Two peas in a pod – Summer is peak produce season AND summer meals have experienced huge growth in Kentucky. Let’s put them together. Under the umbrella of Community Farm Alliance, the partners of the Kentucky Farm to School Network are planning several initiatives related to farm to summer meals.
A Celebration Week
First, Farm to Summer Meals Celebration Week is coming back for its second year, June 21 to 27. During that week, meal sponsors and sites are challenged to plan special activities to Sprout, Nourish and Understand for SUN meals. Sprout represents gardening activities. Nourish represents serving Kentucky grown farm foods. Understand represents ag education activities. SUN meals is the USDA’s name for summer meals. *New this year* We’ve developed a recognition for participating sponsors and sites. “Lettuce Squash Hunger” recognition will earned by SUN meal sponsors and sites that complete 2 activities: The first required activity is serving a Kentucky farm food (Nourish). The other activity can be either a gardening activity (Sprout) or an ag education activity (Understand).
First Day Fresh
Part of the reason for the growth in meals served is USDA’s allowance for multiple days’ meals to be picked up in one distribution (or home delivery) in qualified locations. In many cases, families are picking up 7 days’ worth of breakfasts and lunches at once for each student. This model is very convenient for families, but leans on processed foods to last for many days. To incorporate Kentucky’s summer bounty into multiple meal distributions, the sweet spot is those meals that will be eaten first. The network is promoting a “First Day Fresh” practice of including Kentucky farm fresh foods in at least the first day’s meals when several days’ meals are distributed at once.
Toolkits
Network partners have developed two toolkits for farm to summer meals. One is for meal sponsors and sites. The other is for farms and farmers markets. By connecting with summer meal programs, farms and farmers markets have an opportunity to reach many families in their community, as well as passing on essential agricultural education to the next generation. Learn more about how to participate on the network website.https://www.kyf2snetwork.com/
The last weekend of February brought sunny skies and 200 Eastern Kentucky Farmer Conference attendees to Corbin. Farmers, aspiring farmers, technical assistance providers, students, and others gathered at The Corbin Center to learn and network – and enjoy some delicious food prepared by farmer and chef, Kristin Smith (The Wrigley Taproom & Eatery).
After last year’s interest in onsite learning, the conference offered two pre-conference activities:
A tour of the Wilderness Trail Area Marketing Alliance which supports cattle, sheep, and goat producers by reducing transportation costs to market, providing space for health screenings, and hosting Extension-led workshops focused on improving livestock care, health, and market profitability.
Over the course of a day and a half, farmers, technical assistance providers, and university faculty led 18 workshops focused on horticulture and livestock production and the business of farming. Participants left with pages of notes and heads full of new ideas after learning how Maggie Bowling adapted strawberry plasticulture production to her farm, the nutrient rich recipes Robert Jones uses to keep his bees heathy over the winter, and how Chad Conway has adapted his farming operation to more resiliently withstand extreme weather events. Just down the hallway, staff from Pine Mountain Settlement School were preparing the next generation of farmers with sessions geared to school aged youth.
New to the conference this year was a round table discussion on cut flower production in the mountains led by three cut flower farmers where the room was almost standing room only – emphasizing the need for additional education and support for cut flower production in eastern Kentucky.
Appalachian Regional Healthcare’s mobile unit offered free health screenings to participants while Raising Hope’s mobile unit provided farm safety resources and mental health support. In addition, 25 other organizations serving eastern Kentucky farmers set up in the conference exhibit hall to provide information and resources to attendees. (see social media post from ARH employees)
Mealtimes served as both an opportunity to network with other farmers and to be inspired. Friday evening, Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture Warren Beeler shared stories of farming from across the Commonwealth, recognizing the hard work farmers do to feed our communities. Saturday’s lunch featured a panel of women farmers and writers reading pieces they wrote, and which are featured in Rooted, Resilient, Rising: Women Growing Food Across the Mountains, an anthology edited by Amy Le Ann Richardson which will be published soon by University Press of Kentucky. One conference participant noted, “The panel of women at lunch was an unexpected and intimate look into Appalachian women farmers. It made everything seem more woman friendly as these events can be heavily man based and focused.”
Launched at the 2023 Eastern Kentucky Farmer Conference, awards are presented each year to organizations and individuals nominated by attendees for their work and impact on farming in eastern Kentucky. This year, the following were recognized:
In the words of one farmer who nominated them: “They provide outstanding financial support to farmers, are dedicated to serving BIPOC farmers, and have a deep commitment to regenerative soil.”
Outstanding Farmer Resource – Brett Wolfe, Center for Crop Diversification
An excerpt from one nomination: “Whether developing new tools, adapting swiftly in response to challenges like COVID-19, fostering collaboration among stakeholders, or leading CCD to new heights, Brett exemplifies the very essence of being an outstanding farmer resource.”
Outstanding Farmer Mentor – Jeff & Sue Howard, Howard Farms
From one of their nominations: “They are always more than happy to mentor people who need it and…willing to host field days and share information about their experiences. They are very easy to talk to and will give their time to help solve your problems.”
Attendees left the conference inspired, excited, exhausted, and full of new ideas. Some even left with door prizes. One attendee noted, “I think it was an amazing experience and very helpful!” while a first-time conference attendee said they “had a good time networking and learning.” The planning team (Community Farm Alliance, KCARD, Grow Appalachia, UK Horticulture, and Pine Mountain Settlement School) is already working on the 2027 Eastern Kentucky Farmer Conference, so stay up-to-date by following the conference on Facebook or checking out our landing page.
Accepting SNAP and Kentucky Double Dollars (KDD) at your farm stand or farmers market is a powerful way to grow your customer base and increase your sales. With Kentucky Double Dollars, SNAP customers can double their spending power by up to $20 per day—meaning more dollars flowing directly into your business.
Why offer SNAP and SNAP KDD?
Earn More Income: Every Kentucky Double Dollars redemption translates into real revenue from your products
Attract New Customers: Position your farm or market as a reliable source of affordable, healthy food
Support Your Community: Help families access fresh, locally grown produce while strengthening Kentucky’s food system
If you’re ready to get started but aren’t sure how, we’ve got you covered.
Join the SNAP Cohort
The SNAP Cohort is a free webinar series for Kentucky farm stands and farmers markets interested in accepting SNAP. In this first session, you’ll learn:
How to apply for a SNAP permit
What to expect during the application process
What equipment you’ll need, including free point-of-sale options
This is the first of three sessions in a yearlong cohort, where you’ll also receive hands-on technical assistance and connect with peers working toward the same goals.
We are more than two years overdue on passing a complete Farm Bill, actual farm bills (expenses) are rising, and everyone wants to change the way Americans eat. But are they talking to the family farmers who make up our domestic food system? Part of CFA’s mission is to make sure farmers get a voice with their representatives, and this month, we had the privilege of attending the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s member meeting in Washington DC, including taking some amazing farmers with us: Josh and Bittany Johnston of of Windy Hill Farm + Home in Henderson, KY. Josh and Brittany are beginning farmers, but with farming in their heritage. They not only raise conventional row crops in Henderson, KY but also grow 25 acres of vegetables for sale to their community, including schools. Over and over, they told congressmen and congressional staff “We just want a fair opportunity with our specialty crops.’
Brittany and Josh started growing vegetables in 2020, and by 2021 they were selling at the farmers market. By 2023, they left their full-time jobs working for a large crop products supplier to become full-time farmers. Part of what made that possible was the Local Food for School program, which provided federal money to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, which then helped schools use it to buy locally-grown farm food. Josh said they want to be farmers who help their community be healthy. “Once we got our foot in the door of the school system, and they saw the quality of products, they decided to keep buying from us whether or not there was federal money. But we needed that program to help us get started.” Today, thanks in part to that opportunity, their farm not only provides jobs for themselves, but also for several others. In addition to the Johnstons, CFA staff members Laurie White and Myrisa Christy joined the delegation in DC.
The group visited Kentucky Congressman James Comer in his DC office. Josh and Brittany shared the impacts of federal investment in local foods for Kentucky schools and requested the Congressman’s support on H.R.4782, the Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act. The group also met with staff in Senator McConnell’s and Senator Paul’s offices to request support for the senate’s version of the bill, S.2338, the Strengthening Local Food Security Act. “Previous cooperative agreements that allocated funds to Kentucky to purchase local farm foods were very popular and successful,” said Laurie White. “In Kentucky, those investments supported 148 farms who don’t benefit from most federal farm subsidies.”
“Getting to hear family farmers talk to our representatives about the challenges facing their farm, and what they need to be successful is at the foundation of CFA’s work,” said Myrisa Christy. “And, we literally put in the footwork – we each got over 17,000 steps making sure Brittany and Josh told their story to multiple lawmakers in both the House and Senate.”
What can you do?
Since our DC trip, the House has released a draft of the Farm Bill that includes the Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act (HR 4782) in SEC 4306. From “back of the napkin” calculations, at its current allocation, it could provide approximately $3 million a year for Kentucky to run programs that directly support schools and food banks by purchasing from local farmers. The Senate Ag Committee has yet to rel\=-ease its Farm Bill text. To press for this local food provision to be included on the Senate side also, send a message to Senator McConnell to co-sponsor S.2338, the Strengthening Local Food Security Act. You can use the Senator’s contact form to request his support or ask to meet with his staff in one of his 6 local offices.
