October is #National Farm to School Month, a time to celebrate the connections happening all over the country between children and local food. From taste tests in the cafeteria and nutrition education activities in the classroom, to farm visits and school garden harvest parties —schools, early care and education sites, farms, families, communities and organizations join in the celebrations. Here are our recommend ways to celebrate this month!
- Connect with a Local Farm: Take a field trip to a nearby farm or ask a farmer to present to your class about what it’s like to live and work on a farm. Check out our Ultimate Guide to Pumpkin Patches Fall Activities
- Take action: Visit our farm to school webpage to learn more from our Farm to School Action Plans. Interested in starting a Farm to School initiative in your school district? Let us help you get started. Contact us!
- Book an appointment with Local Food Network Co-Directors, Sam & Caroline, to offer technical assistance in developing a USDA Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant proposal.
- Register Now for the 2025 National Farm to School Network Movement Meeting! Thursday, October 23, 2025 12:00PM Pacific / 3:00PM Eastern/ 2:00PM Central
- Give the Garden Some Love: Is anything growing in your school garden? Plan a clean-up day to prepare the garden for winter, plant a fall crop or plant cover crops – protect your soil. Register for our volunteer opportunities!
- Get Fresh at the Farmer’s Market: Visit your local farmers market or encourage families to go to the market and post a photo of their purchases on social media using the hashtag #NationalFarmToSchoolMonth.
- Try Something New: Feature a new local menu item for school breakfast or lunch. Host a taste test of the new item so students can try it.
- Looking for healthy snack ideas?
Download our FREE Taste of Tennessee Harvest of the Month Snack Recipe PDF. - Connect to the Curriculum: Teach a lesson or two during the month as part of your celebration. Check out the National Agriculture in the Classroom Matrix.
- Support us. Share your resources with the Local Food Network! Join our Board. We are a non-profit organization that runs on generous donors to support our mission: to serve as as catalyst for a thriving and equitable local food system that is accessible to all in Northwest Tennessee.
Learn more about NWTN Farm to School Initiatives HERE
~Written by Team Blogger, Samantha Smith Goyret
Northwest Tennessee Local Food Network Team