The Farm to School Feed

Worker honeybees typically only live 4-6 weeks during the summer, and the average amount of honey one worker bee produces in its lifetime is just 1/12 tsp!

To discover more fun facts about honey, download the Trivia Cards below!

https://www.education.ne.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Honey-Trivia-Cards.pdf

• Store honey in a cool and dry place and avoid direct sunlight and heat sources.
• It is natural for honey to crystallize over time. If your honey crystallizes, place the container in warm water (not exceeding 104°F or 40°C) to dissolve the crystals gently.

Honey is a natural energy-dense sweetener which means a little goes a long way when we add it to our diets. Darker types of honey, like buckwheat honey, are rich in antioxidants which can help fight oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. Because of this, honey is often used in natural remedies for coughs and sore throats.

Download at https://www.education.ne.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Honey-Sticker.pdf

Download the Honey Newsletter below! It's filled with helpful facts, a fun maze activity, a yummy "Oatmeal Peanut Butter Energy Bars" recipe, and more!

https://www.education.ne.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Honey-Newsletter.pdf

This Berry Fruit Salad recipe is the perfect way to use up leftover berries! It’s quick and easy to make and is extra refreshing when tossed with a hint of local honey!

Nebraska Harvest of the Month is proud to announce the addition of 12 brand new Early Care and Education lessons, aligned with the Nebraska Early Learning Guidelines, featuring twelve local products that are grown and raised right here in our great state. There's even a lesson on Honey!

Each lesson is free to download and includes the following:

• activity calendars
• engagement tools
• suggested books
• songs, poems, & videos
• hands-on activities (crafts, dramatic play, sensory, gross motor, & more!)
• quick bites/taste test ideas

The Nebraska Farm to School Network supports Farm to School and Early Care and Education (ECE) stakeholders in their work all over the state. We connect and support Farm to School efforts by providing resource sharing, training, and networking opportunities. As a new network (launched in the fall of 2024), we are small, but mighty! We want to continue to grow a diverse and committed network that supports kids and communities in Nebraska. New members make that possible!

• To learn more about the Network, visit: https://sites.google.com/extension.org/nebraskafarmtoschoolnetwork
• If you are interested in joining the Network, complete the form below: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfrqmN2QpGFmki709Jk1OZfG8DyPFUm0WlR2NO-yXOHeNT-4A/viewform

Join the Nebraska Department of Education and UNL Extension team for our half-day workshops to celebrate BEANS and learn about Nebraska Farm to School efforts!

You'll receive 15+ child nutrition-credited bean recipes that are youth friendly, 30+ Family Consumer Science (FCS) aligned lessons, nutrition education resources for the cafeteria and classrooms, and participate in fun bean-based activities!

Two Beanstock workshops are being held to celebrate the beauty and benefits of BEANS at the Raising Nebraska building on the State Fair Grounds in Grand Island, NE. Register by March 5th!

• March 20th from 2:30 to 6:00 PM CT: Child Nutrition/Food Service focused workshop
• March 21st from 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM CT: Educator/Classroom focused workshop on FCS aligned lessons, Foods Lab, and Food Styling/Food Photography

Continuing education hours are being provided for child nutrition professionals and Registered Dietitians (3.5 Professional Standards Credits for child nutrition professionals & 3.5 CPEUs for registered dietitians).

A stipend of up to $250 is available to organizations/schools or individuals to cover travel and substitute teacher costs for attending the event. Questions? Contact Jessie at jessie.coffey@nebraska.gov

REGISTER (by March 5th) at: https://forms.gle/HY13YQZ1HgE3kNFx7

This contest allows individual FCCLA members or teams of FCCLA members (students in grades 6-12) to demonstrate knowledge of food product development by creating an original recipe using dried beans and testing the product through focus groups. Participants will demonstrate their nutrition and food preparation knowledge as they develop an original bean-containing food product.

Participants must prepare a display and prepare their dish in person at the state leadership conference on April 8, 2025. The prepared dish will be used for display purposes only. The Nebraska Department of Education will provide the equipment necessary to prepare and cook the students’ individual recipes. Students will submit recipes by March 5th so supplies can be purchased for the event demonstration This will include but is not limited to a large capacity air fryer, electric skillets, blenders, and mixer may be made available after recipe submission. Students will be interviewed about the process used to test and prepare their product.

Participating schools will receive a stipend of $150 to cover recipe development, storyboard supplies, and/or travel to Lincoln. Only 20 applications will be accepted.

Apply (by March 5th) at: https://bit.ly/4afGTuq

Follow us at https://www.instagram.com/nde_farmtoschool to stay updated on the latest Nebraska Farm to School news, events, and resources!