Wisconsin farm to school program returns for third year with new database

Across diverse regions, agriculture remains a powerful vehicle for education, empowerment, and community building. In Tennessee, Nashville-area seminarians spent a summer on Field of Dreams Farm, embracing agrarian life and practical farming skills while deepening their sense of vocation. In South Africa, Tebogo Nyathela grew Farmers Hope from a small plot to about 20 hectares, expanding crop production and workforce with government support despite water shortages, underscoring resilience and strategic diversification. Wisconsin announces a third year of its Farm to School program, recognizing dozens of schools’ local procurement, nutrition, and agricultural education efforts, and enhancing links through an updated Local Foods Database. In Virginia, a seventh-grade teacher blends hydroponics, weather monitoring, and worm farming into math instruction, achieving high pass rates and fostering critical thinking and problem-solving among students. A school in Gauteng’s Reiger Park is empowering young women through agriculture, pairing practical training with curricula to break stereotypes and boost employability. Together, these stories illustrate how hands-on agricultural programs—from faith-based farm missions to classroom-based projects to gender-focused training—are shaping skills, resilience and community impact.