Leadership and Professional Dev

Oregon Farm to School Institute Brings Teams Together for Year-Long Professional Development and Action Planning

September 30, 2025

This article is pulled from episode 2-48 of The Farm to School Podcast hosted by Michelle Markesteyn and Rick Sherman. For the full episode and transcript, click here. What happens when school administrators, cafeteria managers, teachers, and students spend three intensive days together planning how to integrate local food throughout their school culture? The Oregon Farm to…

How Michelle Markesteyn Built Oregon’s Farm to School Movement From School Gardens to State Policy

September 30, 2025

This article is pulled from episode 1-5 of The Farm to School Podcast hosted by Michelle Markesteyn and Rick Sherman. For the full episode and transcript, click here. From a dyslexic teenager with an eighth-grade reading level to a doctorate from Tufts University and architect of Oregon’s farm to school infrastructure—Michelle Markesteyn’s journey demonstrates how personal passion…

How School Wellness Policies Connect Farm to School Programs Across Oregon Districts

September 30, 2025

This article is pulled from episode 1-14 of The Farm to School Podcast hosted by Michelle Markesteyn and Rick Sherman. For the full episode and transcript, click here. School wellness policies might sound like bureaucratic paperwork, but they’re actually powerful tools for advancing farm to school and school garden programs. Jennifer Young, School Wellness Policy Coordinator at…

Oregon Educators Learn Traditional Foods Curriculum Through 10-Month Indigenous Plant Teaching Cohort

September 17, 2025

Oregon school garden educators are embracing a transformative approach to farm to school programming by learning to incorporate traditional and indigenous foods in respectful, authentic ways. The Oregon Farm to School Network (OFSN) and Tahoma Peak Solutions has launched an innovative 10-month teaching cohort that connects educators with indigenous plant knowledge and culturally responsive curriculum.…

Oregon’s Coastal Waters Meet School Cafeterias: How Three Regional Events Connected Fishers with Student Meals

July 23, 2025

Oregon school nutrition staff learn to prepare local seafood through hands-on culinary training events across the state When students at Springfield High School tried fresh Oregon albacore tuna salad for lunch, they didn’t just enjoy a delicious meal, they experienced the result of an innovative partnership bringing Oregon’s coastal waters directly to school cafeterias. This…

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