visits to school classrooms and cafeterias, support school gardens, host student fields trips at our CWS Education Farm, and more.

CWS Education Farm

MPS Culinary & Wellness Services (CWS) has dreamed of an urban, education farm for many years. And the dream is coming to fruition! The new CWS Education Farm, located at the MPS Culinary Center in North Minneapolis, is a field trip destination for MPS students to build lifelong food knowledge and skills. With emphasis on the Farm to School Fabulous Five (see below), students get to experience the joy of planting, caring for, harvesting, and preparing their own food. Fields trips combine hands-on gardening with STEAM curricular connections, pollinator education through on-site bee hives, nutrition lessons, and culinary activities. 

Features of the CWS Education Farm:

  • 2500 sq ft garden + raised garden beds
  • Outdoor classroom space
  • Produce prep station and mobile cooking cart 
  • Self-guided garden activities
  • Bee hives
  • Hydroponic tower garden
  • Tours of MPS Culinary Center
  • Located on bike lane and bus route
For more information about the CWS Education Farm, please contact Kate Seybold and Jenny Bordon.

Farm to School Fabulous Five

With support from a 2020 USDA Farm to School Grant, MPS Culinary & Wellness Services is expanding our Farm to School educational programming to deepen student understanding of the agricultural food system, the components of healthy eating, and the importance of local foods. Using the Farm to School Fabulous Five, we are building educational connections between our cafeterias, school gardens, and the new MPS Education Farm at our Culinary Center to provide students with integrated and experiential food education. What are the Farm to School Fabulous Five? They are five crops that grow well in Minnesota, are served found in MPS cafeterias, and full of learning opportunities for students.

Kale | Kohlrabi | Legumes | Radishes | Squash

MPS CWS is developing education experiences and resources for students to plant, grow, harvest, learn about,  taste, and cook the Fabulous Five. Students across MPS can discover and experience the Fabulous Five whether they are in a classroom, out in a school garden, eating in a cafeteria, or visiting the MPS Education Farm! 

 

 

 
Thank you!

Thank you to these organizations that have provided support for planning and building our Education Farm.

USDA Farm to School
Blue Cross Blue Shield 
Target Foundation
 
Farm to School Education Resources
USDA Dig In! Lessons: Ten interactive lessons for 5th-6th graders focused on growing, harvesting, tasting, and learning about a variety of fruits and vegetables. 
 
Cream of the Crop Lessons: Ten lessons and hands-on activities about special crops (fruit, vegetables, honey, maple syrup, and others!) to inspire a natural curiosity in students and lead to awareness and appreciation for food production and healthy food options. 
 
Minnesota Ag in the Classroom Kits: Free classroom lesson kits offered on a monthly basis. These kits are available for all grade levels, focus on Minnesota agriculture, and meet Minnesota state standards. 
 
Growing Minds Farm to School Resources: Lesson plans and recipes searchable by grade level and topic, ranging from cooking to gardening to soil health. 
 
Edible Schoolyard Project Resource Library: Find lesson plans for all grade level for garden, lunchroom, kitchen, and indoor classroom settings.
 
Farm to School Leadership Curriculum: A guide and six lesson plans aimed at helping high school students learn about and engage with local food systems.