🍎 We turn Real Food into Real Learning!
Spade & Spoon in the Classroom is a free, hands-on farm-to-table program designed to make food and nutrition come alive for your students.
You’re shaping the next generation—we’re here to support you. Our team leads hands-on, no-stress food activities that fit right into your classroom and align with Colorado’s Health and Nutrition Standards.
We do the prep. You spark the impact. No ovens. No stress. Just clean ingredients, engaging activities, and curious kids discovering where real food comes from.
We even bring all the supplies—so you don’t have to. Let’s make it fun—and unforgettable.
Meet the Team Behind the Program
For the past 14 years, Joy has been on a mission to help families eat cleaner and feel better—starting in her own kitchen. She’s the heart behind Spade & Spoon and believes real food can change lives (and still be fun and delicious).
A former teacher turned food systems expert, Bekah brings her love of learning into every kit. She makes sure what lands in the classroom is as educational as it is exciting—always with local farms at the center.
With a B.S. in Food Science, an M.S. in Human Nutrition, and credentials as a Registered Dietitian, Chelsea designs activities that help kids connect the dots between what they eat and how they feel. Her superpower? Making veggies cool.
With over 20 years in the kitchen and a 7-year-old daughter at home, Chef Andrew knows exactly what recipes kids want to make (and eat). He keeps things simple, flavorful, and family-approved.
Local Colorado Farmers
At Spade & Spoon, we work with over 60 local farmers and producers across Colorado—and we’re building this program to help the next generation understand what real food looks, tastes, and feels like.
Veterinarian Kevin McSweeney founded Five Freedoms Dairy to create a sustainable dairy that provides cows with a healthier, more enriched life. The dairy's unique practice involves allowing mother cows to care for and nurse their calves for at least five months after birth. Additionally, the cows have access to pasture, shade, and soft bedding, reflecting the dairy's commitment to treating them as intelligent, gentle creatures.
In 2011, Hanmei and Derrick met and eventually transformed Hanmei's family garden in north Greeley into an urban farm in 2014, which grew to over 100 acres by 2016 to meet local food demands. Hanmei, originally from a farming family in southern China's Fujian Province, and Derrick, a third-generation farmer from Loveland, Colorado, combined their backgrounds to create Hoffman Farms. Despite their diverse histories, they now work together to produce high-quality produce, with Hanmei focusing on deliveries and Derrick managing field operations.
JFS Altius Farms delivers healthier food while reducing environmental impact and boosting the economy through job creation and a robust food system. Using sustainable vertical farming techniques, they produce non-GMO, pesticide-free food and lower water consumption. Additionally, they provide workforce training and support the JFS Weinberg Food Pantry with nutritious produce.
