Monterey Bay Area School Garden Bus Tour -
An Eco-Farm Pre-Conference Offering

Wednesday, January 23, 2008, 8:00am - 5:00 pm
Lunch included

The Monterey Bay Area is home to some of the most impressive school garden programs in the state. This year's School Gardens Tour will focus on Farm to School Programs. We'll visit three thriving school projects serving grades pre school – middle school whose students are involved in cooking and nutrition, organic gardening, ornithology, science, and more! Ideas for creating and sustaining your school garden or farm to school program will be shared throughout the day. Lunch will be served at Earth Bound Farm's certified organic kitchen where we will enjoy a tour of their educational farm.

Joining the tour and sharing their experiences in the Farm to School Movement will be Tim Galarneau from the UCSC Food Systems Working Group, Kathryn Spencer from the Monterey County Farm to School Partnership and Ildi Carlise-Cummings from the Community Alliance with Family Farmers Farm to School Program. The tour will be lead by John Fisher, of Life Lab Science Program. John directs the California Department of Education's Monterey Bay Area Garden Resource Center and brings much enthusiasm and a desire to share his experiences with others involved in garden-based education.

7:30 Bus Check-In
8:00 Leave Asilomar Conference Grounds

9:00 Captain Cooper School Big Sur
9:50 Leave Big Sur

Enroute learn about Farm to Institution from Tim Galarneau of the UCSC Food Systems Working Group.

10:50 Carmel Middle School
12::00 Leave Carmel Middle School

12:15 Lunch at Earthbound Farm's Certified Organic Kitchen
12:45 Tour Earthbound Farm, the world's largest organic farm, and learn how they source directly to schools and institutions.
1:45 Leave Earthbound.

Enroute learn about the local Farm to School Movement from Ildi Carlise-Cummings from CAFF and Kathryn Spencer from CSUMB Farm to School Partnership.

2:15 Arrive at International School of Monterey
Hear from Lisa Loomis Food Service Director at ISM and Jamie Collins of Serendipity Farms to learn how they purchase direct from farm and prepare food in the school kitchen.

Farm to School Q and A with Ildi and Kathryn.

3:15 Farm to School Resource Fair

Return to Asilomar around 4:30

Questions? Contact John Fisher (831) 459-4035