Farm to School and school gardens in Columbia County

Connecting schools with local food producers and supporting garden-based education are cross-cutting Extension themes. Activities connect the cafeteria, classroom and community and help Oregon kids, farmers and communities thrive!

Need help finding your county leads?
Want to sell food to schools?
Want to buy food for your school nutrition program?
Looking for education resources?

To learn more, reach out to our Farm to School Hub Coordinator, Jenny Rudolph.

What is Farm to School?

Oregon harvest brings us together

Farm to School connects Oregon farmers, ranchers, seafood harvesters and food processors with school cafeterias, early child care centers and summer meal sites. Oregon kids eat more Oregon foods. They get to learn how food is produced through school gardens, field trips to farms, ranches and fishing communities and grower visits to the classroom.

People and organizations all around Oregon – schools, businesses, nonprofits, agricultural producer associations, public agencies and many others – have been working together to get more Oregon foods on the lunch line and more kids engaged in food- and garden-based education.

Farm to School and school garden programs are unique to the places and people who run them.

Farm to School isn’t a “program” you sign up for, receive standardized materials and instructions, and build in a one-size-fits-all way. Farm to School is a big and broad vision, backed by interdisciplinary practices, policy and research.

Get going on Farm to School today!

Credit: Ryan Creason (Cropped from original)

School Gardens of Columbia County

School gardens enrich the learning environment for all ages, from providing a living laboratory for high school biology to supporting the social emotional development of Pre-K students. Gardens provide opportunities for hands-on education in any subject and especially impact learning when incorporated in environmental, natural, and health sciences.

Edible gardens can further contribute to a school community, enhancing health outcomes when garden activities are coupled with other food and nutrition education as well as producing food for school cafeterias or local food pantries.

OSU Extension Service Columbia County supports school gardens by providing educators with curriculum resources, connecting schools to funding opportunities, and offering technical assistance with garden development and planning.

Do you have questions about school gardens in the area?
Want to get connected to the school garden in your community?
Are you an educator who would like to be included in our regional garden educator network?

Reach out to our Farm to School Hub Coordinator, Jenny Rudolph. Also, check out all of the school gardens in the state by clicking on the map link below.

See the map from the Oregon Department of Education

What we do

Oregon State University is an integral partner in Oregon's comprehensive Farm to School program. Our programs and people bring expertise, energy and leadership to this statewide movement.

Statewide Partnerships

OSU Extension and campus programs collaborate with local organizations to implement Farm to School activities. We also serve on state-level committees to support the sustainability of Oregon Farm to School programs and funding.

Farm to School

Credit: Mary Stewart

How Farm to School works

Research shows that Farm to School and school gardens may improve:

Access: Increase participation in the school meal program to improve access to nutritious meals.
Nutrition: Increase consumption of vegetables and fruits to improve nutrition and health outcomes; Improve knowledge and attitudes about agriculture, food, nutrition and the environment.
Environment: Promote environmental stewardship.
Equity: Promote food justice by supporting healthy and equitable community food systems.
Economy: Support economic development by increasing market opportunities for farmers, ranchers, fishers, local food processors, local food distributors and food manufacturers.

Learn more

Featured resources to explore

Growing Healthy Kids

Garden-themed, nutrition education curriculum and videos best aligned to Common Core Standards for students grades 2nd-3rd.

Oct 2020 | Online resource

Oregon Harvest for School videos

The Oregon Department of Child Nutrition Programs and OSU Extension’s Food Hero campaign teamed up on a 50-part video series on Oregon Harvest for Schools, which educates students on healthy, Oregon food.

Oct 2019 | Online resource