Bismarck Public Schools receive fresh, locally grown produce through the Farm to School program! This year, BPS has partnered with 10 ten local growers and producers to provide a variety of nutritious fruits, vegetables, and protein. This includes cucumbers, carrots, celery, peppers, tomatoes, corn, melons, and beef.
With the help of these producers, your BPS Child Nutrition team provides nutritious meals to nearly 14,000 students in Bismarck, every day. In early August, staff and volunteers worked for weeks to shuck, prep, and process 1,000 dozen (approximately 7,000lbs) of sweet corn to serve in school cafeterias by fall. As of October, they had processed an additional 4,000lbs of healthy, local food!
October is National Farm to School Month, an annual 31-day campaign to recognize, appreciate and celebrate the connections happening across the country between kids, families and their community food systems. Please join us in celebrating the local producers who provide a vital food source for BPS:
- Lucas Brendel, Apple Creek Acres
- Dwight Duke, Skyline Ranch
- Mike Gasper, Vulcan Farms
- Judy Hagerott, Grannie’s Goodies
- Kolter Kargas, Little Greens
- Lori Martin, Roving Donkey Farm
- Jonathon and Hannah Moser, Forager Farm
- Amy Nicolai, West Heart Place
- Ron Roehrich, Broken Hoe Garden
- Chelsie Gross, Shauna and Mariah Bitz, Legendary Steaks
If you are a farmer who would like to partner with Bismarck Public Schools, please contact the Child Nutrition office!
Farm to School enriches the connection communities have with fresh, healthy food and local food producers by changing food purchasing and education practices at schools and early care and education sites.
Students gain access to healthy, local foods as well as education opportunities such as school gardens, cooking lessons and farm field trips. Farm to School empowers children and their families to make informed food choices while strengthening the local economy and contributing to vibrant communities. Studies have shown that Farm to School not only increases food security and knowledge of local food sources, improves test scores, self-esteem and other types of personal growth for students, but also lowers the cost of school meals, improves morale of both educators and food service staff, and generates economic activity!
Farm to School initiatives include procurement, or purchasing, or local foods that are then promoted and served in schools; educational activities related to agriculture, food, health or nutrition, and hands-on student learning through school gardens.
For more information about this program, visit www.bismarckschools.org/FarmtoSchool
Farm to School video, created by BBPH and BPS, featuring Jonathon Moser of Forager Farm, Dwight Duke of Skyline Ranch, and Michelle Wagner, RD, Child Nutrition Director for BPS. Produced by D&N Cinematics.
