Together with a group of regional partners, Ecotrust is launching a Farm to School Institute and Farm to Early Childhood Education Institute in Oregon and Washington to grow comprehensive farm to school programming in both states.

The Farm to School Institute model is a year-long professional learning experience that brings site-based teams together to build relationships, skills, and a collaborative action plan to further their farm to school/early childhood education goals. Team members bring a variety of expertise and may include classroom educators, an administrator, nutrition services staff, and community partners. With the support of a coach, teams spend the school year putting their plans into action and strengthening their capacity to integrate lasting impacts across classrooms, cafeterias/kitchens, and communities.

Although new to the Pacific Northwest, the Oregon and Washington Institutes Project is adapted from the Farm to School Institute model, continuously developed and evaluated by Shelburne Farms and Vermont FEED since 2010. Shelburne Farms has been a vital partner, providing support through training, technical assistance, networking, planning tools, and guides.

Apply with your team

Applications for Farm to Early Childhood Education Institute are open now through May 24!

Planting kale at the New Day School garden. Photo credit: Shawn Linehan

Tamales for lunch at William Walker Elementary in Beaverton, Ore. Photo credit: Shawn Linehan

Project Partners

Adelante Mujeres

Child Care Aware Northwest/Opportunity Council

City of Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning

Ecotrust

FoodCorps

NorthEast Washington Educational Service District 101

Oregon Farm to School and School Garden Network

Shelburne Farms Institute for Sustainable Schools

Tigard-Tualatin School District Nutrition Services

Washington State Department of Agriculture

Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

Washington Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education (SNAP-Ed)

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Oregon and Washington’s multistate effort will bring many schools and early childhood programs together to provide support and connection in a field that can sometimes feel isolating.

—BETSY ROSENBLUTH, Farm to School Director at Shelburne Farms

Ecotrust Project Team & Services

Want to learn more? Check out the full Ecotrust Staff & Board and all of our Tools for Building Collective Change.