Farm and Field Day Returns to NewBrook Elementary School!

After a break forced by the COVID-19 pandemic, NewBrook Elementary School was able to host Farm and Field Day for the first time since 2019. The entire student body took a break from academics to spend an afternoon outdoors learning about food, recycling, and the natural environment.  

A multitude of community volunteers came out to run “stations”—where groups of students rotated through. The Windham County Game Warden, Dave Taddei, had a table full of pelts for students to explore and learn about. Giant Journey Farm brought adult rabbits and kits. Meadows Bee Farm had a faux milking station and taught students about June’s Harvest of the Month dairy. Food Connects made strawberry banana “nice cream” (sweetened only with fruit), and students assembled and ate their own pizzas, cooked by a West River Community Project volunteer. Amy Duffy, the school’s Farm to School Coordinator, made herbal salt scrubs with students. And the team from Windham Solid Waste ran a recycling relay! Art teacher Suzanne Paugh engaged students in making a mural for the garden shed out of recycled plastic!

Parents Elizabeth Erickson and Sara Webb, working with NewBrook’s Farm to School Committee, led the efforts to organize the event. Heather Sperling, the school’s wood-fired pizza expert and Farm to School veteran, and Amy Duffy, the school’s FTS Coordinator, were also central to the effort. Thank you so much to all the community members and families who volunteered to help with this event. Principal Scotty Tabachnick said, “it was just beautiful to see everyone outside, enjoying the day as a community again. We’re so thankful to everyone who supports our school.”

It was a wonderful day for all, and NewBrook Elementary School looks forward to hosting more events for students and families.

Welcoming our New Afghan Neighbors with Culturally Relevant Foods

By Farm to School Coach, Sheila Humphreys

My grandmother taught me that a thoughtful way to welcome new neighbors into the community is to bake them a pie and deliver it to their front door with a warm smile. Here in Brattleboro, our schools and community are in the process of welcoming approximately 100 new neighbors from Afghanistan. That’s a lot of pies!

In Windham Southeast Supervisory Union (WSESU) schools, Food Service Director Ali West and her staff welcomed Afghan students through her Where in the World are We Eating program. These special meals often take more work for the food service team, so our Marketing & Outreach Manager, Laura, joined the team to help peel potatoes and prepare the meal for the following day.

On a windy, cold Thursday in February, several Food Connects staff joined Ali and Brattleboro Union High School (BUHS) students for lunch to enjoy these delicious new flavors together. On the menu that day for the “Welcome Home Afghan Allies” meal was Borani Banjan (fried eggplant with tomatoes, mint, and garlic yogurt), Bolani (Flatbread stuffed with potato, onion, and peppers), Beef Kafta Kebab, and Lavash. The mix of flavors and spices was outstanding! Here’s what a couple of the students had to say about the meal:

“I like it. I like the naan and the meat has good flavor and seasoning. And the yogurt is good in flavor and texture.”

— Cyrus Smith, 10th grade

“Oftentimes the cultural food is a lot better than the other food.”

— Nash Miller, 10th grade

WSESD’s Nutrition program is not the only way the Brattleboro community is welcoming our new neighbors with nourishing food. The Brattleboro Multicultural Community Center-Ethiopian Community Development Council (MCC) is leading the effort to welcome our Afghan neighbors in many ways, including multiple opportunities each week for community members to provide a fresh main dish for lunch daily through a Meal Train site. Volunteers are encouraged to use a collection of Afghan recipes linked on the site, and feedback from our neighbors so far has been that our locally made versions of their traditional recipes are “somewhat bland.” Therefore cooks are encouraged to “be generous with spices, herbs, salt, and oil in the recipes.” Our neighbors say, “We especially want spicy food when we feel sad.” My coworker Beth and I made a meal a few weeks ago, and my kitchen smelled deliciously spicy afterward, those spices perhaps offering a tiny bit of healing to our new neighbors who have been through so much.

In addition, school garden coordinators at WSESD schools, in collaboration with Food Connects and Wild Carrot Farm, are planning to grow two culturally relevant crops in school gardens this season, gandana and nigella, and Kathy Cassin, the Garden Coordinator at Academy School, is featuring some Afghan dishes in her cooking projects with students. The Brattleboro Community and Food Connects family are so happy to play a small part in helping our new neighbors feel welcome, and we look forward to continuing to support and learn from them as they integrate into our area.

Oak Grove’s Pre-K Students Eat Up Their Local Veggies!

The youngest Oak Grove School community members recently completed a delicious in-depth study of local foods, gardening, and cooking! Oak Grove School’s Pre-K program was one of the 2021 Early Childhood Education CSA grant recipients through the Vermont Agency of Agriculture. In its first year, this grant subsidizes 80% of the cost of a community-supported agriculture (CSA) farm share at the Vermont farm of your choice. Oak Grove’s Pre-K chose to work with Full Plate Farm in Dummerston, VT.

13 lucky 4 to 5-year-old students got to enjoy many locally grown treats this year, including radishes, kale, beets, scallions, brussels sprouts, and winter squash. It was their first time trying some of these new flavors for many students. Pre-K staff Jen Tourville and Jamie Champney and garden coordinator Tara Gordon found creative ways to inspire the students to try new things. Adding mystery to the tasting lessons was one successful approach—from the five senses mystery box to mystery smoothies, student curiosity was encouraged. 

Each week, Jen and Tara put a different produce item into the five senses mystery box—an oatmeal container with a sock sleeve attached by a rubber band. They invited the students to put their hand in and feel the item and describe it with words, strengthening their language skills while also piquing their curiosity.

Recently, Jamie made a mystery smoothie for the class with bananas, frozen berries, yogurt, and a mystery ingredient (spinach). “Some students had never been willing to taste a smoothie before because they were already convinced that they wouldn’t like it,” Jamie said. “Adding mystery to the activity made all students curious enough to try it, and big surprise—they all liked it!” After they had tasted the smoothie and made guesses about the secret ingredient, Jamie revealed the spinach to her surprised students.

Produce that arrived weekly in the CSA share helped students make a connection to their school garden, where many of the same plants were growing. Tara regularly took students to the garden to harvest produce, and they combined their school garden-grown produce with produce from Full Plate Farm to cook some delicious recipes. The class cooked twice a week throughout the season, which was new and wonderful! Here are several of the most popular things they made:

• Fresh vegetable spring rolls

• Many soups, including stone soup and root vegetable soup

• Sweet and salty radishes

• Coleslaw

Jamie shared that often the students’ first response to the idea of new food was, “Yuck, I don’t like this!” but she discovered that when they cut the veggies into fun shapes or tried adding interesting flavors, for example, agave syrup to change the flavor of the radishes, students were pleasantly surprised to learn that in fact, they did like that food after all! For the more reluctant students, Tara introduced a five senses taste test, where the students closed their eyes and sometimes even plugged their noses when trying new food to focus on the texture of the food in their mouths.

The entire Oak Grove community benefitted from this in-depth study of local food and cooking by the Pre-K in several ways:

• Food cooked by the Pre-K was often shared with school staff as a special meal. The staff got to enjoy several different soups and a root vegetable casserole prepared by the students and their teachers.

• Bags of extra fresh produce were sent home regularly for students to share with their families. The produce came with a small sample of the meal that the students had made in school and the recipe, and families were encouraged to try the same recipe at home.

• Extra produce was also shared with other classrooms in the school. For example, Erek Tuma’s 4th-grade class benefitted from pre-K’s abundance of kale for their kale Harvest of the Month taste test.

The classroom curriculum connections were particularly rich, linking cooking, gardening, and produce exploration with science and literacy. A visit from Ragan Anderson supported the program, nutrition educator from the Brattleboro Food Co-op, who came into the classroom, read stories with the students, and did a cooking project featuring butternut squash.

Jamie is already thinking about what she will do differently next season to improve the program. Some of her goals are:

• Increase family feedback and family engagement. For example, send home every recipe with ingredients and invite families into school to participate in cooking and harvesting.

• Build more community throughout the school. For example, have cooking buddies from other classes and cook for other classes.

• Cook something once a week for staff.

Overall, this program was a huge success! As a result, the students are very excited about the school garden, and they look forward to cooking and gardening as a regular part of their weekly routine. Support from garden coordinator Tara Gordon was a key component to the success of this program, allowing students to spend time in the garden every week and engage in cooking activities throughout the whole season.

The Lunch Monitor: Increased 3SquaresVT Benefits and the Continued Importance of Universal School Meals

In October 2021, 3SquaresVT benefits increased in Vermont and around the country thanks to important changes made by the federal government to the food stamp program. This is the largest increase in benefits since the program began, which seems like good news for food-insecure families in our community, but there is more to the story.

Unfortunately, recent inflation rates in the US have also climbed to their highest in more than 30 years, which puts increased pressure on low-income families. The new maximum 3SquaresVT benefit per person for a family of 4 is now $6.86 per day. The average meal cost in Vermont is $3.60 per meal, so these benefits cover just 64% of their food costs for a family who is receiving the maximum benefit.

Veggie Van Go pickup

How do families in our community make up the difference? Many families rely on local food pantries like Foodworks and programs like the Vermont Foodbank’s Veggie Van Go Program for meals at home. For families with school-aged children, the fact that school breakfast and lunch are free again this year thanks to a temporary pandemic waiver from the USDA reduces financial stress for families.

School meals looks different than when we were kids!

There is currently a statewide effort to bring universal school meals to every public school in Vermont, to make breakfast and lunch free for all students permanently. 38.6% of families in Windham Southeast Supervisory Union (WSESU) receive 3SquaresVT benefits; therefore if universal meals were to become permanent in WSESU, that would directly benefit approximately 423 students in our district who might not otherwise have adequate nutrition to help them succeed in school. Additionally, 54% of eligible Vermonters are reluctant to apply for 3SquaresVT due to stigma, making programs like universal school meals even more crucial to the health of children and families in our community who are not receiving benefits. Multiple studies have confirmed that universal meals improve student learning, behavior, and health, reducing stigma in schools, and fostering a positive learning environment. Click here to show your support for universal meals.

Foodworks Finds a New Home

Foodworks, the Groundworks-run community resource in Brattleboro, has increased its storage capacity while also transforming the shopping experience at their new Canal Street location where shoppers are invited to pick up the food they need for free. We had the opportunity to visit the location last month to participate in a trauma and food-focused community of practice with a group of Groundworks staff. The group was formed as a result of the Food and Trauma Training Food Connects put on last spring, in collaboration with Equity Solutions, and their takeaways from the training are present throughout the new community resource. 

Upon arriving that morning, we stepped into the waiting room. Natural light streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, creating an inviting space for shoppers to hang out until it’s their turn. After checking in at the reception desk, shoppers can grab a cart or basket and walk the isles of food. Clear signage guides shoppers throughout the experience and indicates which items are limited, making it easy for first-time shoppers to feel right at home.  

Shortly after we arrived, Ava, the Foodworks assistant, pulled around back with a delivery of frozen meats, fresh produce, and cakes. We were happy to lend a hand unloading the truck while we learned more about the decisions that went into creating a sensitive and welcoming space. Food placement is one area where some changes accompanied the move. While the desserts used to be located at the entrance, which are limited to one per household per month, weekly fresh produce now greet shoppers entering the store—items that are available to everyone and a healthy staple. “We tried to organize the space so that weekly items are the most easily accessible and monthly items are somewhat hidden,” Christine, the Foodworks coordinator, said. “Now, weekly shoppers don't have to feel bad walking past items they can't access.”

The registration process was streamlined and it’s now easy to get in and get the food community members need. A staff member is always at the registration desk, ensuring that shoppers can count on a familiar face to greet them when they enter. “Changing [registration] from a volunteer role to a staff-only role is one of the biggest changes we made in an attempt to be more trauma-informed.” Christine said, “Having this be a staff-only role has allowed much more consistency, familiarity, and comfort for patrons.”  At check-out, another staff member or volunteer helps shoppers bag their food and answer any questions they may have.

It's these little changes that the Foodworks staff have found make a big difference when welcoming the community. Being upfront about expectations at registration and explaining the rationale behind the rules has led to a common understanding. Altering their hours so that donation pick-ups could be finished by the time Foodworks opens means that shoppers can rely on a more consistent experience and food selection each time they visit.

Overall, Christine has received mainly positive feedback. Shoppers have credited the waiting room, improved lighting, improved parking, and increased space as big improvements that have led to an experience more akin to your typical grocery store. 

Get involved

Along with comfy chairs and a little library, the waiting room has space for food demos and tastings. Foodworks is looking for volunteers to put on demos highlighting the produce available on the shelves and also be a source of knowledge for shoppers looking for cooking advice. Christine also noted that food donations are low this time of year and welcomes shelf stable items as well as garden produce. 

You don’t need to be experiencing homelessness to shop at Foodworks. Swing by during their open hours and talk to a staff member to learn more about how you can access this community resource. Foodworks is proud to serve the entire community and understands that sometimes folks need a lot of food assistance, and sometimes shoppers just need help with items like produce and bread which are often prohibitively expensive at the grocery store. With all these changes, their goal has been to eliminate stigma about accessing Foodworks.

Foodworks is located at 141 Canal Street and can be reached by phone at (802) 490-2412. 

Their hours are: 

• Monday 11-4

• Tuesday Seniors 12-2, Everyone 2-4

• Wednesday 1-6

• Friday 12-4

• Last Saturday of each month 9-12
  
  
  

Food Connects' Intern Carissa Brings Taste Tests and Sensory Activities to Summer Meals in Brattleboro

Dietetic Intern. New Hampshire resident. Pennsylvania native. Penn State alumna. Future dietitian. Food lover. Travel enthusiast. Experimenter in the kitchen. Appreciator of fresh, local, flavorful food. Avid reader.

I’m Carissa, and these are a few things about me. For the past year, I’ve been living in New Hampshire, completing my dietetic internship in order to become a registered dietitian. Keene State College’s dietetic internship is community-focused and very individualized, allowing me the opportunity to create my own projects with Food Connects this summer. With inspiration from some amazing resources like VT Harvest of the Month, I developed a series of sensory activities and taste tests to conduct during service of summer meals at Retreat Farm on some Fridays.

These activities highlight fresh, in-season produce and herbs grown at Retreat Farm, with the goal of increasing kids’ exposure to, interest in, and preference for fresh fruits and vegetables. Taste tests give kids the opportunity to try a new food without the commitment of eating a full meal. Sensory activities give kids the chance to interact with new foods using all of their senses other than taste, such as touch, sight, and smell. It can take a while for a child to become comfortable with a new food and eventually enjoy eating it, so it is my hope that these activities help kids grow an appreciation for fresh fruits and vegetables! To experience it for yourself, bring your kiddos to Retreat Farm for a free lunch at 12 pm on Friday August 9 and 16.

Growing up in Lancaster County, PA, there was never a shortage of fresh produce during the summer. When I went to college and started learning about the many social injustices in our society and the many issues in our current food system, my passion for providing equitable access to healthy food and nutrition education emerged. I originally started studying nutrition out of personal interest in and love for food, but now my eyes were opened to the role I could play in building a healthier, more sustainable, and more equitable food system as a dietitian. I don’t know what my career will look like or the exact jobs I’ll have, but my year in this internship has shown me that this work can be done many different ways. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with Food Connects, learn from its work in food distribution, access and education, and support its mission. I can’t wait to see how it and organizations with similar goals and values around the world change our food system for the better.

Food4Kids is a Success!

Putney Foodshelf’s new program at Putney Central School, “Food4Kids,” has been incredibly successful so far this school year. Participation in the Food4Kids food shelf has been quite high, with nearly 70% of students impacted by the program. Modeled after Guilford Central School’s food shelf program, Food4Kids offers free food to all students one day each week. The program is generously organized and staffed by volunteers from the town food shelf and Putney families have been extremely supportive. According to Executive Director of the Putney Foodshelf, Hannah Pick, Food4Kids’ success is in large part due to the incredible collaboration of school faculty & staff, administrators, families, and Foodshelf volunteers.

Food4Kids is a member of the Vermont Foodbank and has received a wide variety of products to offer its students this fall, including things like cereal, canned soups, and other snacks. The Foodshelf staff make it a point to include items that meet students’ dietary restrictions as well as a few fresh items each week, such as apples and carrots for snacking. Older students at the school have engaged in food shelf operations by volunteering to stock shelves and keep things tidy. Favorite items so far have been apples, granola bars, canned fruit, fresh produce, and mac and cheese. Hannah mentions that “The kids love coming to Food4Kids. It’s so heartwarming to see. Many parents have told us that their kids are proud of the food they’ve chosen, and some have been inspired to try cooking at home”.

Other school-based food shelves in Windham County include Food for Kids at Guilford Central School and Leland & Gray’s food shelf for middle and high school students in Townshend. Whenever possible, school food shelves offer local items to students, including items like squash and apples.