Monroe County Community Schools: Farm to School Field Trips

Over the past few years, there have been many conversations between community members, community organizations, local farmers, and schools to begin a more comprehensive and sustainable Farm to School effort in Monroe County.

 Across the Monroe County Community School Corporation (MCCSC), there have been efforts taking place within individual schools. Examples include school gardens being added on the school grounds and integrating into curriculum efforts, hosting afterschool garden clubs, hydroponic gardening in the classroom, bringing farmers to school to showcase produce and host taste tests, and one elementary has taken a handful of visits to a nearby farm. This is a great start and shows there is interest and opportunity for more coordination throughout the corporation.

In the fall of 2022, an idea from the group is coming to fruition with Farm to School field trips. Seven MCCSC schools took approximately 415 third graders to local farms to showcase local growers and teach the students about where their food comes from with activities about farming, sustainability, and nutrition education. The schools participating were Clear Creek, Grandview, Fairview, Highland Park, Templeton, Summit, and Templeton Elementary.  The hosting farms were Marble Hill Farm on Victor Pike, New Ground Farm on Bethel Lane, and Sobremesa on Mount Gilead Road.

This was the first year for the farm field trips focused on 3rd grade and multiple schools. Many schools visit Peden Farm in lower grades and Unionville Elementary has taken many trips to Sobremesa on its own. The third grade was targeted because it is one of the few grades that does not have an annual planned field trip. The trip will also enhance and engage student learning when being taught as part of the state-required social studies curriculum, "Local Community and Regional Communities.” The Indiana Standards give this overview: “Through active learning experiences, third-grade students gain knowledge and process information about their local community from a variety of resources.” 

 Annie Eakin, a Community Wellness Coordinator with Purdue Extension, has been a supportive partner of the Farm to School efforts for years and led the charge in coordinating the field trips and obtaining external funding to cover the costs.

“Giving kids the opportunity to see there are farms near where they live and go to school will help kids learn about agriculture, the food they eat, and their environment. We hope students, parents, teachers, and administrators are able to find value in their experiences this year to consider adding an annual farm field trip to the 3rd-grade curriculum.”

 Farm to School efforts provide students with hands-on, fun learning opportunities related to nutrition, agriculture, health, and food in the classroom and in their community. These activities create excitement around food, and this holistic approach to learning enhances the chance for students, teachers, and even administrators, to adopt healthy eating and agricultural practices beyond the classroom. By connecting various stakeholders through a community food structure via purchasing, processing, distributing, and preparing foods, farm to school efforts strengthen economic and community ties.

Funding for this project has been made possible by grants received from the City of Bloomington and the Rotary Club Community Service Impact Grant. Additional resources and funding from Purdue Extension, IU Health Bloomington’s Coordinated School Health program, Monroe County Soil and Water Conservation District, and Indiana Farm Bureau of Monroe County. The funds will be used to pay the farmers a stipend, cover the schools’ transportation costs, provide restroom facilities, and purchase products to give students a locally grown snack.