For school and district leaders
Farm-to-School Partner Serving DC, Maryland & Virginia.
Local, seasonal produce from multiple farms, through one trusted partner.
We coordinate sourcing, delivery, consolidated invoicing, seasonal planning, and local-purchasing documentation. Schools may also offer Fresh Basket, TFA’s CSA program, as a convenient produce pickup for parents and staff.
One coordinated order and invoice for
products from multiple farms
Flexible service for schools of
every size
Urban, rural, and remote delivery
Specialty and culturally relevant products
Two distinct program tracks
Serve your cafeteria, your
families, or both.
The cafeteria purchasing program is provided by The Farmers Alliance. Fresh Basket is TFA’s separate CSA program for parents and staff. Each can operate independently.
Cafeteria purchasing
Direct Farm Sourcing for School Food Services
Purchase fresh, seasonal produce from multiple local and regional farms through one coordinated partner.
TFA works around your menus, quantities, procurement process, and delivery schedule.
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Local and seasonal produce aligned with cafeteria needs
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One coordinated order, delivery, invoice, and point of contact
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Flexible quantities—no school is too small
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Service for urban, rural, and remote locations
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Specialty and culturally relevant products
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Seasonal forecasting and advance purchasing plans
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Farm-origin and local-purchasing documentation
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Recurring deliveries or special-event ordering
Fresh Basket: Family and staff CSA
Fresh Food Access for School Families & Communities
Offer families and staff a convenient way to receive locally grown food at a location already built into their weekly routine.
What is Fresh Basket?
Fresh Basket is TFA’s CSA program: fresh, seasonal produce from local farms, packed into individual boxes and delivered to the school for parents and staff to pick up.
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Parents and staff enroll and pay Fresh Basket directly
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Individually packed and labeled boxes.
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One consolidated delivery to an approved school location.
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Pickup during dismissal, aftercare, or another approved window.
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The school does not manage subscriptions or household payments.
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Normal delivery fee is waived when minimum enrollment is reached.
Why The Farmers Alliance?
Local food purchasing
without the usual complexity.
TFA brings together the community impact of buying from local farms with the practical coordination schools need from an institutional partner.
Nonprofit and mission-driven
TFA strengthens regional food systems by creating dependable markets for small farmers while expanding access to fresh food.
Flexible reach
We work with schools of every size and can serve urban, rural, remote, and hard-to-reach locations.
One partner, multiple farms
Schools gain variety from a regional farmer network without managing separate relationships, deliveries, and invoices.
Purchasing documentation
Farm names, product origin, delivery records, and other information can support local-food reporting and procurement
requirements.
Local and seasonal first
Products reflect regional availability and the local harvest, with seasonal substitutions and planning support.
Education and engagement
Pair purchasing with taste tests, recipes, nutrition education, farmer visits, and family Fresh Basket access.
Cafeteria purchasing
How school produce
purchasing works.
TFA coordinates the farms and logistics while your food-service team retains control over menus, purchasing requirements, and delivery approval.
Define school needs
Share menu priorities, quantities, pack sizes, delivery windows, specialty items, and procurement requirements.
Build the seasonal plan
TFA identifies available products across participating farms and recommends seasonal options or substitutions.
Coordinate fulfillment
Products from multiple farms are aggregated into one organized delivery with one invoice and point of contact.
Review and plan ahead
Track fulfillment, quality, and purchasing records; forecast upcoming needs and consider advance agreements where appropriate.
Clear responsibilities for cafeteria purchasing
The Farmers Alliance handles
The sourcing and coordination that make multi-farm purchasing practical.
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Farmer and product coordination
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Seasonal sourcing and substitutions
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Aggregation and delivery
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Consolidated invoicing
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Farm-origin and purchasing documentation
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Advance planning with participating farms
The school provides
The requirements and approvals needed to fit existing operations.
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Menu priorities and anticipated quantities
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Approved-vendor and procurement requirements
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Delivery access and receiving window
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One authorized purchasing contact
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Food-safety and facility requirements
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Feedback on quality and fulfillment
Fresh Basket CSA pickup
How Fresh Basket pickup at school works.
Fresh Basket manages the CSA program from enrollment through delivery, while the school provides a convenient pickup location for parents and staff.
Confirm school participation
TFA and the school agree on the program contact, pickup location, site-access requirements, and minimum enrollment.
Invite parents and staff
The school shares approved program information, while families and staff enroll and pay Fresh Basket directly.
Pack and deliver
Fresh, seasonal produce from local farms is packed into individually labeled boxes and delivered together to the school.
Pick up at school
Parents and staff collect their boxes at the school. Fresh Basket manages subscriptions, account changes, and customer support.
Clear responsibilities for Fresh Basket CSA pickup
Fresh Basket handles
All household ordering and subscriber support remain separate from school purchasing.
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Parent and staff enrollment
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Subscription payments and account changes
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Produce sourcing and basket packing
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Individual labels and consolidated delivery
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Subscriber questions and missed-pickup communication
The school provides
A simple, approved framework for pickup.
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One authorized program contact
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A covered, accessible pickup location
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Approved communications to parents and staff
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Site access and security instructions
Beyond delivery
Seasonal planning, nutrition education,
and community engagement.
Local purchasing can become a visible part of the school’s nutrition, wellness, and agricultural education goals.
Turn local produce into a schoolwide learning opportunity.
TFA can help connect cafeteria purchasing with age-appropriate activities that introduce students and families to seasonal food, local farms, and healthy preparation.
Plan with the local harvest
Seasonal availability varies, but advance forecasting helps align school demand with participating farms.
Spring Leafy greens, herbs, radishes, asparagus, strawberries
Summer Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, squash, peaches, melons
Fall Apples, sweet potatoes, brassicas, winter squash, greens
Winter Storage crops, roots, apples, greenhouse greens, planned specialty items
A low-risk starting point
Evaluate the partnership with a
six-week school pilot.
Start with the track that addresses your immediate priority. TFA will prepare a school-specific operating plan, confirm procurement and site requirements, and review results before any ongoing commitment.
Cafeteria purchasing pilot
Test seasonal sourcing, fulfillment,
delivery, invoicing, product quality,
and purchasing documentation.
Fresh Basket pickup pilot
Test family enrollment, delivery, pickup procedures, participation, and staff workload.
Combined pilot
Evaluate cafeteria purchasing and family pickup together while keeping orders and payments separate.
Phase 1
Plan
Confirm the selected track, products, procurement, schedule, site access, communications, and success criteria.
Phase 2
Launch
Finalize the school-specific plan, place cafeteria orders, and/or open Fresh Basket enrollment to families and staff.
Phase 3
Deliver and evaluate
Complete six weekly deliveries, collect feedback, review results,
and recommend next steps.
Request a school consultation
Let’s build the right local food
program for your school.
Tell us about your cafeteria needs, Fresh Basket interest, or both. We will recommend a practical program structure and the next steps for a six-week pilot.