Trainings and Events

Upcoming Training & Events

Farm to School Workshop: Harvesting Helena -- August 10, 2023

Join St. Peter’s Health, National Center for Appropriate Technology, Helena Food Share, Old Salt Co-op, Helena Public Schools, and partners for the second of three Farm to School Workshops on Thursday, August 10, 2023 from 9am to 4pm at Central Elementary in Helena! Harvesting Helena will feature training on incorporating Montana grown and raised foods into your community, community-wide Harvest of the Month implementation, and how anyone can contribute to these initiatives. There will be tours to Old Salt Co-op’s new processing facility, both school and Helena Community Gardens, and Helena Food Share’s pantry and mobile kitchen.

Anyone interested in increasing opportunities for nutritious, Montana-grown food in their community should attend this event. Along with trainings and tours, there will be time for networking, taste testing local foods, and action planning. Lunch will be provided by Old Salt Outpost.

Registration is $25 and covers lunch and snacks. Five Continuing Education Units and six Early Childhood Project credits will be offered for educators. Limiting funding available to assist with registration, please contact [email protected] to request funding.

Registration is now open!

Registration + Info

Bringing the Farm to School Logo

Bringing the Farm to School Local Producer Training

Farmers, ranchers, processors, and other local food businesses can learn strategies for selling products to schools and child nutrition programs at the Montana Farm to School Producer Trainings. Two trainings using Bringing the Farm to School curriculum will be offered.

Producers that attend this training will:

Learn about accessing school markets and growing products for schools.
Hear from producers that have successfully navigated school markets.
Gain new knowledge and resources for integrating school markets into a business plan.
Meet local peers and experts.
Experience school markets and farms.

Click Headings Below For More Details

Training 2 Details - Rescheduled for March 2023

This event has passed. A fully virtual self-paced option is being created. Stay tuned.

Hosts and Sponsors

These trainings are hosted by Montana Team Nutrition Program at Montana State University and Montana Office of Public Instruction in collaboration with project partners including: Alternative Energy Resources Organization, Great Northern Development Corporation, Headwaters RC&D, Intertribal Agriculture Council, Mission West Community Development Partners, Montana Department of Agriculture, Montana Department of Livestock, Montana Farmers Union, Montana State University Extension, National Center for Appropriate Technology, Northern Plains Resource Council, Northern Pulse Growers Association, Snowy Mountain Development Corporation, and USDA Office of Community Food Systems.

This project is supported in part by the Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Farm to School Network, Montana Wheat & Barley Committee, and Great Northern Development Corporation.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Registration

This workshop has passed. A fully virtual self-paced option is being created. Stay tuned.

More Information + Questions

Aubree Roth, Montana Farm to School Coordinator

[email protected]

(406) 994-5996

Montana Food for Montana Schools

Montana Food for Montana Schools is a local procurement training and Abundant Connections producer and school meetup event. Montana Team Nutrition Program, Montana Office of Public Instruction, Abundant Montana, and partners will host three regional events in 2023--the first was held March 14, 2023 in Hardin, Montana and two will be held in Fall 2023.

This project is funded in part by a 2022 USDA Team Nutrition grant. USDA is an equal opportunity provider.

Click Headings Below For More Details

Time + Location

The first event was held in Hardin on March 14, 2023. Two additional events will be held in Fall 2023.

About This Training

Montana Food for Montana Schools aims to help schools and producers work together to feature local foods in Montana school meals. The event will be divided into two components:

PART 1: A farm to school training for school nutrition professionals focused on local food procurement from 1:30 to 2:45.
PART 2: Agriculture producers and food businesses will be able to connect with school nutrition professionals in a casual vendor show format from 2:45 to 4:30.

Who Should Attend?

This training and meetup event is intended for school nutrition professionals (or anyone involved in administering, preparing, or serving school meals), agricultural producers, and food businesses. Please see the sections below for specific information on which components are intended for each audience.

Please note: this is not a general farm to school training. Scroll down on this page for other upcoming and past trainings and events.

Information for School Nutrition Professionals

School nutrition professionals attending the event will receive training on how to implement farm to school, in particular how to purchase local foods for school meal programs. The training will be followed by an Abundant Connections Producer + School Meetup where school nutrition professionals will be able to meet local producers from around the region in a casual vendor show style format.

This event counts towards the Montana School Meals Certificate Program.

What to Bring/Prepare

Business cards to share with producers
Consider what local foods you are interested in buying as well as your desired specifications, delivery timing, amounts, etc.

Information for Producers

Food producers attending the event will receive training on how to implement farm to school, in particular how to work with school nutrition programs. The training will be followed by an Abundant Connections Producer + School Meetup where school nutrition professionals will be able to meet local producers from around the region in a casual vendor show style format.

What to Bring/Prepare

Business cards
Marketing materials—including brochures, product lists, etc.
Packaged product samples (optional) – If you wish to bring product samples, please only bring packaged samples that are intended to be consumed offsite. You will not have access to a kitchen facility to prepare, heat, or serve foods.
Consider what products you can offer to schools including price ranges, quantities, delivery method and timing, etc.