Beginning March 1, entries will be accepted for the first ever “School Garden of the Year Award” presented by Edible Jersey Magazine and the New Jersey Farm to School Network. Participating sponsors include Whole Foods Market and Applegate Farms.

Open to any New Jersey preK-12 school, applicants must have had a school garden open during the 2011-2012 school year and be able to provide documentation through photos and video of its uses and existence.

Gardens must be in established indoor or outdoor settings on school grounds. Raised beds and container gardens are considered acceptable for application to the contest.

Entries will be judged by a committee of representatives of the following organizations: Edible Jersey, New Jersey Farm to School Network, New Jersey Department of Agriculture, NJ Nursery and Landscape Association, Rutgers Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners, the Princeton School Garden Cooperative and the NJ Alliance for Environmental Education.

The winning garden will receive a minimum $1,000 prize at an award ceremony hosted at the garden during “Jersey Fresh Farm to School Week” in September. Two runner up gardens will each receive an award minimum of $250 to be put towards garden supplies.

To apply, click this link and follow the instructions: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BQJ2M2P

CONTEST DEADLINE: JUNE 1, 2012

For more information, email info@njfarmtoschool.org or call 609.577.5113.

NOTE: In addition to this newly established award, the New Jersey Department of Health is surveying schools across the state to get a snapshot of how many school gardens there are in NJ schools. Click the ad on the top right of our homepage to fill out a survey if you are involved with a school garden or please pass it on if you know of one in your area that should be counted. Completed surveys should be emailed to info@njfarmtoschool.org.

The NJF2S Winter Conference was a hit! Thanks go out to The AtlantiCare Foundation and Edible Jersey Magazine for their gracious support of this event. Check out this article about the conference from The Press of Atlantic City.

Over 150 attendees learned about southern New Jersey collaborations in school garden programs, higher education initiatives, regional and national farm to school programs, value added foods being developed and nutrition education successes in New Jersey schools.

Exhibitors included the Atlantic County Utility Authority, the Alliance for NJ Environmental Education, CATCH, Edible Jersey Magazine, the NJ Agricultural Society,  A Work in Progress, the US Department of Agriculture Food & Nutrition Service, Fair Food Philadelphia, Fernbrook Farms Education Center, The Food Trust, The NJ Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Division, the Jersey Fresh Marketing Program, Rutgers University Soil Testing, Teich Garden Systems, Natural Awakenings Magazine, Shaping NJ and United Healthcare Community Plan.

If you were unable to attend the conference but would like to see copies of the conference presentations, please email us at marketing@njfarmtoschool.org to request access.

“IT TAKES A VILLAGE: Collaborations in Good Food and School Garden Education”
February 24-25, 2012

Atlantic Cape Community College
Mays Landing, NJ

REGISTRATION: 

$40 both days
$25 single day
$10 additional* includes one year membership to NJ Farm to School Network

*Consider supporting NJ Farm To School with a special conference offer – Annual Membership for only $10.00! 

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24:

MORNING:

• Value Added Food in School: Rutgers Food Innovation Center
• NJ Farm to School Survey Results: Rutgers Cooperative Extension, Division of Family and Community Heath

AFTERNOON:

• Campus Kitchens: Richard Stockton University, Atlantic Cape Community College Academy of Culinary Arts, Food Bank of South Jersey, Atlantic City High School and Sodexo

 
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25:

MORNING AND AFTERNOON SESSIONS:
School Garden Program Collaborations in South Jersey

• AtlantiCare Foundation: Atlantic City
• Rutgers Cooperative Extension: Gloucester County
• NJ Agricultural Society: Margate and Ventnor
• Center for Environmental Transformation: Camden

NJF2S Salute to NJ Representative Rush Holt at Hopewell Elementary School

On October 19, The New Jersey Farm to School Network paid tribute to NJ Congressman Rush Holt, who was the main sponsor behind the resolution that became law, designating October as National Farm to School Month.

Hopewell Elementary School was host to the event in their extensive school garden with members of Real Food for Thought, founders of the school’s garden as well as students from the Hopewell Elementary School’s Garden Club. Also in attendance were representatives from the US Department of Agriculture, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, the District’s Food Service Management Company, Sodexo and adminstrators from the Hopewell School District.

• Atlantic County
• Cinnaminson
• Edison
• Hopewell

• Friday, September 2 at 10:00

Location and Registration Information:

  Riverside School

  58 Riverside Drive

  Princeton, NJ 08540