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Farm to School... ENGAGED
Wouldn’t it be great if every school had a growing garden throughout the year, therefore giving students the opportunity to learn, touch, taste and share on a regular basis? We think so too! | by Fork Farms
agriculture and nutrition, become experts on local foods, and even simply slow down and enjoy the therapeutic process of growing a fresh vegetable. The Flex Farm brings the farm to the school without requiring a great deal of space, a big time commitment or consistently mild weather. Flex Farms are growing in more than 900 K-12 schools and have been able to save nutrition services thousands of dollars in food costs since they can grow 80 percent or more of their fresh greens on- site. Compared to traditional agriculture, the Flex Farm requires zero food miles and creates no waste, provides 45 times more food production, and uses 98 percent less water. At Fork Farms, we think that the whole growing and learning process - from installation to harvest - is thrilling, and we have developed a robust, turnkey curriculum package for grades K–12 to be used in conjunction with the growing Flex Farms. Educators are given the tools to teach students about biology, chemistry, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and agriculture. Students start learning from day one, and often become most excited when it comes time to harvest their Flex Farm. Students look forward to harvest day, enjoying the fruits of their labor and taking ownership in the process from start to finish. Case
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Sadly, this is not a reality as schools very rarely have the space, time, ideal climate or tools to bring this idea to life. “Farm to Table” has been a buzz word for some time and now “Farm to School” has joined the ranks. The USDA defines the term “Farm to School” as a variety of activities conducted by child nutrition program administrators that connect students with the source of their food, improve health and education outcomes, promote equity in the food system, and inspire youth toward careers in agriculture. At Fork Farms , we are proud to help bring the farm to school through our indoor hydroponic farms that are known as our Flex Farms. The Flex Farm is a mobile hydroponic farm that can grow lettuce, greens, herbs and a variety of other foods on-site, quickly, efficiently, affordably and all year long. Since it’s Farm to School Month, there’s no better time to think about the numerous benefits to having a Flex Farm in schools for students, teachers, parents and community members to use to grow fresh food. Those who work with Flex Farms have the opportunity to engage with others, learn about
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