Harvest of the Month (HOTM) is the Georgia Department of Education School Nutrition Division’s farm to school initiative that highlights an item each month that can be sourced locally and served in Georgia’s school meals. This initiative encourages collaboration between School Nutrition Programs, farmers, teachers, and their communities.
School Nutrition is a partner in Education. Learning does not stop when you enter the school cafeteria. Breakfast and lunch are part of the school day. For example, a Georgia peach can be served and/or highlighted as a Harvest of the Month item in the cafeteria, discussed as part of an agriculture lesson in class, and be incorporated as part of a math lesson. The Farm to School movement connects all parts of the food system with all aspects of the school day. Students across Georgia are enjoying local foods during school breakfast and school lunch and learning how their time in the cafeteria connects to the classroom. Farm to School is truly at its best in Georgia schools as it creates experiences to support the whole child including both their health and academic performance.
Harvest of the Month Taste & Talk
Consider using these fun question prompts to encourage conversations during school mealtimes. Whether you are eating in the cafeteria, in the classroom, or at home, these prompts encourage conversation about food and fun. Learning doesn’t stop in the classroom, it continues during mealtime.
NEW! Harvest of the Month School Year 2024-2025 Calendar
Harvest of the Month School Year 2023-2024 Calendar
Find everything you need to promote Harvest of the Month (HOTM) by following the links on each month below. Resources include customizable serving line signs, graphics, fact sheets, information and resources for teachers, and 'punny' signs to use for photo ops or serving lines. Just click on the item
to open a page that includes all of the resources available for that month’s item. Resources include the following:
- Monthly Georgia Grown and locally grown posters that are available for download and customization with district names and/or logos. Display these posters where school meals are served.
- A one-page fact sheet for each month that highlights some nutrition and Georgia Specific facts about the HOTM item. Use this educational tool in the cafeteria and/or classroom.
- Food-Based Learning resources: These can be shared with classroom teachers each month.
- HOTM Speech Bubbles: These can be used as promotional resources such as signs and photo prop tools.
- HOTM Sign: Display these throughout the school.
HOTM Taste and Talk Cards: These can be used to start conversations during meals.
HOTM Recipes
Farm to School and Food Based Learning Video Resources: These videos feature engaging content that can be played in classrooms, cafeterias, or car lines.
Additional Resources for Celebration and other Georgia Grown Items
Using the Farm to School logo
The Fueling Georgia’s Future Farm to School logo represents farm to school occurring in Georgia’s School Nutrition Programs.
Some suggested ideas for using the logo include:
- On serving lines and/or posted menus when Farm to school items are featured
- In parent newsletters
- As part of district wellness communications
- When sharing school meal posts/photos being used to highlight Farm to School work in your program