2023 Iowa Farm to School and Early Care + Community Food System Conference
The 2023 Community Food Systems + Farm to School and Early Care Conference was held June 15-17, 2024 in Waukee, Iowa and the surrounding area. This year was the first year a joint conference was held, coordinated by the Community Food Systems program and the Iowa Farm to School and Early Care Coalition. The theme was Growing a Culture of Celebration and celebrates local foods, learning, and collaboration.
Morning Plenary
Barb Fogarty, Family and Student Services Director at Oelwein Community Schools
Barb Fogarty has been in education for over 30 years. For the last 26 years she has been a School Counselor in Oelwein, Iowa and for the 2022-2023 school moved to the position of Student and Family Service Director in the Oelwein Community School District. Barb has also held the position of Before and After School Director for 10 years in the school district. This program is supported by the 21 Century Grant through the Iowa Department of Education. For 12 years Oelwein was graced with the FoodCorps program and Barb was the contact for that position in the district. A full-time position has been created in the district with a FoodCorps model. Barb is active in the Plentiful Pantry Food Bank in Oelwein and has served on several school committees. Barb is mom to 3 amazing daughters and raves about her 3 son-in-laws to anyone who will listen. Barb also has 2 grandsons and 1 granddaughter who refer to her as Nana!
SCROLL DOWN TO WATCH SESSIONS
Session 1
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Growing Deep Roots For A Flourishing Farm To School Program
Facilitated by Waukee Community School District’s Kaitlyn Scheuermann and Allyn Locker
Bringing The Growers Of Food To Growing Students
Facilitated by Field To Family’s Michelle Kenyon and Garden Bridge Outreach’s Scott Keopke
Community Field Trip
The conference hosted a farm tour and site visit day, visiting local farms and schools and ended with a local foods reception held at Grade A Gardens in Earlham, Iowa. Check out footage of those events here!
Session 2
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Taking Literacy Outside
Facilitated by Veronica Armstrong, Loving Arms Kids Care
Farm To School Initiative In Southwest Iowa & The Iowa Food System Plan
Facilitated by Jan Libbey, Jodie Huegerich of UNI CEEE, and Cait Caughey of the Center for Rural Affairs
Aquaponics S.T.E.A.M.
Facilitated by FoodCorps Iowa’s Robin Smith and Tammy Ryan, elementary school teacher from Waterloo Community School District
Session 3
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Supporting Leadership and Sustainability: The Iowa Farm To Early Care Education Learning Collaborative
Facilitated by ISU FFED’s Krista Smith, with presentations from Early Care and Education Providers: Becky Kouang, Angie Dobbs, Lyz Schmitz, and Tracey Sauke
Eggsploration - A Study Approach To Culinary Experiences With Young Children
Facilitated by Elizabeth Miner, Director at Little Tigers Clubhouse
Dirt Made My Lunch
Facilitated by In-Home and Early Care and Education Providers Anita Schuckert and Gladys Movall
Bite Size Sessions: Quick and Digestible
Watch and enjoy these short education videos centered around farming, food and fun!
Growing A Culture Of Celebration
2023 Ending Session with Meg Brink
Iowa Farm to School and Early Care Conference
8:00 – 9:00
PRE-CONFERENCE VIDEOS (links sent to registrants)
Accessing the Virtual Conference, Tips from our planning committee
Mike Naig, Secretary of Agriculture, Iowa Dept of Agriculture & Land Stewardship
9:00 – 9:15
WELCOME
Iowa Farm to School & Early Care Coalition
Stacy Dean, Deputy Under Secretary, USDA Food, Nutrition, & Consumer Services
9:15 – 10:00
CONFERENCE KICK-OFF
Local Food, Healthy Kids Advocacy to support farm to school & early care
Presented by Iowa Farmers Union & State Public Policy Group
10:00 – 10:30
BREAK
10:30 – 11:30
BREAKOUT SESSION 1
Foods Our Families Eat A culturally relevant school garden
In The Weeds From Farmer/Food Hub Owner to Food Service Director
11:30 – 12:00
VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP
Storytime & Farm to ECE Garden Tour at DMACC Child Development Center
Virtual tour guide: Sherri Sciarrotta, Director
12:00 – 12:30
BREAK
12:30 – 1:30
BREAKOUT SESSION 2
Growing Teachers Open-ended prompts and self-guided nature exploration
Growing the Farm to School Movement in the Waukee Community School District
1:30 – 2:00
BREAK
2:00 – 3:00
BREAKOUT SESSION 3
Local Procurement with a Side of Education Field to Family Food Hub
Choose Iowa Food of the Month & Student Culinary Competition
3:00
END OF CONFERENCE