Food Education
Education is key to building a strong community food system and we believe in the power of youth to bring about these changes. We partner with Columbia Falls school district to manage a comprehensive Farm to School Education Program for kids in grades K-12.
Wildcat Garden | Wildcat Garden Club | Fresh Snack Friday | Harvest of the Month | School Coins
Wildcat Garden
Together we are teaching kids to grow, cook, and eat locally grown fruits and vegetables through in-school curriculum, after-school programming, summer camps, procurement, and lots of lessons in the Wildcat Garden. These programs ensure that our next generation has the skills and knowledge necessary to enjoy fresh and delicious food throughout their lives.
Location: 1805 Talbot Rd, Columbia Falls, MT 59912
Check out our Summer Camp!
Wildcat Garden Club
During the school year, Land to Hand hosts a weekly after-school club for students at the Columbia Falls Junior High. The Wildcat Garden Club takes place in the Wildcat Garden seasonally and indoors for the winter months. In hands-on engaging activities, students learn about gardening, seed saving, cooking, nutrition, art, community service, and more!
Fresh Snack Friday
The goal of this program is to supplement the shelf stable food we provide through the Weekend Backpack Program with a fresh fruit or vegetable snack available to all students Pre-K to 8th grade in the Columbia Falls School District weekly on Fridays. Our goal is to eventually source one hundred percent of these snacks from local farmers.
Volunteer with us!
Harvest of the Month
Together with the Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers at the Columbia Falls Junior High and High School, we offer monthly taste tests to Columbia Falls School District Students. We follow the Montana Harvest of the Month calendar which has recipes and activities highlighting seasonal, locally available, Montana-grown products.
Each month, we lead students in making a seasonal recipe and then sample it out to students who get to vote on if they “tried it”, “liked it”, or “loved it”. Through Harvest of the Month we teach kids about local and seasonal Montana foods, encourage them to try new things, teach cooking and food safety skills, and purchase from Montana farmers and ranchers.
Learn More about Harvest of the Month
School Coins
Through this program, we connect with fifth grade classrooms across the valley to teach a Food Systems lesson (“Food Miles) lesson about the impact of where our food comes from. The goal is to motivate local students to visit the farmers market and understand what our local area has to offer. We give them the opportunity to find our booth at the Kalispell or Whitefish farmers markets to collect and redeem a free $5 coin to go spend on fruits, vegetables, or plants that grow food. Local students can participate once per summer.
School Coins Lesson Powerpoint PresentationFood Systems & School Coins Lesson Plan
School Coins Food Miles Lesson
Download Food Miles Lesson Plan by Land to Hand MT
School Coins Farmers Market Handout
Download School Coins Farmers Market Handout by Land to Hand MT