Farm to School is surprisingly complex as it is both farming in schools and bringing schools to farms. Farm to School programs seek to (1) improve childhood health and (2) support local farmers by teaching students about local foods through the cafeteria, classroom, and school gardens. The purpose of this study was to inquire into the history of Farm to School on a national level and in Georgia by examining the tension between those who implement formal Farm to School programs and those who apply its principles more broadly. This tension is termed Farm to School versus farm to school and provides the foundation for exploring how different individuals conceptualize this specific food education program. This study used qualitative narrative inquiry, where semi-structured interviews and thematic narrative analysis guided the data collection and analysis processes, respectively. This study found several things. First, the foundation of Farm to School is rooted in garden and agricultural education and the early conceptions of school lunchrooms. Today, Farm to School manifests as a cafeteria and classroom initiative. Critical views of Farm to School contend with these norms, pushing and expanding the boundaries of what constitutes Farm to School. Second, in Georgia, key players come from multiple background areas, including garden, science, and music education, and business management. The difference in foundational roots versus successors of Farm to School indicates various background experiences can lead to success in this arena. Third, several participants suggested avenues for their vision of growth for Farm to School, such as increasing community and cultural values in Farm to School programming. Finally, this study resulted in a conceptual model researchers can employ when engaging in multiple frames of paradigm thinking so that phenomena such as Farm to School can be viewed through multiple lenses. Practically speaking, this study provides educators with information about how to start, who to involve, how to expand, and barriers to beware of in Farm to School. Most importantly, this dissertation serves to be a guide for others interested in exploring the creation, manifestation, and expansion of Farm to School or comparable programs in their state.
