The Farm to School Podcast
Stories from the frontlines of food, farming, and education—where young minds grow and agriculture takes root. Join co-hosts Michelle Markesteyn and Rick Sherman as they explore what it means to bring local food into the school cafeteria and teach kids about where their food comes from with guests from around the world!
UPDATE: Show notes, contact information and more at https://extension.oregonstate.edu/podcast/farm-school-podcast
Please stop by to say hello and to suggest a show topic!
Episodes
58 episodes
Silos, Soil, and Storytelling: Phyllicia Moore of Houston ISD on Reimagining Farm to School
Join us as live from the National Farm to Cafeteria Conference in Albuquerque, as we meet Phyllicia Moore from Houston ISD—an educator, agriculturalist, and idea-generator transforming farm to school at a massive scale. From 176 school gardens ...
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30:57
From Shreveport to SW Florida – Where culture, cooking, courage and school gardens meet.
Join us as we learn about the healing gardens of Louisiana to the vibrant school plots of Southwest Florida, where two inspiring leaders share how culture, community, and courage shape their farm to school journeys. Meet Di Plant Lady, whose ro...
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23:01
The Old Guard, New Ideas: A Farm to School Reunion
In this special episode recorded at the National Farm to Cafeteria Conference in Albuquerque, Michelle and Guest Host Christy Sherding sat down with the “Old Guard” of the Farm to School movement — Leaders whose vision and persistence helped sh...
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Season 3
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Episode 56
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47:45
From Heat-and-Serve to “Jedi-Level” Scratch Cooking: A Kitchen Transformation Story
In this episode, we hang out with Greg Christian to explore how scratch cooking, kitchen “swarming,” and a whole lot of heart can transform cafeterias from stressed-out heat-and-serve hubs into joyful, efficient, good-food machines. Greg shares...
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Season 3
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Episode 55
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37:34
When Podcasts Collide: The School Garden Podcast Crossover Event
Today we’ve got a special treat sprouting in the studio- the brilliant, dirt-under-their-fingernails crew from the School Garden Podcast!That’s right! It’s a full-on garden geek crossover episode. More stories, more laughter, more accide...
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Season 3
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Episode 54
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38:10
Tools Are Not Toys: Creating the First Student Designed School Garden Tool and Branding
What happens when youth look at the school garden and only see cheap pink plastic shovels, flimsy tools, and vegetable characters that don’t represent their world? In this episode of the Farm to School Podcast, Rick and Michelle dig in...
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Season 3
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Episode 53
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15:58
Tiny Tots: Big Gardens - The Farm to ECE Episode
Welcome to a world where tiny hands plant big ideas. Today, we’re digging into the magic of Farm to Early Care and Education — a movement planting real food, real connections, and lifelong curiosity in our youngest learners. From toddlers disco...
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Season 3
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Episode 52
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38:17
Lunch Across America
From museum magic to school lunch makeovers, this episode dishes up a coast-to-coast journey with The Henry Ford’s Spence Medford and Christy Sherding. Discover how a historic innovation hub is shaking up school meals, spotlighting edible educa...
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Season 3
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Episode 51
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43:27
Planting the Next Decade: One State's 10-Year Vision for Farm to School
Today we’re taking you behind the scenes of something that doesn’t always sound exciting, but shapes everything we do—strategic planning. Stick with us, because this isn’t your typical dry ‘vision statement’ talk. This is the story of how one s...
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Season 3
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Episode 50
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24:35
Sunny Side Up: A Bright Future for Farm to School From Policy to Plate; A Conversation With NFSN’s Sunny Baker
What do karaoke, universal school meals, and a stripe of gray hair have in common? Sunny Baker. In this episode, we sit down with the National Farm to School Network’s very own Senior Director of Programs and Policy to talk about the wins, woes...
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Season 2
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Episode 49
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19:12
Planting the Future: From Seedlings to Systems – Inside One State’s Farm to School Institute
What happens when school teams, cafeteria leaders, teachers, and students gather in a botanical garden to grow more than just vegetables? Welcome to the Oregon Farm to School Institute — part summer retreat, part action-planning bootcamp, and a...
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Season 2
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Episode 48
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29:24
School-Supported Agriculture: Alice Waters Reimagines Farm to School
When Alice Waters speaks about food, she’s not just talking about what’s on the plate—she’s talking about culture, community, and the future of our children. Best known as the founder of the legendary Chez Panisse restaurant and one of the peop...
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Season 2
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Episode 47
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46:56
First Foods, Lasting Legacy: Indigenous Foodways at Chemawa Indian School
At the Chemawa Indian School, food is more than nourishment—it's culture, tradition, and connection. Meet the Staff reviving First Foods through student-driven menus, community cooking, and a deep respect for Indigenous knowledge.
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Season 2
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Episode 46
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33:33
Cooking up Change: How Local Tamales are Transforming School Lunch
Meet Lucy DeLeon, the tamale maker turning family tradition into a statewide school lunch success. From migrant roots to feeding thousands of students in her state, Lucy shares how culture, hustle, and heart are transforming school meals—one ta...
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Season 2
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Episode 45
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33:34
Curries, Culture & Cafeteria: Bringing Bold Flavors to Schools.. Happy Curry Foods & the Power of Cultural Cuisine!
Meet Krishna Bhattarai of Happy Curry Foods, a former finance exec turned food entrepreneur bringing bold global flavors like curries, dumplings, and samosas to Oregon school cafeterias—while bridging cultures, cutting prep time, and winning ov...
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Season 2
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Episode 44
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19:46
Ranch to School
From High Desert Beef, and 100 miles from town: the Alvord Beef Ranch story of Remote “Ranch to School” lunch. Join us as we head to the remote high desert of Southeastern Oregon to meet Paul and Toni Davis of Alvord Ranch. With a herd o...
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Season 2
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Episode 43
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9:19
Speed-Scratch, School Farmers Markets, and Farm to School Magic: a Conversation with Lynne Shore
What do farm-fresh veggies, kid-run farmers markets, and a runaway pig have in common? They're all part of the magic Lynne Shore brings to her school meals! Tune in “live” from the Oregon School Nutrition Conference for a fun, feel-good journey...
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Season 2
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Episode 42
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15:07
Farm to School Across the Pond: Lessons From England
Join Rick and Michelle as they (virtually) journey across the Atlantic to chat with Jennie Devine from England’s National Farmers Union. Discover how UK schools are connecting kids with farming through innovative STEM-based lessons, live farm b...
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Season 2
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Episode 41
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24:51
Cultivating Curiosity- Digging into real stories of how farm to school is changing classrooms—and communities—from the ground up. A conversation with Jade Davidson
Join us as we sit down with Jade Davidson, Executive Director of Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom. Jade leads a small but mighty nonprofit dedicated to helping students understand where their food comes from and how Oregon’s diverse natural ...
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Season 2
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Episode 40
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28:42
The Luck of the Lunch Tray: Gaelic Greens & Garden Dreams
Born in Ireland, Jennie journeyed to the United States. Her passion for food and health set her on a career path that started as a hospital Clinical Dietitian, evolved into Nutrition Service Manager and Director at a school district, and curren...
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Season 2
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Episode 39
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23:17
NOYO Food Forest
Have you ever heard of a Food Forest? It sounds something you can find in the woods outside Willy Wonka’s factory, right? Join us as we explore the relationship with Fort Bragg, California’s school district Nutrition Services Direct...
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Season 2
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Episode 38
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25:00
Who Knew Broccoli Didn't Grow on Trees? School Garden Education in Colorado
Often as we teach kids where their food comes from, even 11th graders sometimes think broccoli grows on trees because they're not exposed to growing food. Join us as we explore School Garden Education in the Denver, Colorado area with Sus...
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Season 2
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Episode 37
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27:17
Student Ecoliteracy: The Publisher
Our last episode was coined "Student Ecoliteracy, The Author" which explored Katherine Pryor's journey of writing children's books about nature and garden subjects. In this companion episode, we talk to Katherine's first publishe...
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Season 2
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Episode 36
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30:15