Farm to Summer Week is June 22-26, 2026

 

Summer in Georgia is a time of agricultural abundance and bountiful harvests, making it the perfect season to connect children to fresh, locally grown foods while keeping meals nutritious, appealing, and flavorful.

Celebrated annually during the last full week of June, Farm to Summer is an initiative that encourages child nutrition programs, including Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) operators who continue serving meals during the summer months and Happy Helpings, Georgia’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) sponsors to highlight local foods and hands‑on learning in their meal programs.

Farm to Summer emphasizes serving locally produced fruits, vegetables, and other foods alongside fun, developmentally appropriate educational activities. These activities include gardening, cooking, taste testing, music, movement, and physical activity that help children understand where their food comes from and build lifelong healthy habits.

Popular Georgia-Grown Summer Produce

• Fruits: peaches, blueberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries
• Vegetables: tomatoes, sweet corn, cucumbers, squash and zucchini, bell peppers, okra, eggplant

Implementing Farm to Summer activities at early care and education sites, summer meal sites, and community feeding locations offers many benefits. Sponsors and operators can increase participation by serving appealing, high‑quality meals while keeping children nourished, active, and engaged through fun educational activities that connect food, movement, and learning. Farm to Summer also supports Georgia farmers and communities by strengthening local food systems and fostering connections between children and the food they eat.

GA DECAL’s Nutrition Services Division encourages operators of CACFP and Happy Helpings to participate in the Farm to Summer activities throughout the summer. Providers are invited to share photos of their Farm to Summer meals and activities on social media using #GAFarmtoSummer, or via email to Nutrition Services’ Marketing & Outreach Team at Decal.marketing@decal.ga.gov.

Farm to Summer Week Celebration

NEW This Year!

Lesson Plans

• Farm to Summer Week Toddler Activities
• Farm to Summer Week Pre-K Activities

Family Activities

• GA Pre-K at Home
  • GA Pre-K at Home
  • Farm
  • Insects
  • My Table
  • Gardening
  • Farm Fun Virtual Fieldtrips
• Toddler Time at Home
  • Toddler Time at Home
  • Farm
  • Harvest
  • Gardening
  • In the Kitchen
  • Sports and Physical Fitness

Themes of the Week

• Monday – What is Farm to Summer?
  • USDA's Farm to Summer
  • DECAL’s Farm to Summer
  • Local Foods and Related Activities in Summer Meal Programs, with Q&As
  • Farm to Summer: Why Summer Meals Programs are Ripe for Local Foods and Agriculture-Based Activities
• Tuesday – Gardening & Physical Activity
  • FTECE Guide: Exploring Gardening with Young Children
  • Team Nutrition Garden Resources
  • Farm to Summer Coloring Sheet
  • Guided Yoga Garden Adventure with CALi
  • Yoga for Kids: A Walk Through the Garden
  • Eat, Learn, Grow Georgia
  • October Farm to School Month
    • Previous Campaign Materials
• Wednesday – Cooking & Taste Testing
  • Pinterest Recipes: June 2026 HOTM Cucumber
  • FTECE Guide: Exploring Cooking & Tasting with Young Children
  • Harvest of the Month Calendar (English & Spanish)
  • DECAL’s It’s Taste Test Time!
  • Summer Food, Summer Moves Resource Kit
  • Cooking Matters
  • USDA’s Taste-Testing Event Resources
  • USDA’s Team Nutrition Cooks
  • Eat, Learn, Grow Georgia
  • October Farm to School Month
    • Previous Campaign Materials
• Thursday – Locally Grown in Meals & Snacks
  • Harvest of the Month Calendar (English & Spanish)
  • USDA Local Food Directories
  • Find Georgia Grown Products Near You: Georgia Grown | Fruits & Vegetables
  • Georgia Harvest Calendar
  • Thank You Georgia Farmers Card
  • Thank You Georgia Farmers Card Instructions
  • Eat, Learn, Grow Georgia
• Friday – Literacy, Music & Movement
  • FTECE Guide: Book List & Songs
  • Growing Minds’ Children’s Literature
  • Go NAPSACC Farm to ECE Book List
  • Georgia Farm Bureau Book Recommendations
  • American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture Recommended Ag Books
  • Summer Food, Summer Moves Resource Kit
  • USDA SFSP Nutrition Guide - Promoting Physical Activity
  • Summer Physical Activity Bingo

Training Resources

• On Demand Training: Getting Started Georgia Farm to Early Care and Education
• Tuesday Tip! Farm to Summer: Incorporating Georgia’s Bountiful Summer Harvest[

Turnip the Beet Award

The Turnip the Beet Award, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), recognizes outstanding summer meal program sponsors who work hard to offer high quality meals to children that are appetizing, appealing, and nutritious during the summer months.

The criteria include serving local foods, a variety of vegetables and fruit, whole grains, and low-fat and fat-free milk.

• Recent Winners
  • 2025 Turnip the Beet! Award Winners Pending[
• Previous Winners
  • Silver Award – Boys & Girls Club of Greater Augusta (Summer 2024)
  • Bronze Award – City of Atlanta (Summer 2024)
  • Gold Award – Bread of Life Development (BOLD) Ministries in Conyers, GA (Summer 2023)
  • Silver Award – Boys & Girls Club of Greater Augusta in Augusta, GA (Summer 2023)
  • Bronze Award – Burke County Public Schools in Waynesboro, GA (Summer 2023)
  • Silver Award – Step of Faith Outreach, Inc. in Lavonia, GA (Summer 2022)

Questions? Contact Morgan Chapman, Nutrition Education Specialist at morgan.chapman@decal.ga.gov.