Introducing Farm to Toast
Reading, writing, arithmetic, and wheat! Children in three Santa Barbara schools will soon grow, harvest, and mill their own wheat, thanks to an innovative new program called Farm to Toast. A partnership between Explore Ecology and the Santa Barbara Unified School District (SBUSD) Food Services, Farm to Toast is funded by a grant from the CA Department of Education.
Farm to Toast has three main components; education, professional development, and increased California-grown produce in school meals. The grant pays for Explore Ecology Garden Education split between three school gardens and provides funds for SBUSD Food Service and Explore Ecology Garden Educators to tour a California wheat production facility. A Chef Educator will also train both SBUSD and Explore Ecology staff in baking fresh bread.
Students at La Cumbre Junior High, Santa Barbara Community Academy, and Monroe School will participate in an in-depth yearlong study of wheat production in California. The students will plant demonstration wheat gardens, process wheat into flour using new hand mills, and bake bread in two new portable wood burning ovens. School cafeterias will serve fresh bread made with student- grown flour. SBUSD Food Service will source and purchase California-grown wheat to supplement the local schools’ wheat crop. Students at other SBUSD elementary schools will receive lessons on bread making and enjoy fresh bread.
Nancy Weiss, Director of Food Service at the Santa Barbara Unified School District says, “Farm to Toast is the culmination of two vital principals of life, growing food organically and turning that food into sustenance which will nourish bodies and minds for health and longevity! Teaching kids to grow wheat, mill it into flour, learn to knead dough, and make bread is the full spectrum experience. We are proud to be sponsoring such a program and watching as our students- Eat to Live, Live to Learn, and Learn to Eat.”
Eva grew up in Berkeley, CA and is a recent graduate of UCSB, where she studied Aquatic Biology and German Language. During her undergrad, Eva worked as an aquarist at UCSB’s Research Experience and Education Facility (the REEF), where she managed the aquarium facility and found a love for science communication and conservation.
Rachel Palmer
Nicole is a mixed media artist and vintage goods specialist who has been managing Art from Scrap since 2020.
Veronica grew up in San Diego and spent four years in San Luis Obispo studying Animal Science at Cal Poly. As an undergrad she learned lots about livestock, agriculture, and wildlife.
Lydia
Lindsay Johnson
MELISSA BROOKS
Jenny joined Explore Ecology first as an Environmental Educator, then as a Program Coordinator, and most recently moved into the newly created Programs, People & Culture position. Prior to Explore Ecology Jenny worked in science research and consulting, however her passion has always been science education and outreach. Jenny loves all things related to the ocean, especially free diving, and enjoying the beauty and wonder that is the underwater world. Her greatest life passion is traveling, which she hopes to do more of again soon.
Lu’s love of all things Earth began at James Madison University in Virginia, where they got their Bachelor’s degree in Biology. Lu has a Master’s degree in Spatial Ecology- the study of how creatures interact across landscapes- from East Carolina University, where they studied rock pools along a river and the critters that dwell in them.
