Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:The CFP Hospital Farm Project focuses on populations across the socio-ecological model including the individual, organizations, and the community-at-large. We have reached veterans; individuals struggling with poverty and/or food insecurity who are challenged by limited finances, resources, competing priorities (e.g., paying for medications or food); as well as those working in the organizations and across the community who can help create an environment that supports our overall population. Supporting Partners include: 1) dietetic students and registered dietitians fromCox College and Missouri State University students from CASL (citizenship and service learning), 2) staff from the Ozark Food Harvest, 3) the Horticulture Field Specialist at University of Missouri Extension, 4) System Director and Food and Nutrition Services at CoxHealth 5) 4-H Extension Office 6) New Entry Sustainable Farming Project Tufts University 7) Marketing Department CoxHealth 8) Evaluator, John Snow Inc. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?As previously mentioned, SCG sees capacity-building as fundamental to change. During the three-year grant, SCG either offered, or worked with its partners to provide 77 trainings totaling 144 hours. An estimated 258,160 individuals (may not be unique) attended these trainings which included, but not limited to: 1) how to extend the growing season, 2) understand and manage weeds, 3) diversity training, 4) safe organic pesticide use, 5) marketing and business planning, 6) composting, 7) packing sheds, 8) marketing vegetables for CSA, 9) infrastructure planning for market gardening, and 10) farm workers and produce food safety. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Social Media - SCG and CoxHealth use a number of marketing approaches to increase awareness of Amanda Belle's Farm (SCG-HFP) and availability of locally grown produce. To date, 285,028 people were reached via virtual Facebook with 8,219 likes. The SCG Instagram page has 1,761 followers and an estimated reach of 6,792 people. CoxHealth has its own separate Twitter and Facebook pages where SCG-HFP activities were posted. SCG-HFP was highlighted in monthly newsletters. In addition to marketing the CSA to CoxHealth employees (see Appendix B), the hospital also provides other in-kind marketing for the farm project. Several examples of media that were released this year include articles: highlighting farming techniques for local veterans, in SBJ highlighting the grant, in Springfield News-Leader on the grant, and a video produced for CoxHealth channels about current work at the farm. Television- Several television marketing opportunities were implemented over the grant period, including: KY3 News - published "Cox partners with SCG to build a hospital farm to feed patients and employees," which aired on August 26, 2020 at 6:35 PM EDT. PBS - A Taste of History® (https://www.pbs.org/show/taste-history/) is a travel and cooking television series that explores America's culinary beginnings. This innovative series brings America's history to life by helping viewers get to know the founders of our country through the food they ate and the recipes they prepared. A Taste of History® is taped in significant historic locations; from Jefferson's Monticello to Philadelphia's Rittenhousetown. The show was taped in Springfield, MO, to demonstrate SCGs efforts to create a local food system to be aired in Season 12. The show aired in September 2022 on PBS stations. The project was also highlighted in Farm and Ranch magazine. Billboards/Local Newspapers - SCG worked with its partners to create an advertisement for the Farm which was posted on a billboard and in local newspapers. Three newspaper articles including the front page of the local Sunday paper the News Leader and the Springfield Daily Citizen disseminated information about the project. Springfield's community gardens offer healing, friendship and fresh food https://sgfcitizen.org/springfield-mo-life/springfields-community-gardens-offer-healing-friendship-and-fresh-food/ CoxHealth, neighborhood gardeners roll up sleeves to partner on urban garden https://www.ksmu.org/news/2022-07-18/coxhealth-neighborhood-gardeners-roll-up-sleeves-to-partner-on-urban-garden Springfield's got a new crop of urban farmers: Millennials and Gen-Zers rise up https://sgfcitizen.org/environment/springfields-got-a-new-crop-of-urban-farmers-millennials-and-gen-zers-rise-up/ Springfield Community Gardens gets $67K grant for CoxHealth farm https://sbj.net/stories/springfield-community-gardens-gets-67k-grant-for-coxhealth-farm,81783 Springfield Community Gardens launches agriculture internship for prospective farmers https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/2022/11/15/springfield-community-gardens-launches-new-farming-internship/69639060007/ As hospital farm expands, Cox and garden nonprofit aim to improve habits and food supply https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2022/11/27/amanda-belle-farm-to-expand-teach-health-and-gardening-best-practices/69634323007/ What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Through the Springfield Community Gardens (SCG) Hospital Farm Project (HFP), SCG, CoxHealth, and other community stakeholders have implemented a shared vision of integrative medicine, public health, and a thriving local economy. SCG has been a trusted leader and catalyst for change, specifically in the areas of farming, gardening, and food insecurity. SCG connects neighborhood leaders with available land and assists an increasing network of volunteer community gardens in growing healthy food, strengthening relationships within the community, and generating social capital. The CFP grant enabled SCG, and its partner CoxHealth, to establish the SCG-HFP, and to set the foundation to allow for the farm to be sustained and promoted by market-driven sales and agricultural entrepreneurship. During the first year of the grant, SCG focused on building the infrastructure to support the growth and sustainability of the SCG-HFP. Two high-tunnels were installed, including water lines, frost-free hydrants, and access to water and electricity provided at no charge by city utilities (SCG pays now after the initial set-up). The CoxHealth engineer and architect assisted in acquiring permits and navigating city-code. Part of the infrastructure also included plans to use the farm's resources to cover the cost of the farmer(s), and then to generate revenue by selling produce (e.g., CSA boxes) and cut flowers. The pricing structure that was set up between SCG and CoxHealth has four tiers: Tier 1 - CoxHealth pays SCG Value Price to 50% expense of farmer expenses that are met through SCG sales & other farm income; Tier 2 - mid-level price point until 75% of the expense of the farmer is met; Tier 3 - pricing levels match current contract pricing for CoxHealth until farmer's salary is 100% paid, and Tier 4 - value pricing initiates in which CoxHealth gets below-cost pricing for investment. In addition, SCG has always agreed to prioritize produce donations in an effort to address food insecurity in the Springfield area. In years 2 and 3, produce valued at $71,213.25 was sold and $101,749.98 was donated. A major component of the SCG-HFP has been the Community Shared Agriculture (CSA), which launched during year 2 of the grant. In an effort to ensure success, SCG did a slow roll-out of the CSA, starting with CoxHealth employees. SCG sold out within the first 48 hours at 50 shares during year 2, and 70 shares in year 3 of the grant. Next year, SCG will open it up to 75 shares for employees and 100 shares for low-income patients for free. Participating employees pay $25 per week via payroll deduction and received a box valued at a minimum of $25. In addition to paying SCG $23,575 per season (22 weeks long) for the CSA, CoxHealth set up processes to remind employees of the pickups, and disseminated educational information created by SCG, including recipe cards, weekly produce lists, and information on highlighted local producers and exclusive cooking events for CSA members. SCG has partnered with local producers monthly to highlight the variety and quality of local produce and locally produced value added products. Since beginning the CSA, Terrell Creek Farm (artisan goat cheese), High Five Honey (honey products), and Black and Blue Berry Farm (berries and lavender) have received complementary marketing and advertising from SCG through social media posts and physical flyers highlighting their farms and involvement in the CSA at Amanda Belle's. SCG has also made monthly trips to the Kansas City area (~ 3 hour drive one-way) to exchange products from farmers for items that are not available in the Springfield area (e.g., pecans). Finally, SCG partners with the Ozarks Food Harvest, the local food bank to divert food from landfill to sustenance. In years 2 and 3, 375,072 pounds, estimated at $669,074.82, were diverted These examples demonstrate SCG's efforts (and success) in creating a regional food system. The SCG-HFP is a multi-component initiative that continues to build and enhance the infrastructure to support residents in addressing the social determinants of health, including food access, capacity building, and employment. Originally, the plan included piloting a food insecurity screening for patients, Unfortunately, COVID-19, and the demands placed on providers as a result of this virus, delayed efforts during this grant. However, SCG and CoxHealth recently won a produce prescription grant ($200,000) to engage physicians and medical students in screening patients for food insecurity and providing assistance in helping them to receive a CSA box weekly for 22-weeks. This grant will start in 2023 and includes group medical visits and social support systems. It will also work to provide medically-tailored meals with the support of Cox College and Cox Health. SCG has also collaborated with LFPCI to write a GUSNIP grant, which was awarded in year 3 of the CFP, to offer Double Up Food Bucks at its MarketGarden. Finally, one of the long-term outcomes of the SCG-HFP is to reduce readmissions at CoxHealth. SCG met with the staff at CoxHealth who are in charge of health analytics and have begun to create a system where these data can be tracked. In addition, SCG implemented a donor system called Bloomerang that will better enable the tracking of donors, volunteers, community partners, farmers, and other stakeholders. In terms of increased capacity and employment, SCG was founded on the principles of asset-based community development and invests in building skills at the local level. In year 2 of the grant, SCG worked with MU Extension to assist local farmers in becoming GAP certified to enable them to sell to anchor institutions such as CoxHealth and Springfield Public Schools who want to purchase food locally. SCG has also served as a preceptor for dietetics students and registered dieticians from Cox College, and provides Missouri State University (MSU) students with service learning opportunities. Over the three year grant, dietetic students/dieticians volunteered 2,543 hours and MSU students worked 9,600 hours, estimated at $313, 615 in total. SCG also created a free, four-week internship for stakeholders and the general public to help with the high demand of inquiries to the program. It works as a primer on regenerative agriculture for stakeholders such as the new principal of the Darr Agriculture Elementary school, teachers, and the food buys at CoxHealth. It includes 8 two hour sessions in one month, and supplements the paid apprenticeship program. SCG obtained an EPA grant to fund 30 internships with paid stipends for the underserved by December 2023. SCG also supports veterans and youth. SCG offers volunteer opportunities and skills training. During years two and three of the grant, Veterans volunteered 1,450 hours on the farm, and with related projects. In addition, the same Veteran served as the Project Coordinator at .25 FTE throughout this grant. SCG also works to empower youth and provide hands-on-learning. Specifically, SCG has worked with the 4-H program and created a curriculum to support youth in building confidence, creativity, curiosity, leadership, and resiliency. During years 2 and 3, the curriculum was offered both on-line (as a result of COVID) and in-person. In addition, SCG offered a week-long, half-day camp in year 3, and hosted "Heirloom Seed Garden Planting Party," and "Birdhouse Making Party," for approximately 87 adults and youth.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/20 to 08/31/21
Outputs
Target Audience:According to the Socio-Ecological Model, there are many levels that affect an individual. As such, our approach takes into consideration the individual, organizations, and the community. We have reached veterans; individuals struggling with poverty and/or food insecurity who are challenged by limited finances, resources, competing priorities (e.g., paying for medications or food); as well as those working in the organizations and across the community who can help create an environment that supports our overall population. Supporting Partners: Dietetic students and registered dietitians- Cox College Missouri State University students from CASL (citizenship and service learning department Ozark Food Harvest Dr. Merritt Family Medical Care Center (FMCC) CoxHealth MU Extension Patrick Byers Horticulture Field Specialist CoxHealth System Director Jason Bauer Food and Nutrition Services 4-H Extension Office New Entry Sustainable Farming Project Tufts University Marketing Department CoxHealth Changes/Problems:Although there were many accomplishments, COVID impacted components of implementation. Specifically, the plan was for FMCC to continue to pilot a food insecurity screening tool for patients. Unfortunately, Covid diverted almost all of FMCC's resources and the clinic ran very low staff and couldn't accommodate the extra step in their work flow. In addition, the doctor spearheading this initiative left outpatient practice. Efforts have been delayed but will resume next year. It is intended that the screening process will be shared with additional clinics in the CoxHealth network for implementation. Jason Bauer was promoted to Administrative Director, CMG Planning which oversees the clinics where screening would take place. This established relationship will help SCG implement the screening and prescriptions in more clinics. In addition, SCG plans to start the prescription pilot where doctors write a prescription for produce from Amanda Belle's and are encouraged to fill it for healthy, locally grown food. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Twenty-three trainings totaling 42 hours of professional development were provided reaching 231,713 people overall, including: Season Extension (9/24/20) -. The Missouri gardening season doesn't have to begin and end with spring and fall frosts. Farmers and gardeners can extend the gardening season earlier in the spring and later in the fall with low tech protective structures. The class discussed season extension structures including row covers, low tunnels, caterpillar tunnels, high tunnels, and greenhouses.. Understanding and Managing Weeds (10/3/20)- Weed management is critical to optimizing specialty crop production. The class discussed weed classification, ecology, and management strategies from an IPM viewpoint. Participants learned about reducing the number of germinating and competing weeds with strategies that range from mulches, allelopathic cover crops, stale seedbed prep, burning, occultation, steaming, cultivation, and natural controls. Diversity Training (10/15/20) - Creating a working environment where everyone feels secure and belonging is a long term commitment organizations must strive for. This internal SCG training session reviewed workplace expectations surrounding diversity and equity and opened a dialogue for staff members to ask questions regarding immutable characteristics such as race and gender. CSA Workshop (11/18/20) - Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a beneficial model for both farmers and consumers. This internal SCG workshop covered what CSA is, how to cultivate a community around your farm, and marketing and financial training around the CSA model. Millsap Farm Tour (10/21/20, 11/21/20, 12/19/20, 3/20/21, 4/10/21, 4/21/21) - Propagation and seedling establishment, flower production, cut flower management, marketing, what did attendees learn? Safe Organic Pesticide Use (11/19/20) - Organic pesticides are useful tools for farmers and gardeners interested in managing insects, diseases, weeds, and other pests. However, as part of an overall IPM strategy, they must be used correctly with the goal of minimizing impact on the environment and the applicator. The workshop focused on selecting an appropriate organic pesticide, understanding pesticide labels, calibrating pesticide applicators, mixing and using pesticides, and storing pesticides. Strawberry Production (12/3/21) - Strawberries are consistently profitable for specialty crop farmers and an excellent fruit for the home garden. The workshop discussed three production systems for strawberries - matted row perennial production, annual production, and growing strawberries in high tunnels. Beekeeping/Honey (12/17/20) - As pollinators, honey bees directly impact our food supply and are critical partners for farmers and gardeners.This workshop included key topics such as honey bee biology, beekeeping equipment, starting and managing honeybee colonies, and partnering with honeybees for pollination. \ Produce Food Safety (12/21/20) - Producing food safely is critical. This workshop provided important information on the intersection of produce food safety and farming practices, and included hands-on demonstrations. Topics covered include health and hygiene, safe use of manures and amendments, animals and produce, water, safe handling practices at harvest, and development of a farm food safety plan. Marketing and Business Planning (1/23/21) - Developing a business and marketing plan is critical to a successful farm. This class emphasized the business planning process, and used direct marketing as a model to chart success. Composting (1/20/21) - Composting happens naturally in our forests and with the help of people in communities. This workshop discussed composting basics, including its relationship with healthy soil and plants, and environmental stewardship with good composting practices. Elderberry Productions (2/18/21) - Elderberrys are a native fruit crop that offers economic opportunities for farmers and value added producers, and is a beautiful and useful plant in the home garden. This workshop discussed the origins of elderberry: adapted cultivars; propagation; and establishing, growing, harvesting, and using the fruit. Fruit Pruning (3/6/21) - Fruit pruning causes many farmers anxiety. This hands-on class removed the mystery surrounding pruning, and will discuss pruning apples, pears, stone fruits, grapes, brambles, and blueberries. Packing Sheds (3/11/21) - A packing shed is any building, erection, or other place in which dried fruits are stemmed, processed, graded, sorted, or packed for the purposes of sale or trade or otherwise. This workshop presented information on building and utilizing packing sheds in an urban farm context. Sugaring (3/18/21) - The natural bounty of trees is a time-honored tradition. The workshop discussed the various species of trees that are suitable for tapping, collecting sap, and the syrup making process. Shiitake Workshop Mushroom (4/3/21) - Shiitake mushrooms are one of the most popular mushrooms worldwide. They are prized for their rich, savory taste and diverse health benefits. This hands-on workshop discussed how to grow shiitakes on logs including how to drill holes, plug mycelium, and seal with wax. Participants took home their own shiitake log. Seed Saving (4/15/21) - Seed saving is a natural part of sustainability, and an enjoyable activity for home gardeners. The workshop focused on the biology of seed development, methods of maintaining seed purity, dry and wet seed processing, processing tomato seed, and short/long term seed storage. Forest Farming (5/12/21) - Forest farming or agroforestry is the cultivation of high-value crops under the protection of a managed tree canopy. The workshop discussed management of the various levels of a multistory cropping system, and in-depth information on several profitable non-timber forest products. Certified Naturally Grown (CNG) (6/17/21) - Certified Naturally Grown is a viable option for farmers and gardeners with an interest in organic production. The program emphasized soil health, naturally available farming inputs, non-chemical pest management, maintaining habitat for beneficials and pollinators, and sustainable farming/gardening practices. The class conducted an actual CNG inspection exercise. Blueberry Production (7/15/21) - Highbush blueberry has a proven track record as a delicious and profitable berry crop for Missouri farms and home gardens. The workshop discussed critical aspects of success with blueberry - selecting the best cultivars, preparing the growing site, establishing and caring for blueberry, harvesting and storing the crop, and blueberry marketing and value added. Flower Production (8/11/21) - Flower farming is a vibrant way to diversify a farmer's portfolio. This workshop covered timelines for planting and harvesting, flower species, and agritourism with flowers, and marketing. Herbs for Fun and Profit (8/19/21) - Herbs offer opportunities for fresh sales, and particularly for value-added products. This workshop discussed herb production for the farm and garden. The presentation discussed herbs for culinary use, as well as herbs that offer potential for fragrance and essential oil production. Goat Farming (9/01/21) - Goat farming is a profitable and enjoyable enterprise for farms of all sizes. This workshop covered basic goat care, the cheesemaking process, agritourism, marketing and business planning, and a Q&A session to address participant questions. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The attention to chronic disease prevention and health, by building the farm during the COVID-19 pandemic, has turned out to be an advantage. Many more community members are interested in the initiative and awareness of the SCG-HFP continues to be a priority for SCG and CoxHealth. The dietetic department head at Cox College has decided to take on this project as one of her primary functions because she even more fully believes in the project. The management staff, nurses and CoxHealth employees have mentioned several times that this project, building the farm and working at it, or on its systems are the bright spots in their daily routines working with Covid 19 challenges. Farmers are very excited to contribute to the CSA and have a market. The CEO of CoxHealth announced the project on his social media page stating that it has the possibility to be the largest hospital farm in the U.S. showing attachment to the project with long term goals. The hospital farm is on very expensive urban land that is highly visible and attracts inquiries daily. A number of awareness activities were implemented including: Social Media - SCG and CoxHealth use a number of marketing approaches to increase awareness of Amanda Belle's Farm and availability of locally grown produce. To date, 207,350 people were reached via virtual Facebook events, 238,400 were reached via posts, 48,600 people were engaged via posts, and 2,123 shares were made. The SCG Instagram page has 1,494 followers and an estimated reach of 1,794 people. CoxHealth has its own separate Twitter and Facebook pages where SCG-HFP activities were posted. SCG-HFP was highlighted in monthly newsletters. In addition to marketing the CSA to CoxHealth employees (see Appendix B), the hospital also provides other in-kind marketing for the farm project. Several examples of media that were released this year include articles: highlighting farming techniques for local veterans, in SBJ highlighting the grant, in Springfield News-Leader on the grant, and a video produced for CoxHealth channels about current work at the farm. CSA and Marketing - CSA's, in general, can be a unique market channel that may be a good fit for committed producers with access to interested consumers. This year, SCG used social media to double-down on the CSA marketing. Recipients were challenged to share recipes they prepared by tagging @springfieldcommunitygardens using #SCGMeals (Appendices A and C). To date, 10 meals have been shared through the SCGMeals hashtag. PBS - A Taste of History® (https://www.pbs.org/show/taste-history/) is a travel and cooking television series that explores America's culinary beginnings. This innovative series brings America's history to life by helping viewers get to know the founders of our country through the food they ate and the recipes they prepared. A Taste of History® is taped in significant historic locations; from Jefferson's Monticello to Philadelphia's Rittenhousetown. This grant year, the show was taped in Springfield, MO, to demonstrate SCGs efforts to create a local food system to be aired in Season 12. Billboards/Local Newspapers - SCG worked with its partners to create an advertisement for the Farm (Appendix D) which will be posted on a billboard and in local newspapers. Appendix A. Example of Email to CSA box members Appendix B. CoxHealth Internal CSA Marketing Appendix C. Social Media #SCGMeals Post Appendix D. Billboards/Local Newspapers What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will continue pursuing our work plan as intended.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The accomplishments achieved thus far are a result of two overarching factors: 1) collaborative and pooled funding and 2) strong partnerships. Specifically, SCG received five separate USDA grants valued at $2,595,375 and two Missouri Department of Agriculture grants totaling $74,923.The collaborative funding has helped to increase the impact and scale of SCG and its partners to implement their shared vision. Second, while the launch of the SCG-HFP began in the height of the COVID pandemic, the trusted partnerships between individuals and organizations throughout Springfield has helped to lay the foundation for a successful and timely implementation to date. SCG and CoxHealth have a long-standing working relationship--which started as a result of staff from each organization knowing and trusting one another--partnering to grow healthy food, build relationships in the community, and generate social capital. Other key partnerships have helped to promote collaboration towards the common goal of improving food access. Specific accomplishments include: 1.0. Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB). SCG aims to offer DUFB to help individuals on food assistance bring home more healthy food by matching their SNAP dollars spent on fresh fruits and veggies. However, DUFB was discontinued in the Springfield area in 2020 because no local or regional organization applied for funding. In collaboration with the LFPCl, SCG applied for a GUSNIP grant to offer DUFB at its Market Garden and its hospital farm at CoxHealth South. 1.2. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). 50 CSA boxes were piloted to CoxHealth employees, which were sold out within the first 48 hours. Employees paid $25 per week via payroll deduction and received a box valued at a minimum of $25. CSA through Amanda Belle's Farm partners with local producers monthly to highlight the variety and quality of local produce and locally produced value added products. Since beginning CSA at Amanda Belle's in July 2021, Terrell Creek Farm (artisan goat cheese), High Five Honey (honey products), and Black and Blue Berry Farm (berries and lavender) have received complementary marketing and advertising from SCG through social media posts and physical flyers highlighting their farms and involvement in the CSA at Amanda Belle's. 1.3. Reducing Waste and Ensuring Sustenance. SCG partners with the Food Bank to divert food from landfill to sustenance. This year, 42,025 pounds of food valued at $73,123.50 was donated. 1.4. Regional Food System. The partnerships that have been established as a result of SCG using CSA income to purchase from other local/regional farmers has helped to establish a regional food system. For example, SCG now makes monthly runs to Kansas City to exchange produce from farmers for items that are not available in the Springfield area. 1.5. Youth Empowerment and Hands-on-Learning. Due to COVID-19, a calendar year's worth of online curriculum was developed for SCG 4-H families with students ages 6-12 to use at home. This biweekly curriculum was distributed via email to 4-H families and included a learning objective with a corresponding activity additional resources including YouTube videos, short articles and interactive websites. 1.6. Medically-tailored meals. The Decision Support Analyst/ Healthcare Support Analytics for CoxHealth worked with Dr. Merritt to identify and track a target patient test-audience. The results of this test-group will determine protocol for medically-tailored meals. Cox College and CoxHealth met to discuss the integration of home delivered foods with the Farm, the grant application, and research project that will include key people from these organizations. 1.7. Readmissions. One of the long-term outcomes of SCG-HFP is to reduce readmissions at CoxHealth. SCG met with the staff at CoxHealth who are in charge of health analytics to begin identifying a system where these data can be tracked. 2.0. Supporting Locally Grown through Gap Certification. Few farmers oppose the concept of food safety standards because they don't want their customers to get sick from their products. But GAPs are often considered an onerous burden by many small farmers who are accustomed to complete freedom in how they grow and harvest. In partnership with SCG, MU Extension has been working with local farmers to demonstrate the benefits of GAPs, and to help them become certified. This is important because anchor institutions such as CoxHealth and Springfield Public Schools want to purchase food from farmers who are GAP certified. This year, SCG identified 7 farmers who are interested in selling to CoxHealth. 2.1. SCG as a Preceptor. In an effort to create economic opportunities, SCG is a preceptor for dietetic students and registered dietitians from Cox College, and provides MSU students with service learning opportunities. Cox College dietetic students and registered dieticians engaged in the process of building out the farm, researching local food insecurity and ways to lower readmission rates with better nutrition. Dietetic interns from Cox College volunteered 708 hours (up from 606.5 hours in the first year), valued at $10,797. Registered dieticians worked 76 hours valued at $2,222. Service-learning students from MSU were also engaged to advance the SCG-HFP activities. They worked 1,685 hours to advance the SCG-HFP activities. This was similar to the 1,822 hours in Year 1, despite the COVID pandemic. In addition, graduate assistants from MSU worked 400 hours, general volunteers worked 170 hours, and administrators worked 80 hours. The total number of hours worked was 2,335 valued at $60,616.60 (up from Year 1 at $46,333.46). 2.2. Promoting from Within. SCG prioritizes promoting interns and apprentices to fill its permanent positions. This year, one of the 9 interns was hired as a field assistant, two others interviewed for an apprentice position (1 got the job). The apprentice was promoted to a farmer assistant position. 2.3. Veterans for Wellness. SCG has Veterans for Wellness to incorporate outreach and retention of veterans with peer-to-peer support and learning opportunities and jobs. This year, veterans volunteered 436 hours on various aspects of the SCG-HFP. For example, an active duty officer interested in ecology and food security was granted permission from his Commanding Officer to complete his duty as an intern for SCG. In addition to volunteers, SCG hired a Veteran to serve as Project Coordinator (.25 FTE through this grant). 2.4. Local Stakeholder Internships. SCG created a free, four-week internship for stakeholders and the general public to help with the high demand of inquiries to the program. It works as a primer on regenerative agriculture for stakeholders such as the new principal of the Darr Agriculture Elementary School, teachers, and the food buyers at CoxHealth. It includes 8 two hour sessions in one month, and supplements the paid apprenticeship program. 2.5. Cut Flowers. Due to flooding and an incomplete site grade in 2020 market trials were conducted off site. Year one was successful in establishing growing trials on ranunculus, anemones, dahlias, and zinnias, strawflowers, china asters. This year, markets to florists have been established with agreement to mentor growers. In addition, a six flower farmer coop was established for discounts on seed and tubers and for sharing best practices on storage, planting and markets. The goal is to utilize the Farm's resources to cover the cost of the farmer first and generate further revenue as well. In 2020/2021, SCG was largely focused on donating market quality produce due to food insecurity residents during the pandemic. The total value of produce moved was $36,405 with $25,527 donated and $10,878 generated in revenue. All revenue from all flowers, food, aggregate through the tier pricing model toward the goal of paying for the farmer.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/20
Outputs
Target Audience:The Socio-Ecological Model takes into consideration the individual, and their affiliations to people, organizations, and their community at large to be effective. During this first year, SCG and its supporting partners worked primarily on building the organizational and community structures/levels rather than working at the Supporting partners Dietetic students and registered dietitians- Cox College Missouri State University students from CASL (citizenship and service learning department Ozark Food Harvest Dr. Merritt Family Medical Care Center (FMCC) CoxHealth MU Extension Patrick Byers Horticulture Field Specialist CoxHealth System Director Jason Bauer Food and Nutrition Services 4-H Extension Office New Entry Sustainable Farming Project Tufts University Marketing Department CoxHealth Stakeholder team of different departments including Health care analytics, research librarian, Population Health at CoxHealth to understand how to lower re-admissions with this project. Proceeding with home delivered meals and food insecurity screening by Dr. Merritt as possible pathways to lowering readmissions and food insecurity for hospital population Gathering data for marketing campaign including dietetic college and staff who will be launching a seasonal foods campaign and recipe cards to be delivered in CSA boxes and online to patients and employees. Changes/Problems:There were several major challenges/problems that required shifting. First, SCG did not receive funding for the grant until late in year one. Despite this challenge, SCG continued to create more volunteer opportunities until we had to shut down operations due to COVID. COVID caused additional work in an effort to determine how many volunteers could be on the hospital farm and what the PPE protocol needed to be. Our population of gardeners are more severely affected by the pandemic because of this relationship between poverty and chronic disease, so this was a challenge. Many of the garden leaders were compromised due to age or comorbidities, and were hesitant to have volunteers after the month of March this year. Another challenge was the fact that farmers do not live on site, so the high tunnels needed to be fully automated. This was solved by buying two high tunnels that were bigger and fully automated. It also solved the problem of meeting the city engineer's requirement for the high tunnels being able to withstand a higher wind load. In spite of these challenges, we are still on schedule and feel confident in our ability to implement the project. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Six trainings to create economic opportunities through innovative strategies were implemented reaching 19,900 people overall, including: Certified Naturally Grown (CNG). Instructors from University of Missouri-Extension (MU Extension) and SCG provided a training on CNG, a viable option for farmers and gardeners with an interest in organic production. The training emphasized soil health, naturally available farming inputs, non-chemical pest management, maintaining habitat for beneficials and pollinators, and sustainable farming/gardening practices. The workshop was sponsored by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and reached 21 people in-person, 12 via Facebook, and 3,600 people overall. Native fruit crops. An instructor from MU Extension offered a training on native fruit crops, which have economic potential for farmers and local gardeners. The workshop focused on pawpaw, persimmon, elderberry, and lesser-known native fruits that are delicious and profitable. The workshop was sponsored by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and reached 29 people in-person, 29 via Facebook, and 11,100 people overall. Food safety. An instructor from MU Extension offered a training on the intersection of produce food safety and farming practices. The workshop included topics such as health and hygiene, safe use of manures and amendments, animals and produce, water, safe handling practices at harvest, and development of a farm food safety plan. Hands-on demonstrations emphasized important aspects of produce food safety, including water sanitation. The workshop was sponsored by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and reached 8 people via Facebook, and 2,400 people overall. Maximizing yield. An instructor from MU Extension offered a training on factors that contribute to sustainable and profitable yields for Missouri farmers and gardeners. The training emphasized the selection of the best cultivars, a good site, using irrigation effectively, fertility management, cultural practices, and good harvest and postharvest handling practices. The workshop reached 12 people via Facebook, and 2,800 people overall. Season Extension This workshop was paid for but not scheduled until September 24 due to Covid 19 challenges in scheduling. New Entry National Incubator Farm Training Initiative and Ag Apprentice Learning Networks. SCG staff attended the New Entry National Incubator Farm Training Initiative and Ag Apprenticeship Learning Networks in Ithaca, NY, November 4-6, 2019. This was an opportunity to network with 64 individuals representing over 43 incubator and apprenticeship programs from 24 states to learn and grow from each other. There were presentations, workshops, and local field trips. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The attention to chronic disease prevention and health, by building the farm during the COVID-19 pandemic, has turned out to be an advantage. Many more community members are interested in the initiative and awareness of the SCG-HFP continues to be a priority for SCG and CoxHealth. The dietetic department head at Cox College has decided to take on this project as one of her primary functions because she even more fully believes in the project. The management staff, nurses and CoxHealth employees have mentioned several times that this project, building the farm and working at it, or on its systems are the bright spots in their daily routines working with Covid 19 challenges. Farmers are very excited to contribute to the CSA and have a market. The CEO of CoxHealth announced the project on his social media page stating that it has the possibility to be the largest hospital farm in the U.S. showing attachment to the project with long term goals. The hospital farm is on very expensive urban land that is highly visible and attracts inquiries daily. A number of awareness activities were implemented including: The high tunnels at the hospital farm are ready for their first crops, and have the potential to be the largest hospital farm in the US. CEO of Cox Health and SCG have been promoting the high tunnels on social media, including Facebook and Instagram. To date, we have 6,993 followers on Facebook and 1,311 followers on Instagram. The hospital farm was also spotlighted on the local news change, KY3. "Cox partners with SCG to build hospital farm to feed patients and employees published by KY3 News on Aug. 26, 2020 at 6:35 PM EDT and found at: https://www.ky3.com/video/2020/08/26/cox-partners-with-springfield-community-gardens-build-hospital-farm-feed-patients-employees/ CoxHealth has its own separate Twitter and Facebook pages where SCG-HFP activities were posted. In addition, SCG-HFP was highlighted in monthly newsletters. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We plan to continue pursuing our workplan as planned.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Two high-tunnels were installed, including water lines, frost-free hydrants, and access to electricity provided at no charge by city utilities. This was a collaborative effort between SCG and CoxHealth, whose engineer and architect assisted in acquiring permits and navigating city-code. By planning the erection of the site, several connections were made with farmers.This year, SCG staff had over 50 meetings with CoxHealth staff to lay the groundwork for erecting the high tunnels, the implementation of the CSA for Cox patients and employees, and plan for the needs of the Cox Cafeteria. It was determined that two larger (30x96), heavier-duty high-tunnels on moveable tracks would better suit the needs of the project. Farmers do not live on-site so the tunnels needed to be fully-automated and capable of withstanding sheer winds (at the request of the city-engineer). After a bidding process, TruHome was contracted to excavate and install the high-tunnels. The installation included cement piers which are removable yet compliant with the city-code and help to ensure durability. The FMCC Clinic is piloting a food insecurity screening tool for patients. FMCC - Nutrition Diagnostics graduate students and Cox College Clinical Preceptor/Faculty held ongoing weekly in the FMCC Clinic where patients are screened for a positive Hunger Vital Sign and assessed for nutrition when able. If a Hunger Vital Sign screen was not performed on a patient on the dietitian's list, the screen was performed by Nutrition Diagnostics students and the results are logged in the EMR by the appropriate Medical Assistant. Food insecurity is addressed several ways: 1) those who are not already Crosslines clients are provided with a prescription for a food box; 2) those who are in immediate need for food are provided with emergency food on-site; and 3) patients are provided with information on other local food resources. Doctor Merritt screen patients for food-insecurity by administering the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module: Six-Item Short Form Economic Research Service at the beginning of each visit with patients. It is intended that this surveying process will be shared with additional clinics in the CoxHealth network for implementation. A curriculum lasting 7 months was developed for kids aged 6-12 participating in the 4-H program. The lesson plan includes a learning objective, corresponding activity, and additional resources including YouTube videos, short articles and interactive websites. One farmer was hired for the farm, and the Project Coordinator was hired at .25 FTE. The director also facilitated the job of the food hub manager by recruiting farmers and working with Cox Kitchen and Dietetic students on the project. . This year, dietetic interns and registered dietitians from Cox College volunteered 606.5 hours. Service-learning students worked for 1,822 hours valued at $46,333.46 to advance the SCG-HFP activities. SCG is a preceptor for Cox College and took the opportunity to engage dietetic students in the process of building out the farm, researching local food insecurity and ways to lower readmission rates with better nutrition. SCG and CoxHealth interacted with Gardeners Orchardin a substantial way, partnering to erect the high tunnels. In addition, The Salad Farm, who reached out to SCG regarding the 2501 grant is now engaged to become a vendor for SCG-HFP. A second hydroponic lettuce farmer who works in the psychiatric unit of the hospital has also agreed to grow a special variety of romaine lettuce for the cafeteria. Connections such as these are vital to creating a local food system from the ground up using social capital. The SCG-HFP has created a pathway for 2 farmers to sell in volume to CoxHealth. Funds from Solid Waste Management/ Ozarks Headwaters totaling $8,559 enabled SCG to install an ansul fire system for the gas burning stoves. These large gas burners will allow farmers to use the kitchen for commercial cooking of value-added test products. These farmers are being supported to create a crop plan to supply the hospital with salad greens. SCG has Veterans for Wellness to incorporate outreach and retention of veterans with peer-to-peer support and learning opportunities and jobs. This year, SCG conducted research on different varieties of flowers to determine which flowers can withstand several late frosts and heavy rain downpours. Pest pressure was minimal, and organic methods were used (e.g., essential oils, neem oil and supplements such as magnesium and calcium) to create healthy plants. Carnations, Daisies, Straw Flowers, Ranunculus, Anemones, Zinnias, China Asters were grown successfully with documented dates of quality and bloom time. Lily of the Valley sells for the most per stem and 20 plants were planted for Spring 2021 sales. Sales and prices for stems, as well as supplies for selling, were established. Peonies, Fancy Tulips, Fancy Daffodils, Hyacinths were ordered through Missouri for fall planting.SCG did not go to market in Spring 2020 due to Covid 19 which restricted test sales to $40.00. These flowers will be sold to visitors of the hospital farm for patients and families and to the purchasers of the CSA boxes. This year, dietetic interns and registered dieticians from Cox College volunteered 606.5 hours. Service-learning and graduate students from MSU worked for 1,822 hours to advance the SCG-HFP activities. Several meetings took place to engage dietetic students in the process of building out the farm, including August 18, 2020, when the System Director of Nutrition Services for CoxHealth discussed the SCG-HFP with the new cohorts. During this meeting CoxHealth provided an overview of the farm, how it originated, the grants, and the big picture plans. He also presented the roles and experiences the students would have in learning. A marketing campaign has been established that will concentrate on seasonal vegetables, fruits, and flowers with brochures and social media posts both through the Cox network and SCG. This will include recipe cards in CSA boxes. These recipe cards are currently being developed. The farm was named Amanda Belle's Farm to commemorate Amanda Belle Cox the mother of the founder, Lester E Cox, who took fresh produce and meals to patients during the founding years of the hospital. Additional marketing has been done in the monthly newsletter that goes out to 10,000 CoxHealth employees and on the CoxHealth website, Facebook and Twitter page. The Decision Support Analyst/ Healthcare Support Analytics for CoxHealth is working with Dr. Merritt to identify and track a target patient test-audience. The results of this test-group will determine protocol for medically-tailored meals. Cox College and CoxHealth met to discuss the integration of home delivered foods with the Farm, the grant application, and research project that will include key people from these organizations. One of the long-term outcomes of SCG-HFP is to reduce readmissions at CoxHealth. SCG met with the staff at CoxHealth who are in charge of health analytics to begin identifying a system where these data can be tracked. SCG and CoxHealth piloted the CSA boxes including weekly distribution to the Cox kitchen staff and key stakeholders within the hospital to increase awareness with employees about the future opportunity. CoxHealth IT staff to establish a point of sale on employee debit card for hospital.
Publications
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