Farm to School tip: Collaboration is the Key!
Finding collaborative partners for program development can help bridge the gap when planning your farm to school programs.
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Farm to School or Farm to Table whichever you prefer, is not a new concept it’s just a new avenue in the world of child nutrition. During my formative culinary years and currently in my catering business my niche has always been fresh foods. So it was only right that as I continued my culinary career in child nutrition that I would be a voice for the Farm to School Initiative. During the summer I had the opportunity to be the keynote speaker at the ILSNA conference in Tinley Park, Il, where I spoke on Farm to Table: Bridging The Gap between knowledge and practice. In this presentation I was able to discuss the history of Farming, the importance of our scholars creating their own food equity and how to use the harvest to create something delicious. During my tenure at Maureen Joy Charter School I taught a group of 8th graders about “ Sowing, Growing, and Harvesting” where we ultimately cultivated a piece of land at the school and turned it into a community garden which is currently still producing a harvest. Speaking at the ILSNA was such a rewarding experience, I learned so much from other directors and was able to see what other schools were getting done in the name of Farm to School. As a matter of fact it was so rewarding that I met a gentleman named Jared Holan from Fork Farm. Oddly enough he is one of the Partnership Development leaders within the company. We briefly shared our common interest in sneakers, LOL, it’s a great way to break the ice if you were wondering. That conversation then led to me spilling all my ideas and dreams for my company and Farm to Table in general. Guess what?? That small conversation about sneakers
turned into a collaboration here in North Carolina with The Foosic Experience. More so The Foosic Experience is currently collaborating with Fork Farm to bring Flex Farms to schools in the county. Can you guess where the first stop is?? It’s OK, I didn’t expect you to know. Because just as fast as that conversation with Jared happened , my evolution of TFE happened just as fast. I was granted the opportunity to take my culinary skills and unique program approach of fresh foods to RAMA (Reaching All Minds Academy). This school is such an unique place, they were already miles ahead when it comes to the learning curve of Farm to Table. Kids Cafe is where Ms. Thomas teaches the scholars about farming and the cycle of food. They turned an old school bus into a greenhouse and now with my new collaborative efforts they are the new recipient of a Flex Farm. We have decided to house the farm in the Front Office. Mr. McKoy, who leads this amazing school, thought that it would be a wonderful conversation piece as visitors arrived to see what great work is happening here at RAMA. Honestly I couldn’t agree more, it’s amazing when you’re constantly approached by kids wondering what’s that you are growing? Are we going to have that with lunch today? Chef T, can I take some home to my parents? Nutrition may not be a glamorous gig, but if you really look back in your childhood years you remember the cafeteria. My ultimate goal is to ensure that when my grandkids attend school they are met with delicious healthy options always available to them. Farm to School is the best way to ensure just that!
Tanisha Carter better known as Chef T, has been cooking for over 20 years and was classically trained at Johnson & Wales University. Chef T has an AAS in Culinary Arts and a BAS in Food Service Management. Early in her career she worked for the big name companies; Aramark, Sodexo, & Compass Group and later decided that entrepreneurship was her creative gateway. She owns a successful business, The Foosic Experience where her cuisine is what some may call soul food with elegance. Formally she created a curriculum to teach the students at Maureen Joy Charter School about sustainable living. In addition to teaching the youth, Chef T also teaches a group of women who are transitioning back into society a course about healthy living on a budget. She has recently acquired a collaborative project with Fork Farms to bring sustainable solutions to surrounding school communities in her area. The Foosic Experience Chef Tanisha Carter
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