Extension > Family > Farm to School > Minnesota Toolkit for School Foodservice > Sourcing Food > Sourcing Green Beans
Sourcing Green Beans
Finding Local Food
- Local Foods Partnership online searchable database through the University of Minnesota Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships. It includes a wide range of food products from farmers mostly in northwest, western, and central Minnesota.
- The Minnesota Grown wholesale database lists Minnesota farmers interested in selling their products to schools. You can search online by product type and by region.
- The Land Stewardship Project has a Farm Directory for schools looking to purchase sustainably raised foods.
- Food Alliance Midwest is a national organization that certifies farmers who follow sustainable farming practices. Contact Bob Olson, the director of Food Alliance Midwest, for assistance in finding farmers: 651-265-3682
- Pride of the Prairie farmers have experience in selling to retail food buyers. For assistance in finding farmers, contact Terry VanDerPol: 320-269-2105.
Fresh green beans are available in summer and early fall in Minnesota. Green beans are easily harmed by frost and do not store well, so it is unlikely that you will be able to find locally grown green beans after the first fall frost in your area.
Regulations on Buying Green Beans Directly from Farmers
Minnesota state laws permit retail establishments and food services to purchase raw, unprocessed fruits and vegetables from any farmer who is selling the produce of his or her own farm.
Best Time to Buy
Order fresh green beans before school starts for delivery in September.
Food Buying Guide Specifications
Reference: Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs; U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service
Food As Purchased (How the Product Can Be Purchased) |
Purchase Unit (How You Should Order the Product) |
Servings per Purchase Unit (How Many Servings You Will Get Per Purchase Unit) |
Serving Size per Meal Contribution (For Each Meal Component Category) |
Amount Needed to Buy of the Purchase Units for 100 Servings |
Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Green Beans, Fresh Trimmed Whole Ready-to-Use |
Pound
Pound |
22.0
16.4 |
¼ cup whole, raw vegetable ¼ cup cut, raw vegetable |
4.6
6.1 |
1 pound AP = about 5 3/8 cups ready-to-cook 1 pound AP = about 4 cups ready-to-cook beans |
Green Beans, Untrimmed Whole |
Pound |
11.1 |
¼ cup whole, cooked vegetable |
9.1 |
1 pound AP = .88 pound ready-to-use beans |
Contact Farm to School Extension: 
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