October is National Farm to School (FTS) Month! In October, thousands of schools, early care and education sites, farms, communities and organizations across the country celebrate “farm to school” by engaging kids in hands-on learning experiences about food and agriculture, through school gardens and by filling lunch trays with healthy, local ingredients that nourish Pennsylvania kids and support our communities’ farmers and growers.

Get Involved:

  • Check out the National Farm to School Month 2024 Resource Guide. Find even more ways to celebrate in this blog post.
  • The PA Farm to School Network is providing a variety of ways to help you celebrate: join the upcoming virtual open house, participate in the multimedia story-telling contest, and encourage your legislators to support farm to school related policy. Learn more about these opportunities and others in this blog post!
  • Find inspiration for your October festivities in this blog post, which includes tips and resources for schools and ECEs, farmers and growers and school food service directors. Check out how folks celebrated last year in this blog post.
  • Share Your Story: Now is a great time to plan how you will share your farm to school story leading up to and during National FTS Month. By sharing the benefits and successes of your program and activities with community members and government officials, you can generate more support for ongoing FTS efforts and inspire others.
    • Multimedia Storytelling Contest: Participate in the Pennsylvania Farm to School Network’s (PFSN) Storytelling Contest! Get creative and share your farm to school program and activities with your community for a chance to win some awesome prizes! Find contest details and more information here.
    • Capture your farm to school program with photos and videos! Is your school garden flourishing? Are your lunch trays filled with local food? Are you teaching creative agriculture and nutrition lessons in the classroom or community? Capture any of your current farm to school activities with photos and videos. These visuals can be used to promote your program by sharing on social media with parents/caregivers, school district board members, legislators and funders.
    • Showcase your FTS program with government officials and community members during National FTS Month using this resource, Inviting Legislators to Your Events. Inviting these community leaders and members to witness your activities first-hand is a great opportunity for them to learn about “farm to school” and become supporters and champions of your efforts.
    • Share your story with local media. This media toolkit includes sample social media posts to highlight your program and resources for contacting local media outlets. Promoting your work publicly and through known news sources can garner attention and support from your community! 
  • Spread the word about National FTS Month using this flyer!

Social Media Tips:

  • When posting on social media, be sure to use #PAFarmtoSchool along with other related hashtags such as  #F2SMonth #PAPreferred and #buylocal. We look forward to seeing and sharing your photos and posts!
  • Include photos of your promotional materials, local produce, or school gardens to publicize your efforts

Additional Resources: 

  • This project has been funded at least in part with Federal funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the view or policies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.


  • © 2021 Pennsylvania Farm to School Network. All rights reserved.
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