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
In this episode, we sit down with longtime school nutrition leader Michael Rosenberger to pull back the curtain on what excellence in school food service really looks like—and why it matters far beyond the lunch line. From boosting attendance and graduation rates to serving true “brain food” at breakfast, Michael, Rick and Michelle reveal how school meals can be one of a district’s most powerful academic tools. Along the way, we ex...
In this episode, we head to Rochester, New York—aka “the ROC” and home of the legendary “garbage plate” (yes, recipe included in show notes) —to meet community food champion Mike Bulger. Mike takes us inside the city’s vibrant but complex food landscape, where apple orchards surround schools struggling with food access, and where parents, neighbors, and advocates are teaming up to transform wellness policies, school gardens, and lo...
In this episode, we head to Maryland’s Eastern Shore, where an ecological crisis has sparked one of the most creative—and delicious—farm to school innovations we’ve ever seen. Caroline County Public Schools and their partners at Real Good Fish are tackling the Chesapeake Bay’s invasive blue catfish by literally eating the problem. From kid‑approved fish cakes to the soon‑to‑be‑iconic “surf dog,” Beth Brewster and Holly Nuss walk us...
In this episode, we peel back the many layers of school food procurement—from the complex, regulation‑heavy world that veteran Nutrition Services Director Michael Rosenberger knows all too well, to the on‑the‑ground solutions taking root through Kevin Beltran’s work with the New Mexico Farmer’s Market Program. Together, their stories reveal both the challenges and the possibilities of bringing truly local, culturally relevant foods...
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 to a districtwide “farmer and chef for a day” experience, Phyllicia shares how Houston is growing connections between academics, agriculture, and community. It’s authentic, inspiring, and ful...
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 roots in farm work and Caribbean heritage fuel her mission to heal soil and souls, and Kathleen, a Florida Extension powerhouse helping school gardens feed both cafeterias and curiosity. Togeth...
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 shape school food into what it is today. From Detroit to Minneapolis and beyond, these leaders have spent decades planting seeds of change, building gardens in unexpected places, and transformi...
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 stories from the front lines of school kitchen makeovers, why cutting broccoli together can fix more than just lunch, and how real leadership (the kind that listens, laughs, and lets people ...
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 accidental loofah explosions… and probably at least one debate about which state grows the sassiest school gardeners. Grab your trowel, hydrate, and settle in, this episode is about to bloom in every dire...
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 into how stereotypes have shaped kids’ experiences in the school garden and how a new generation of youth-driven design is flipping the script. From rethinking tools on how Michelle dedicated a good ten...
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 discovering where carrots come from, to preschoolers who can pronounce “photosynthesis” with sticky fingers and big wonder, we’re exploring how gardens, farmers, and early educators are growing ha...
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 education, and launching a national movement—complete with chefs, students, and a documentary premiere. Hungry for change? Grab your lunch tray and tune in!
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 state brought together farmers, schools, nonprofits, and agencies to chart a bold 10-year vision for Farm to School. We’ll share how hundreds of voices shaped the process, why it matters far b...
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, and what’s next for school food. From pandemic lessons to policy dreams, Sunny brings the fire, fun—and the future of farm to school.
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 all heart. In this episode, we dig into how this unique two year-long program is sprouting real change across the state. You’ll hear from the program’s director, a passionate educator, a thoug...
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 people that started the farm-to-table movement, Waters has spent decades proving that how we grow, prepare, and share food can transform lives. Now, she’s taking that philosophy beyond the kitche...
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.
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 tamale at a time.
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 over kids' taste buds one meal at a time
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 of 2,500 cattle, no neighbors for miles, and a kitchen that feeds up to 25 ranch hands a day, the Davises share what life is really like on a working cattle ranch—and how their homegrown beef is...
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