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.”
Josh was born and raised in Santa Barbara, where his passion and curiosity for the environment began and has continued to grow. During his undergraduate studies, Josh pursued this interest at the University of California at Santa Cruz, receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies.
Melissa Dodos developed her passion for creative reuse as a mother of four and elementary educator over the past 25 years. She loves to inspire creativity by connecting people with resources and ideas.
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.
Stephanie began her journey as an educator over twenty years ago working as a preschool teacher in Washington state for a cooperative preschool program affiliated with Whatcom Community College. She loved observing the wonder and curiosity of the children and bringing them out into nature to explore the natural world. She continued her love for learning and got her teaching license and then her Montessori certification and worked as an elementary teacher in Tribal, Public, and Montessori schools. She collaborated to create a school garden and her students loved it so much that it became a special place where they could garden, read, explore, play, and it provided a safe sanctuary for students to calm down and reset when they were having difficult moments.
Morgan’s mermaid soul is always seeking adventure—swimming a relay across the Santa Barbara Channel and taking the first photo of a newborn orca off Anacapa Island being standout experiences close to home.
Lindsay Johnson
