Solid Ground Newsletter
August 2026
This Month’s Issue
August Farm Tasks: Prepare to Sell to Schools for the 2026-2027 School Year 🚌 🍏🎒
The countdown to the new school year is dwindling from weeks to days as preparations are underway for schools to feed tens of thousands of students across the state…breakfast, lunch and sometimes dinner!
The opportunities and benefits for farm to school sales by Connecticut farms are greater now more than ever. Millions of dollars from the state have flowed into public school districts specifically for buying CT Grown through a 50% reimbursement program called The Buy Local Program.
Here is what you need to know to gain access to this robust market:
- It’s not about high volume, but consistency
- It’s not about complex bids or contracts, but good communication
- It’s not about needing expensive certifications, but proven experience
UConn Extension has a variety of resources and training opportunities to help facilitate those connections. Whether you are looking to scale up, extend your season, or expand your market, we’re here to help you get started.
A Back to School Checklist for CT Farmers
- Get Listed: Join the CT Farm to School Directory and Marketplace-Listserv
This interactive resource identifies farms throughout the state who are ready and eager to sell to schools. School Food Service Directors frequent this resource to find farms to purchase from.
- Learn More: Apply to join “Ready To Sell” farmer training cohort
Participants in Ready to Sell learn about school buyer expectations, forward contracts, food safety considerations, and more. Get specialized technical assistance to up your school sales game. Learn more and apply here!
- Coming Soon: CT Grown for CT Kids Grant
CTG4CTK is a statewide grant program to help expand Farm-to-School programming. Farmers can apply for a $5,000 microgrant to be put towards advancing farm to school market access such as on farm food safety, delivery, season extension, and more.
- Save the Date: October 5-9 is 2026 CT Grown for CT Kids Week
October is National Farm to School Month, so naturally, the first full week in October is CT Grown for CT Kids Week when schools celebrate local agriculture, local food education, and strengthen their commitment to healthy nutritious meals with locally grown ingredients. Be part of it!
CT Grown Organic Corner
Transitioning and certified organic producers located in CT can get Technical Assistance from Dave Tschiegg, Organic Outreach Specialist
Dave Tschiegg is the Organic Outreach Specialist in partnership with UConn Extension, CT NOFA, and the Connecticut Department of Agriculture. He supports transitioning and certified organic farms in growing their presence in the organic market through one-on-one, in-person marketing assistance and alignment with the forthcoming CT Grown Organic campaign. He looks forward to meeting farmers where they are to help grow their businesses through creative, strategic marketing.
Technical Assistance Services
- Guidance on participating in the CT Grown certified organic campaign and related promotional opportunities
- Technical assistance implementing CT Grown certified organic brand and marketing assets
- Share insights from organic consumer research report to support market growth and customer engagement
- Evaluate current marketing strategies and materials
- Make recommendations for enhancing brand messaging and storytelling around certified organic status and products
- Assess website and social media presence
Video Highlight: Food Safety During & After Harvest
Due to the many cases of foodborne illness caused by Cyclospora, consumers have been especially tuned into food safety this summer. As farmers, there are several actions we can take to implement Good Agricultural Practices to keep our communities safe. For more information on cyclosporiasis, you can find this fact sheet from UConn Extension posted online. Additional resources on food safety can be found online through MU Extension and UNH’s Jumpstart to Food Safety YouTube series.
Part I: Safe Harvesting Practices
Part II: Safe Post-Harvest Practices
Apply to be part of VFI’s 2027 Cohort!
The Venture Farming Institute (VFI) is a cohort-based agricultural training program for aspiring farm and land stewards who identify as Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, or Person of Color, and live in Connecticut or Rhode Island.
Quick note from us:
Summer heat and humidity have been really intense these past few weeks. While you’re reading this, please remember to hydrate! Since the season for local produce is peaking, we know August exhaustion is probably in full force. We’ll keep things brief as we plan to return with a more in depth newsletter next month featuring a full run down of our programming for the fall and winter. Stay tuned!
Upcoming Events
- Livestock Fencing Installation Skill Share
Date: September 19, 9AM to 1PM
Location: Peaceful Valley Farm, Dayville
Partner Events
- Ask Us Anything: Preparing Your Soil Health For 2027
Date: August 27, 7PM to 8:15PM
Virtual: Registration Required - New Ways to Keep Chickens Healthy and Poultry Products Safe
Date: September 3, 3PM to 4PM
Virtual: Registration Required - Eastern CT CRAFT Farm Tour & Discussion on Compost & Microscopy
Date: September 21, 4PM to 6PM
Location: Assawaga Farm, Putnum
Free Consultations
Just a friendly reminder that Solid Ground offers FREE consultations from UConn Extension professionals to help support your farm operations. Whether they’re coming out to your farm, chatting with you over the phone, or communicating with you via email, our consultants are here to help you tackle the challenges you are facing:
- Commercial Vegetable and Hemp Specialist, Shuresh Ghimire
- Commercial Fruit Specialist, Evan Lentz
- Diversified Livestock Extension Specialist, MacKenzie White
- Soil Health Specialist, Amelia Magistrali
- Soil, Conservation, and Land Use Consultant, Kip Kolesinskas
- Urban Agriculture Educator,
Jacqueline Kowalski - Certified Organic Marketing TA,
Dave Tschiegg - Farm to School Partnerships,
Shannon Raider-Ginsburg - Farm Viability Services, Diane Dorfer
- One Health, Sara Tomis
Save these Dates
- 2026 New England Vegetable & Fruit Conference
Dec 15-17, Manchester, NH - UConn Extension Annual Vegetable and Small Fruit Growers Conference
Jan 12, 2027, Storrs, CT - Solid Ground’s Farm Managers Summit
Jan 20, 2027, Location TBA
For questions about items listed in this newsletter, please reach out to nicole.davidow@uconn.edu.