To our trusted School Food Service leaders and partners…
This month, we’re exploring why reserving just one pallet can be a lifeline for a small farmer — and introducing you to Young Kwun of EZM Inc., an organic blueberry farm in Porterville, CA with farmers market grade fruit grown exclusively for schools like yours. Read on to find out how your district can get involved.
Your Order is an Investment in Your Local Farmer
For small farmers, the difference between a good and bad season can come down to a single committed buyer. Unlike large commodity operations with contracts locked in months ahead, small and mid-size farms often grow without a guaranteed home for their product — hoping orders will come in, scrambling to find buyers at the last minute, and absorbing losses when they don’t. A pallet reservation changes that equation. It gives a farmer a confirmed sale before the harvest even happens, making it possible to plan with confidence.
Andrew and Eric Walker of Farmboy Organics survey their fields.
Small Farms Run on Certainty
Without committed buyers, farmers are forced to make risky and expensive decisions — what to grow, how much to grow, how many workers to hire — without knowing if there’s a sale on the other side. Reserving just one pallet closes that gap. It turns a gamble into a plan. Predictable revenue isn’t a luxury for a small farm — it’s what makes the next season possible.
Mireya Gomez-Contreras and team at Esperanza Community Farms, packing fresh organic vegetables
Early Commitment = Better Access
Small farms have limited volume, and the good stuff goes fast. Districts that reserve early get first access to the freshest local product — and they build the kind of ongoing relationships that keep farmers coming back with their best offerings season after season.
EZM Inc. preparing a pallet of organic blueberries that have been picked to order
What it looks like in practice
A pallet reservation is a handshake across the supply chain — a district saying we want what you’re growing. It’s farm to school moving beyond good intentions into real, tangible support for the farmers in your region.
…Not to mention the behind-the-scenes happy dances every time these local purchases from schools happen!!! 💃🕺
We know that ordering a full pallet is a big ask — it’s a large volume commitment that can feel like uncharted territory for many schools. But that’s exactly what CAFF’s Farm to School team is here for. Whether you’re starting with micropurchases or ready for a formal bid, CAFF offers free, one-on-one procurement support — and can help match your district with local farmers that fit your needs.
Reach out to Michelle Duong at mduong@caff.org or Claire Tauber claire@caff.org to get started.
Young Kwun (left), owner of EZM Inc., farming with his parents. Mom (top right) sorts and inspects the freshly harvested berries, and Dad (lower right) hand spreads mulch with the help of a golf cart.
FARMER SPOTLIGHT: Young Kwun, EZM Inc.
Young Kwun has been farming blueberries for over 15 years. His 32 certified organic acres in Porterville produce fruit that his customers come back for year after year.
A family farm, in every sense
Young’s parents live on the farm with him. His father, a retired architect who spent his career designing hospitals and hotels, now spends his days out in the fields. These days you can expect to see his dad spreading mulch by hand across their entire 32 acres, in order to keep their farm costs low, sparing the need to purchase an expensive mulch spreading machine.
The farm has deep roots in the community. Young’s mother used to run a u-pick operation — the kind where the whole town knows your name and comes out every season. If you’re in the neighborhood, you will see his mother hand-weeding the rows. Neighbors have noticed her still at it after dark; Young just shakes his head: “I know, she’s still weeding. It’s almost dark and she won’t come in.”
32 certified organic acres, native birds, mulch building healthy soil, and every berry picked by hand. This is what farming with intention looks like.
What sets EZM apart
Ask Young what makes his blueberries different, and he’ll tell you: it comes down to how they’re picked. Most commercial blueberries are harvested for efficiency. Young’s premium grade is harvested for ripeness — and that’s not a small distinction.
Each week, a crew of skilled pickers moves through the fields on golf carts, selecting berries one by one at peak ripeness. Young is deliberate about who picks and how: quality pickers, unhurried, focused on the fruit. It’s slow, careful work that results in blueberries with noticeably better flavor and longer shelf life than what most distributors can offer.
An exclusive offering for schools
EZM is offering schools something you won’t find from a distributor or grocery store: farmers market grade blueberries, available only through direct purchase. This is the same grade Young selects for his farmers market customers and because of the labor involved in bringing this quality product to market, volume is limited.
Reserve your order today. Your students will taste the difference.
For more information, see the Product Sheet.
**Please note that Young has a limited delivery route and may not be able to serve all districts across the state. Reach out to find out if EZM Inc. is a fit for your area.
Farm to School Innovator Series: Formal Purchases for School Nutrition Programs
May 6, 2026
1:30–2:45 p.m.
Register Now
Join the Center for Ecoliteracy for the next event in our Farm to School Innovator Series: Formal Purchases for School Nutrition Programs. Together, we will walk through the process, from developing and issuing a Request for Proposal to evaluating bids and awarding contracts.
School nutrition leaders will learn how to design procurement contracts that align with your program goals, including prioritizing quality, delivery, and California-grown fruits and vegetables. Whether you’re new to formal procurement or looking to strengthen your approach, you’ll gain tools and insights you can apply right away.
Guest panel featuring:
- Christina Lawson, Director of Food Service, Western Placer Unified School District
- Claire Tauber, Farm to School and Institution Manager, Community Alliance with Family Farmers
- Shayne Zurilgen, Co-Founder, Spork Food Hub and Fiery Ginger Farm
Live Spanish interpretation will be provided.
Good Food Purchasing CA Webinar Series: Creative Solutions Around Processing Fruits and Vegetables
May 26, 2026
2:00–3:00 pm
Buying good food isn’t just about price — it’s about values. The Good Food Purchasing CA Webinar Series brings together California institutions and food producers to make procurement that’s healthy, equitable, and community-minded a practical reality.
The first webinar addresses a hurdle many schools run into: how to get whole produce processed and onto students’ plates. Hear from a panel of practitioners — followed by a Q&A and resource sharing.
Our featured panelists:
- Michael Jochner (Morgan Hill USD)
- Dre Maher (Nevada City School of the Arts)
- Barbara Jellison (West Contra Costa USD)
- Claire Tauber (Moderator), Farm to School and Institution Manager (Community Alliance with Family Farmers)
Whether you’re already participating in the Center for Good Food Purchasing Program or just looking for fresh ideas, this series meets you where you are. No one-size-fits-all solutions — just real people working through real challenges together.
Are you ready for bid season?
We are in the thick of bid season, and we’re here to help make it easier than ever. Bid Generator 2.0 is ready to simplify your RFP process! This FREE and easy-to-use online tool now supports General Produce, Local Produce, Local Milk, and Local Meat contracts.
We offer FREE one-on-one assistance with school food professionals who want support through the RFP contract process for SY 2026-2027. If you’re interested, please email Michelle Duong at mduong@caff.org.
Farm to Cafeteria Signage
Help students connect with their food! CAFF offers free, customizable cafeteria signage designed to promote your farm to school program. Designs are available on Canva so you can easily add your district’s information. Request your free signage.
CAFF’s Farm to School specialists, Claire Tauber and Michelle Duong.
Thank you for all you do to bring local food to students’ plates and support California’s family farmers!
Sincerely,
CAFF’s Farm to School Team