National Center for Appropriate Technology

Connecting with the source of your food can be a powerful experience, especially as a child. NCAT is pleased to play a role in introducing children to the wonders of agriculture. Right at our headquarters in Butte, Montana, our urban demonstration farm has partnered with the local YMCA summer camp program for several years. Over the course of the growing season, campers come to the site regularly, to plan, plant, tend, harvest, and eat a variety of vegetables. From painting row markers to cultivating early-season crops in the donated high tunnel dedicated to the program, kids engage with their food. This is just one of the ways NCAT supports strong local and regional food systems. If you'd like to become involved, you can learn more and get ideas for initiatives in your area from our ATTRA website's topic area on Regional Food Systems, at https://buff.ly/3BJ4giS

?? Join us next week for our in-person workshop in Fredericksburg, Texas! This will be an engaging field day filled with presentations, group discussions, a tour of the Hershey Ranch, and a dive into its Resilient Ranch Plan, explaining how and why the plan was created. The field day will highlight the relationship between climate, carbon, land productivity, and resilience. Discover conservation practices that enrich carbon-rich soils, boost biodiversity both above and below ground, and enhance ranch resilience to changing climatic conditions. Space is limited, register here: https://buff.ly/4dXmWsU #TexasAg #RegenerativeAgriculture #sustainableagriculture #climatesmart

Today Hispanic Heritage Month draws to a close, but our work to support Latino and Hispanic farmers, ranchers, farm workers, and other agriculture professionals continues. Did you know that this is the tenth year we've hosted the Latino Farmer Conference? We're excited to mark this milestone next month, November 19-20, in the Monterey Bay area. Join us November 19 for a field day featuring visits to four farms, and November 20 for the one-day conference at California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB), in Marina, CA. For more information and to register, visit https://buff.ly/4eLLVQQ. ********** Hoy el Mes de la Herencia Hispana llega a su fin, pero nuestro trabajo con a los agricultores, ganaderos, trabajadores agrícolas y otros profesionales agrícolas latinos e hispanos continúa. ?Sabías que este es el décimo a?o que organizamos la Conferencia del Agricultor Latino? Estamos entusiasmados de celebrar este hito el mes que entra, del 19 al 20 de noviembre, en la Bahía de Monterey. únase el 19 de noviembre para un día de campo con visitas a cuatro granjas y el 20 de noviembre para la conferencia de un día en la Universidad Estatal de California, Bahía de Monterey (CSUMB), en Marina, CA. Para obtener más información y registrarse, visite https://buff.ly/3Y7OG83

Getting fresh, local food into schools is an important part of Farm to School programs, but equally important is creating opportunities for young people to grow their own food. This week we're celebrating the many programs that build gardens and farm education programs in schools, allowing kids to get their hands dirty and learn what it takes to get food from seed to plate. We're kicking off the week with a spotlight on greenhouses. Does your school already have a greenhouse? Do you want to add a greenhouse to your in school farm or garden program? Whether planting gardens, growing for Farm to School programs, or integrating plant science into an existing curriculum, our Greenhouse Manual has answers that educators need. Developed in a partnership between NCAT, the U.S. Botanic Garden and City Blossoms, the manual helps educators maximize the potential of new and existing school greenhouses. Read: https://buff.ly/3ZZySa7 #farmtoschool #farmersmarket #local food #eatlocal

On Indigenous Peoples Day we honor and celebrate the wisdom of Native farmers, ranchers, and land stewards. The Intertribal Agriculture Council is just one of many Native-led organizations working to support producers, help preserve traditional agricultural methods, promote Native American food products, and empower Native youth involved in agriculture. Learn more about this national nonprofit at https://buff.ly/3BVzSBS ?? Gilbert Louis III (Acoma Pueblo), a fourth-generation rancher in New Mexico. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung #indigenouspeoplesday #indigenousagriculture

It's National Farmer's Day! THANK YOU to all of the hardworking farmers and ranchers who care for the land and provide us with food and fiber. ?? #nationalfarmersday #thankafarmer

Fun Fact Friday: Farm to School can help regenerate rural economies! ?? ???? ?? According to the USDA Farm to School Census in the 2018-2019 school year about $1.3 billion was spent by schools on locally sourced food products. Purchasing local food products by schools has increased steadily in the last ten years, and such spending helps create and retain jobs for producers and generate additional spending on local economies. Talk about a #multipliereffect! Photo: Farm to School workshop at Manor ISD #FarmtoSchool #localeconomies #ruraleconomies

If you're an institutional food buyer, whether for a school, daycare, hospital, restaurant, or church, you probably understand that your purchasing decisions can make a real difference in sustaining local farms and building healthy local food systems. At the same time, you know there can be challenges in getting small or beginning farmers to supply the volumes, packaging, and products that you need. Fortunately, NCAT has plenty of free resources to help bridge gaps between producers and buyers. They range from introductory illustrated guides: *Illustrated Guide to Growing Safe Produce on Your Farm: Good Agricultural Practices https://buff.ly/4gVXHtB * New Markets for Your Crops https://buff.ly/4f0N8Up to in-depth online tutorials: * Scaling Up for Regional Markets https://buff.ly/47YxrKQ * Produce Safety https://buff.ly/3XTQsto Lean on our resources to help you exercise your local buying power! #farmtoschool #producesafety #GoodAgriculturalPractices

Key ingredients for cooking up a successful local food purchasing program in an institution: ??Good communication ??Clear priorities ??Adaptable storage and processing systems ??Sufficient kitchen capacity and labor ??Teamwork There's no secret sauce that will eliminate all challenges, but the ATTRA publication Farm to Healthcare Tipsheet: Procuring Local Food, Improving Health, provides food service tips for institutions interested in starting or growing their local food purchases. This publication is aimed at hospital staff, but the tips apply to school buyers as well. Check it out at https://buff.ly/4eBmvFt #farmtoschool #F2SMonth #farmtoinstitution #localfood

What does it take for schools to bring farm fresh food into their food services? Intention, planning, and coordination with farmers and local food systems. This week we'll share resources designed to help food service leaders at institutions like schools and hospitals source local food for their operations. In this Voices from the Field podcast, Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Tammy Howards talks with Alison Patrick of the Feed our Future initiative, based in northeast Ohio. Tammy and Alison talk about the Feed our Future Farm to School pilot program, which led to the development of a school purchasing cooperative and a wide expansion of local produce purchasing. They also discusses the important role that food hubs have played in providing the quantity and consistency that school require. Listen: https://buff.ly/3YdOC84 Bonus: Farm to school buying programs create opportunities to support local producers from underserved communities. In this episode of Voices from the Field, Jenileigh Harris, a National Farm to School Network program associate, talks with Alma Maquitico from Anthony Youth Farm in southern New Mexico about Alma’s experience working with organizations and entities across the state to collaboratively develop state-run programs that reduce school market access barriers for small producers of color. Listen: https://buff.ly/3zEbYKJ #farmtoschool #farmersmarket #localfood #eatlocal