Local Foods
to
Local Schools
Water and Land
USDA and NFSMI
Have released some excellent Farm to School resources.
Local Produce Fund Information
Local Product Fund Guidance
Great News! The Local Product Fund now has some money in it. We will be paying from this account starting 1/1/2012. Payments will be made as first received first paid. There is very little money currently, but hopes are to receive more money in the future. This guidance contains three parts of importance:
- The law
- DOE guidelines
- Cover page when submitting request
20-A §6602. SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE PROGRAMS
12. Local Product Fund:
Established within the Department of Education the local product fund is authorized to receive revenue from public and private sources. The fund must be held separate and apart from all other money, funds and accounts. Any balance remaining in the fund at the end of the fiscal year must be carried forward to the next fiscal year. The fund must be used to match $1 for every $3 that a school administrative unit pays for local product or minimally processed foods purchased directly from a Maine producer or producers cooperative within the State, to a maximum state contribution of $1,000. At the end of the fiscal year, the school administrative unit may provide the department with receipts documenting purchases pursuant to this subsection during that year. For purposes of this subsection, "minimally processed" means only the washing, cleaning, trimming, drying, sorting and packaging of food items or a combination of those activities. Reimbursement or partial reimbursement to school administrative units may only be made up to the amount available in the fund. Failure to reimburse does not constitute an obligation on behalf of the State to a school administrative unit.
Local Product Fund Simple Guidelines:
- Cannot be for product offered through the FFVP
- Maine product must be maintained from Maine producer or producers cooperative within the State
- Minimally processed as defined in law
- Receipts are paid first in first out, until money is gone
- Requests will be processed on the same time frame as the monthly claim form
- Receipts do not have to be originals
- Receipts can be sent via fax, electronically or US mail to ATTN: Nanci Stitt-Kittredge
- For product purchases no earlier than 1/1/2012, not for prior purchases
- Districts have a maximum of $1000 per year
- Cover note must be attached to refund request
- DOE reserves the right to decline or prorate receipts to provide support to as many districts as reasonably possible
- The same time frame and process of the claim forms
- To be reported under “other income” on claim form
- Nanci will notify districts when funds are no longer available
Geographic Preference
Geographic preference does not mean that a decision can be made to purchase locally. There are requirements that must be followed. Geographic preference is a method to evaluate bids/quotes - it is not the sole indicator. Schools still must shop for the product based on their requirements and selection process. This does not mean you must take the lowest quote, but the quote that fits the scoring/evaluation method. Price may be 50% of determining factor and local purchase may be 50% of the determining factor.
School Gardens and product usage
Product from school gardens can not be processed and then sold/transferred to the food service program. this includes canning, preserving, etc. Product can be washed, cut, frozen.
Drying fruit would be considered processing and must be licensed to be done in a commercial kitchen. Home processing of this type is not allowed for Food Service Department use.
From the waters of Maine
Maine Lunch Harvest Week
September 2012
September 24– 29, 2012 MAINE HARVEST WEEK!
PLEASE JOIN US AS WE CELEBRATE MAINE’S HARVEST
THANK YOU TO OUR FARMERS!
Great things from the 2011 Harvest lunch week
Mount Desert Elementary
Our lunch meal is served in a buffet format; Please remember that the featured entrée is only an optional component of the meal. A complete and balanced meal can be easily created from the rest of the buffet
Mon. Bountiful Buffet
Featured Entrée – Hamburgers or Cheeseburgers on Whole Grain Buns using
Maine Raised Beef from Archer Angus Farms or Veggie Burgers with
Fresh Made Cole Slaw
Tu es Bountiful Buffet
Featured Entrée – Our Own Harvest Vegetable Lasagna
Wed Bountiful Buffet
Featured Entrée – Homemade Stuffed Peppers with Fresh Humus and Garden, Fresh Tabouleh Salad
Thurs. Bountiful Buffet
Featured Entree – Our Own Leek Quiche using Farm Fresh Leeks and Mrs..
Ferm’s Fresh Eggs, Home fries made with Maine Potatoes and Blueberry Crisp for dessert.
Our “Bountiful Buffet” consists of a variety of fruits, veggies, cheeses, salads, nuts, eggs, ham, tuna or turkey, dressings, whole grain and fresh breads and milk. Whenever possible we use locally grown and produced foods.
In Falmouth, we are handing out Sweetser's Orchard apples to all students as they enter the building in the morning. Doing this on Tuesday for elementary and middle school students with help from nurses and phys. Ed. teachers; on Wednesday for high school students. We are also having our official harvest lunch on Thursday at all schools. PTO's at elementary and middle school are decorating the cafeterias with hay bales, pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks. 1st graders are husking 516 ears of corn.
Menu:
Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Meat Sauce (beef from Archer Angus of Chesterville, Maine)
Corn on the Cob (from Spears Farm in Nobleboro)
Fresh Garden Salad (ingredients from Falmouth High School Garden, Idleknot Farm in Falmouth, Little Ridge Farm in Lisbon Falls, Maine)
Apples (Sweetser's Orchard, Falmouth High School Orchard)
Whole Wheat Bread (Borealis Breads of Portland - they use Aroostook Wheat in the bread)
Martha Poliquin
Falmouth Schools Food Service Director
MAINE HARVEST LUNCH ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Elementary students in the Portland Public Schools will enjoy Maine-grown foods as part of school lunch during Maine Harvest Lunch week (September 19-23).
The Portland Public Schools has participated in Maine Harvest Lunch since 2008. In the past year, the district has increased the amount of local food incorporated into its school lunch menu with support from the Communities Putting Prevention to Work Obesity Grant. Grant funds have allowed the district to train staff and purchase the equipment necessary to procure and process local produce in season for consumption throughout the school year.
Many Portland schools are participating in Maine Harvest Lunch by growing food in their school gardens. Longfellow and Portland Arts and Technology High School (PATHS) grew potatoes that will be served as part of Maine Harvest Lunch meals across the district. East End Community School is harvesting greens and other produce that will be included in the school’s fruit and vegetable bar.
MENU FEATURES BY DAY FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS:
MONDAY-
Hamburgers supplied by Maine Grind from animals raised in the Dover-Foxcroft area. This is a 100% local beef patty that supports farmers and food production in that area.
Blueberries today are from Wyman’s and are grown in Washington County. They are harvested over the summer, frozen and served for you today!
TUESDAY-
The Beefy Meat Sauce with pasta today is made from local tomatoes, zucchini, shredded carrots and garlic scapes. Scapes are the flower blossom of the garlic plant that we grind up into the sauce instead of using powdered garlic. The local vegetables help reduce the sodium content of the menu. The tossed salad has local greens from Snell Family Farm in York County and Jordan Family farm in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.
WEDNESDAY-
Today's menu features Baked Haddock from the icy cold waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. The haddock was purchased fresh from Cozy Harbor, a local vendor. Many of you tried this last Friday and 70% of the students at East End liked it. It is oven baked with a cracker crumb topping. The red potatoes are diced and roasted. They are from Mars Hill, Maine in Aroostock County. The apples are from Ricker Hill Orchards in Cumberland County. Our cucumbers today were purchased locally from the New American Sustainable Agriculture Project (NASAP). A program through Cultivating Community and supported by the USDA and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. http://www.reeis.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/219765.html
THURSDAY-
Today we have Chili and Cheese made with different dry beans from Exeter, Maine along with garlic scapes, zucchini, tomatoes and peppers from local farms to reduce the sodium. Corn on the cob was shucked as class projects at Longfellow and East End schools earlier this week. It was grown at Belanger’s Farm in Lewiston, Maine. The tossed salad has local greens from Snell Family Farm in York County and Jordan Family farm in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The strawberries were harvested in July from Fair Winds Farm in Bowdoin, Maine. We washed and froze them for today’s lunch and smoothies in October.
FRIDAY-
Our local pizza is made on a whole grain crust from Amato’s Bakery in Westbrook, Maine. It has a pesto sauce made from fresh garlic, basil and sunflower seeds mixed with regular pizza sauce. We use sunflower seeds instead of walnuts due to allergy issues in the schools. The twice baked potatoes are from farms in the mid-coast of Maine and made in Belfast, Maine. The cherry tomatoes are from Jordan Farm in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.
At Camden Hills Reg HS: This is our 7th Harvest Week! Menu includes Lobster Macaroni and Cheese, Cajun Maine Shrimp w/ peppers and brown rice, Roast Chicken w/ apples & cream, served w/ fingerling potatoes.
At Camden-Rockport Middle School and Rockport Elementary: Menu includes Beef Chili, double-stuffed Maine potatoes and Corn Fritters. Aldermere Farms (beef) and Coastal Mountain Land Trust (blueberries) are visiting each school this week.
Thanks, Susan
RSU# 20 Harvest lunch happened September 21. All 13 schools participated in the program. Attached is our menu. One 4th grade class participated in a poster contest. The winner received a $20 gift certificate to the Belfast Farmers Market and to have their picture posted at the market. The Searsport District Middle/High school gave two thumbs up and wanted to know when the next harvest meal would take place.
Our hopes are to continue highlighting local produce on the menu. Our food director Perely Martin has done great job increasing the fresh fruit and veggie selection in the salad bar.
Lincoln Academy
To celebrate Maine Harvest Lunch Week we will be serving as many
choices from Maine and Maine farms as possible.
Monday----cheeseburger cooked outside on the grill (using Yellowfront
90% hamburg), salad (veggies from Maine), Maine macintosh apple.
milk (made in Maine).
Tuesday---BBQ chicken cooked outside on the grill (fresh chicken from
Yellowfront), corn on the cob (Clark's Farm), roll, fruit and Oakhurst
milk.
Wednesday---BBQ chicken sub with BBQ sauce slathered over the top
(roll made in Maine), homemade cole slaw, Maine macintosh apple,
Oakhurst milk.
Thursday---ham and cheese sandwich (bread made in Maine), fruit
cocktail, Maine macintosh apple and Oakhurst milk.
Friday----pizza (dough made in Maine), fresh Maine veggie sticks, fruit
and Oakhurst milk.
Thanks for your part in supporting Maine farms,
Big Dave
Auburn District
Scarborough District
USDA Farm to School request for assistance
USDA site visit info
What districts are doing
Farm to School
Maine Harvest Lunch
Have School Gardens
MAINE HARVEST DAY
Do not forget the purpose of the event:
1. Establish contacts/relationships with Maine producers for future days.
This could be an ongoing partnership with Maine producers. It would provide a good source of food and an outlet for the Maine producer’s product.
2. Make students aware of Maine products on an ongoing basis.
Some students think green beans come from a can. Actual knowledge that product is from a bush, tree or root may not be understood. They may not be aware what is actually produced in Maine. How the food is prepared or eaten is part of the education. Feed the student Maine products, educates the parent about Maine products.
3. Support your community/ local producers.
With all the talk about consolidation and schools fearing losing local control, what better way to demonstrate local support and local control of the food service department? Buy locally.
Do not forget about the fishing industry and all the products available.
REMEMBER
The cafeteria/dining room is the biggest classroom in the school!!!
Many resources at the bottom of this page!
What Can I do?
This day can have several parts. It can be as simple or as large as the district desires. Many districts have included teachers, administrators, health coordinators, nurses and local producers. This should be a school event.
A list of some items:
classroom activities Ag in the classroom
students helping to prepare menu items
parent community volunteers included in activities
tractors on display
local farmers acknowledged, honored
field trips prior to day
student taste testing to develop the menu prior to the event
introduce new items for students to taste on the day of event.
garden displays
table tents with facts about Maine products/Farmers
Maine Salad Bar
What kind of Items Can I Use for Maine Harvest Lunch Day
Do not forget land and sea. Here is a partial list of items submitted to us.
| Broccoli |
Beef |
| Carrots |
Chicken |
| Corn |
Goat |
| Cucumber |
Pork |
| Lettuce |
Turkey |
| Mushrooms |
Eggs |
| Peas |
Cheese |
| Onions |
|
| Peppers |
Seafood |
| Zucchini |
Haddock |
| Potatoes |
Sea Lettuce |
| Spinach |
Dulce |
| Pumpkin |
Sea Chips |
| Squash |
Kelp |
| Tomatoes |
Salmon (farm raised)) |
| Apples |
|
| Pears |
Bagels |
| Strawberries |
Bread |
| Cranberries |
Flour |
| Cherries |
|
| Raspberries |
Herbs |
| Blueberries |
|
| |
Milk |
| |
Honey |
| |
Maple Products |
Why Promote Maine Products
Estimated importing food from out of state typically requires 17 times more petroleum compared to purchasing locally
Product is fresher
better taste
fresh products mean maximum nutrient value
supports local business and taxes
considered an important method to address childhood obesity
education about products
not usually processed therefore no added salt or sugars
where the product was grown is known
advertise local businesses
increases physical activities
Obstacles
Cost: Cost is sometimes an issue, but purchasers must look at the yield of a product. Also the farmer you purchased from is your neighbor who pays taxes and supports your school. The farmer may be able to provide other useful parts to the school.
Transportation: Getting the product to your kitchens has been a problem in the past. Farmers and distributors are aware of this and options have been put in place or being worked on.
What about the classroom and teaching staff?
Maine Agriculture in the Classroom has nice lesson called "Lunchtime Favorites" using a Venn Diagram that can be used for K - 12 with increasing complexity. It traces the source of foods to plant, animal or other (mineral, fungus, fermented products, yeast, etc.) that is available to teachers. Contact:
Willie Sawyer Grenier
Maine Agriculture in the Classroom Assn.
28 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333
(207) 287-5522, Fax 287-7548
maitca@maine.gov
Questions
When did it start?
The Maine Harvest Lunch was resurrected School 2005 as a statewide event. It was dropped in the late 90s when budget cuts eliminated 50% of the state office Child Nutrition staff.
Can a School buy locally and not from a major from a supplier?
YES support your community and feed students good quality products
Can a School use donations from local farmers or others?.
YES and say thank You for the support to the food service program
Where the farms are located?
People are surprised how many small farms are in Maine. Look around, go to farmers market contact department of agriculture.
Does the farm need to be inspected?
NO Inspection is not required. the school must know where the product came from. Basically use common sense
Can I use the school garden even though it is unattended?
YES commercial fields are not guarded no matter what size. Absolutely use the fresh product from the school gardens
What if I get only 50% of the product I need?
Use what you can where you can.
Will the product is not usable state .
Maybe not small farmers may not have all the machinery needed to prep products. It may take some skill and labor.
The school does not have staff to complete the task.
Many schools recruited volunteers to assist. Get the community involved.
THE THREE
COST: Yes it may cost more. Keep in mind competitively shop when possible. Look at yields and quality of fresh product what are you throwing out on product purchased from your supplier and what are you saving on local products. This year you can give geographic preference in your purchasing. Trade off acknowledge producer advertise for them.
DELIVERY: there have been several ideas on this issue. Bottom line; think out of the box, it is a community event. There is always the good old pick it up. Other options include district buses, district mail run, teachers that go between schools and volunteers
QUANTITY: Get what you can use what you have. You could do only one school at a time. Supplement local and other. Plan in advance and get the provider to agree ahead of time.
REMEMBER
THE CAFETERIA IS THE BIGGEST CLASSROOM!!!!
THE LIFE OF SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE FOOD PRESENTLY
Purchased from distributor at a cost
Prepared by Food Service Staff
Severed by staff to customers
Consumed by customers
Tray waste into trash cans hauled to landfill at a cost
WHAT IF IT WAS
Products grown locally or from our shores
Purchase products locally at a cost. This puts dollars back into the community and shows community support.
Purchased remaining products from distributor at a cost. would;d be less to purchase.
Prepared by Food Service Staff. No change here.
Severed by Food Service staff to customers history tells us sales increase when purchasing locally therefore reducing the cost per meal.
publicize local purchasing. promote the fact buy locally where you know where the product came from.
Consumed by customers Expect an increase in sales.
Food tray waste into compost bucket for farmer or school garden. no cost here but a cost saving less hauled to landfill.
Other items in trash cans hauled to landfill at a cost Now reduced cost because of the weight of compost items has been used for compo sting.
Compost used in garden that will create more Maine products
OTHER THOUGHTS
Can the compost be a money maker?
What about selling seeds?
Can excess from the school garden go to a school farm stand?
Other Resources:
Resource Guide listing local farmers that will present to or host school groups.
National Farm to School Web Page
Maine Local Food for Local Schools List Serve
YES Maine School Food Service programs can buy local products. This is a great plan to support the local communities. Several Districts are already doing this. some have a garden. there is a lot of confusion on the buying local and using geographic preference. This is not allowed under the current regulations. The Harrison Institute Report does not agree with USDA Food and Nutrition Services interpretation of the regulation. The FNS letter is pretty clear.
Vermont Feed has recipes on their web page. The squash soup is very good.
Maine Organic Farmers and Gardner's Association (MOFGA)
Cheryl Wixson Organic Marketing Consultant of MOFGA, has agreed to work with schools in development of some ideas and recipes.
Farm to School Blog Some Farm to School can be found on this blog. It is not a !00% Farm to School at this time.
On the Farm Food Safety Project The On-Farm Food Safety Project is a comprehensive national program that offers fruit and vegetable farmers, food safety professionals and agricultural extension specialists technical assistance to utilize and teach best practices in food safety.
Maine School Garden Network
Western Mountains Alliance This site has PDF booklet of farm stands in Franklin and Somerset County, information on greenhouse and other interesting information.
Harrison Institute report and USDA with Questions and answers.
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