NAO is excited to spotlight nonprofit members, share their success stories and exciting news, and raise awareness of their cause and the impact these amazing nonprofits make in our communities. 

Our spotlight this month is the Rogue Valley Farm to School (RVF2S) in Ashland. They have been members of NAO since 2011, and we were excited to catch up with Co- Executive Director of Operations and Development, Kristin Pew.  

Rogue Valley Farm to School educates children about the food system through hands-on farm and garden programs and by increasing local foods in school meals. They promote appreciation for local agriculture, which benefits the community’s economy, environment, and residents’ health. Founded in 2006 by dedicated parents, the organization initially focused on teaching children the origins of food. What started as farm field trips has grown into a strategic effort to involve students. 

RVF2S also connects local farm and food businesses to school cafeterias via the Procurement and Nutrition Program. This initiative aims to boost the use of locally grown food in schools across Jackson and Josephine Counties, supporting school nutrition staff, regional farmers, food businesses, distributors, and other partners. To date, RVF2S has facilitated the introduction of $346,000 worth of local food into school cafeterias, benefiting students. 

RVF2S programming works to ensure students receive education on healthy living and eating integrated into classroom subjects and beyond. This includes: 

  • Weekly garden classes: RVF2S school-based educators teach weekly garden classes to school-identified grades, bringing real-life applications to all core subjects and teaching students the practical skills needed to make healthy choices. This program has impacted through more than 700 students over 1,000 hours of hands-on learning. 
  • Harvest of the Month: Harvest of the Month: Each month, RVF2S educators serve local seasonal fruits or vegetables to students, who then vote on the new foods to promote trying them. RVF2S also provides recipes to the school district for meal rotation. 
  • Harvest meal farm field trips: Every partner class attends two Harvest Meal field trips each year to a partnering farm of their choice. Over 2,000 students have harvested fruits and vegetables from the field, learned basic cooking techniques, and prepared their own lunch! 

Kristin shared the importance of creating space in the schools as living examples of wellness and trying to help schools create healthy spaces for kids, noting that 70% of students in the area eat most of their daily meals in a school cafeteria: 

“In Josephine County, 1 in 4 students are coming from food insecure homes. Oftentimes school food is what they rely on for the bulk of their nutrition, so what we’re trying to do is really increase the nutrient density of the school foods so they’re getting fresh foods that will fuel their bodies, help them regulate their emotions, and be ready to learn and grow in these school settings.” 

Kristin is especially proud of the school gardens and the opportunity for students to shine in a unique way: 

“We are taking the kids outside and it’s tactile, hands-on learning. What we’re seeing is many students that typically have trouble in a traditional classroom absolutely thrive during garden class. It allows them a space to shine in a different way, both with their peers and creating more positive peer relationships through the garden. That exposure to different types of learning helps many students just absolutely thrive and the positive effects of that is really astounding.”  

Another proud effort is the No Cost Family Cooking classes with help from the Ashland Community Health Foundation. Families come twice a week in the evenings to cook a meal together at no cost. They learn simple knife skills, adaptable recipes, and enjoy the meal together. “It’s a cool way to bring what the kids are learning in school to the parents, and it helps create positive relationships with food within the families,” Kristin shared. “Preparing meals is a great way for families to connect. The parents can be unsure at first, but by the end of the class, they are handing their kids the spatula to get involved. Many families have told us they now make meals together as a family more regularly, and that’s really exciting.”  

Interested in supporting this amazing work? Here’s how to get involved: 

  • Donate to help over 6,500 students in Southern Oregon  
  • Attend their annual fundraiser, Turnip the Beet! On Sunday, June 14th from 4:00 PM  8:00 PM at the Fry Family Farm. Registration opening soon – check here for updates!

We appreciate Kristin for connecting with us, sharing insights, and highlighting the amazing work Rogue Valley Farm to School is doing in supporting our Southern Oregon communities. To learn more or to support their initiatives, please visit their website at www.rvfarm2school.org/