Amy Duffy Is Named Farm to School Champion!
Food Explorers
Farm and Field Day Returns to NewBrook Elementary School!
Farm to School is Thriving in Dummerston
Join Us for A Film Viewing and Discussion of GATHER
Hubbard Creates a Lasting Farm to School Impact
Hubbard Breeders, located in Walpole, NH, is Food Connects' top corporate donor for its Farm to School program the 2021-2022 school year!
Since 1921, Hubbard has been a worldwide reference for broiler breeding stock. While not a producer for the Food Connects Food Hub, their commitment to animal welfare aligns with the organization’s values. Hubbard is CODE EFABAR certified, which “addresses the issues of food safety and public health, product quality, genetic diversity, efficiency, environmental impact, animal health, animal welfare, and breeding and reproduction technologies.”
“With our focus on breeding sustainably, Hubbard shares mutual values with Food Connects for Healthy Families, Thriving Farms, and Connected Communities,” says Anne Hill, Hubbard Breeders Human Resource Manager, “We feel compelled to promote them in their efforts of supporting educators, food service directors, farms, and community members in cultivating healthy farm and food connections in classrooms, cafeterias, and communities across the region.”
The partnership between the two organizations began in late 2021 and goes beyond a donor and recipient transaction. Food Connects and Hubbard took time to connect their teams and figure out how to make a meaningful partnership that would benefit not only the organizations but the community as well. Ideas abounded when the two organizations met including:
Ways that they could impact Farm to School in the region
Supporting school horticulture programs
Helping grow community and school gardens by providing supplies and resources
Presenting in classrooms and job readiness programs to teach more students about the possibilities of agricultural job employment
“Despite the rain, our own April Sears volunteered with Food Connects to donate her time and gave an extra set of hands to Orchard Hill Breadworks to assist with gardening! She helped dig trenches around the community garden and get the plantation freshened up for the spring season! Go to the Orchard Hill Breadworks in Alstead, NH to get some delicious baked goods. If you get an oven brick pizza you can pick your toppings from the community garden that April helped with. Thank you April for helping our community on your spare time, we are pleased to have you as a Hubbard employee. If you come to the main office you will see April as she is our receptionist and you can ask her about her time with Orchard Hill Breadworks. ”
Food Connects is grateful for the opportunity to work with such a strong community partner. Already, Hubbard has supported the growth of the Farm to School program throughout the year and even contributed volunteers to recent Food Connects’ events. The growth of both organizations, in tandem, will surely mean success in the years to come.
Food Connects is an entrepreneurial non-profit that delivers locally produced food as well as educational and consulting services aimed at transforming local food systems. The Food Hub aggregates and delivers from over 150 regional farms and food producers to over 150 buyers in southeast Vermont, southwest New Hampshire, and western Massachusetts. Their educational services focus on Farm to School programming. Acknowledged as a statewide leader, the program supports over 30 schools to increase local food purchasing, school meal participation, and food, farm, and nutrition education. Together these core programs contribute to a vibrant local economy by increasing local food purchases by schools and improving students’ nutrition and academic performance. Food Connects is frequently hired to provide leadership and consulting services for efforts to support food systems initiatives throughout New England and act as a catalyst for change.
Hubbard Breeders is a chicken breeding company, dedicated to improving the communities they work in. If you’ve driven down Cheshire Turnpike lately, you probably saw some fancy chicken houses going up in south Langdon. Those (nearly finished) chicken houses comprise two state-of-the-art farms that Hubbard LLC is starting up. One is called Pleasant Valley Farm after the original farm that was there, and the other is named Centennial Farm in honor of Hubbard’s 100-year anniversary last year. Hubbard’s $13M investment in these farms will bring tax revenue into Langdon and create jobs for the community. If that piques your interest, stop by our office in Walpole and ask for Anne or Lucas!
Dummerston School’s Farm to School (FTS) program has been thriving recently, thanks to motivated parents, dedicated teachers, a supportive administration, coaching from Food Connects, and funding support from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture.
In 2018, a group of parents reached out to Food Connects for help planting seeds to grow a Farm to School program at the school. At the time, a couple of teachers gardened with students, but there was no school-wide program. This group of parents met regularly with former Food Connects’ FTS coach Kate Minifie, laying the foundation for school-wide growth and change.
In the fall of 2019, Julianne Eagan began her tenure as principal. Throughout her career as an educator in the Windham Southeast Supervisory Union (WSESU), Julianne has dedicated herself to student health and wellness, and she immediately saw the value of increasing FTS programming in Dummerston. She joined the FTS team and encouraged several teachers to join as well. Sheila Humphreys took over from Kate as the Food Connects FTS coach for Dummerston, bringing with her longstanding relationships with Julianne and 4th-grade teacher Molly Stoner from her previous work as an educator in WSESU. Administrative support, teacher interest, and strong relationships gave the program the boost it needed to get off the ground!
“I have been so inspired by the Dummerston School community’s passion and commitment to expanding our food production at Dummerston School, integrating the garden into our school curriculum, establishing partnerships with local farms, and realizing the potential of our beautiful and sunny rural campus.”
The pandemic slowed progress towards FTS goals at Dummerston in some ways but accelerated them in others. School staff was under tremendous stress with the challenges of pandemic teaching, and outdoor education and gardening were glimmers of hope and joy for teachers and students, sustaining them during this time. Thus the commitment to growing FTS at Dummerston grew.
When it came time to think about priorities for the 2021-2022 school year, it became clear that hiring a part-time garden coordinator to work in the garden and cook in the classroom with students was an essential next step toward growing the program. The FTS team made contact with Tara Gordon, who was working as a garden coordinator at several other WSESU schools at the time, and she was eager to work with Dummerston students as well.
With a part-time garden coordinator on staff, Dummerston sought grant funding to increase support and grow their program. With help from Sheila, the team drafted a proposal to the VT Agency of Agriculture and received a $10,000 Farm to School grant. They are using the funds to purchase equipment and supplies to expand the school garden and grow the garden program, create signage for the garden, and bring in guest educators to work with students on food, farm, and nutrition education.
In addition, the greater school community came together during the summer of 2021 to begin planning and fundraising for a major renovation and redesign of the playground, garden, and forest. On May 14, 2022, after many months of planning, approximately 40 parents, community members, and students attended a work day that included the construction of additional garden beds adjacent to the playground so that students could garden and graze during recess. Space was made in the woods for a forest garden with edible ferns and inoculated mushroom logs. Julianne says it best, stating, “I have been so inspired by the Dummerston School community's passion and commitment to expanding our food production at Dummerston School, integrating the garden into our school curriculum, establishing partnerships with local farms, and realizing the potential of our beautiful and sunny rural campus.” It was definitely heartening to see families and the community coming together to bring these visions to life!
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.
This spring, Food Connects and Edible Brattleboro partnered up to run a Food Explorers program at The Boys & Girls Club of Brattleboro. The group was small but mighty, and Food Connects staff had a lot of fun getting to know the club kids and building stronger relationships with the amazing folks at Edible Brattleboro.
Let’s start with some background on The Boys & Girls Club Flat Street location. Inside the inconspicuous doors is a huge, welcoming space. There are hanging plants, plenty of foosball and air hockey tables, a place to play basketball, a stage, and even an indoor skate park. Upstairs is a tech room and space to play creative games like Magic the Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons. Trust us when we tell you, this place has something special for every child! This location is open to middle and high schoolers from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Monday through Friday during the school year, with differing summer hours, and serves as a safe place for kids to learn, grow and have fun.
In late winter, Food Connects staff gathered with Boys & Girls Club staff to brainstorm ways the two organizations could work together. Excitement filled the air as the idea for the Food Explorers program began to take shape. Soon, Edible Brattleboro, a local organization that works to address food insecurity by building and caring for help-yourself gardens, also joined in, and Food Explorers was born.
Thanks to Edible Brattleboro's generous donation, we built a grow cart together, started seeds using said grow cart, and planted them in the help-yourself garden at Turning Point Recovery Center. Our Farm to School Manager, Sadie Hunter, joined the kids seven times between May and June to engage them in food and gardening activities. Participating in a growing cycle this way was very rewarding, and we hope these plants will be enjoyed by many all summer long.
Some of the other activities that we did together the past few months include an activity around light and seeds, a science experiment examining starches, and seed starting in many different ways.
We hope that we can all continue working together to bring local, yummy food (and engaging Farm to School learning) to our community!
“This school is magical!” is what Ali Tomer, a third-grader, had to say when asked about her experiences with NewBrook Elementary’s Farm to School (FTS) program. Another third-grader, Piper Stafford, chimed in, “I like how we help each other. It feels like we’re all connected because we’re all working on this one thing together, no matter how different we are. And the sugar snap peas are delicious!”
With a degree in Health Science with a Nutrition focus, Amy Duffy hadn’t previously worked with children when she accepted the Farm to School Coordinator position at NewBrook Elementary, but that hasn’t stopped her from having a major impact on their lives. That’s one of many reasons Food Connects recognizes Amy as this year’s Farm to School Champion!
Since beginning in August 2021, Amy has worked with NewBrook students weekly, bringing FTS programming into their classrooms. She’s designed lessons, come up with recipes, run taste tests, and read books to educate students about food—where it comes from and why it matters—the students and staff more than appreciate her efforts.
Principal Scotty Tabachnick shared, “In the midst of the pandemic, Amy hit the ground running. She quickly built positive and trusting relationships with our students and staff, and through her work, she actually helped us to bring our families to visit NewBrook as soon as the restrictions were lifted. Our students look forward to Amy's enriching lessons; she takes them outside, she has them working with their hands, and she ties new learning with prior knowledge in a natural and effective manner. It makes total sense to me that Amy Duffy's work would have such a positive outcome. Her diligence, positivity, and skill set all add up to benefit our students and NewBrook's programming as a whole. No one deserves (this award) more than her. She’s just been so amazing. Her way with the kids is wonderful.”
When I spent a day with Amy and her students at NewBrook, much of what Mr. Tabachnick said was evident. She is patient, kind, and gentle with students while also keeping them engaged. When students in one class grew agitated with each other, she stopped the garden activities and led them in a mindful breathing exercise. (It worked!). When Kindergarten students made text-to-self connections during a read-aloud, Amy made space for them to share their experiences (“tell us about your bees”). Students were eager to participate in Amy's planned activities, each of which seemed to build on what the students had done in previous weeks.
Later that week, the third-grade class tasted “microgreens” they had seeded and grown in their classroom. Amy set up trays with crackers, cheese, microgreens, and some herbs from the garden. Students made their own gourmet crackers and enjoyed their sprouts. “They are so good! I’m having a third one! It just tastes awesome, cause I like the hotness!” exclaimed Gunner Hackett, referring to the spiciness of the radish greens.
Staff member Wendy McFadden said this enthusiasm is the norm. “The kids love this. They’re all about it. And Amy is so great. She does tastings with them—they get the movement, the outdoor time, and the education piece. This year the kids are even more into (FTS) because of Amy. She gives them a lot of information, and they retain it.”
In addition to her position at NewBrook, Amy has also volunteered to be on the new Townshend Elementary FTS Committee, which began meeting in January. She’s a parent at the school and has been instrumental in helping to get a FTS program started there, as well as advising on which activities might be the most engaging or feasible given the school's programming needs.
Amy has gone above and beyond as the FTS Coordinator at NewBrook. The school and Food Connects are so thankful for her work. She’s applied for grants, picked up donated loads of firewood and compost, fixed up garden structures, and prepared recipes at home for classroom tastings.
In response to being recognized as our Farm to School Champion, Amy remarked: “I’m genuinely just happy to be able to be part of this wonderful program and work with such dedicated, creative, passionate & motivated people. Everyone involved cares so much for the kids and dedicates so much of themselves to making FTS a success. Not to mention the kids who make it all worth it! I never dreamed how invested and interested in learning the kids would be. It is so encouraging and fulfilling.”
Thank you so much for all your hard work, Amy. We are proud to name you a Farm to School Champion!
Blue Cross and Blue Shield Mini-Grants Support FTS Programming in Area Schools
Kids Gardening: Anti-racism in the garden
Monadnock Farm to School
Food Explorers
Milk with Dignity
Fresh Picks Bringing Fresh Food to Schools
Several area schools, including Academy School, Towsend Elementary, and Newbrook Elementary, were awarded grants by the Windham County Community Advisory Board of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont. This is a volunteer board of dedicated Windham County residents who are local champions of healthy activity and programming of all kinds. Several proposals were submitted for this round of funding to strengthen Farm to School (FTS) programming, and Food Connects is thrilled to celebrate this vital support for FTS-related wellness projects in some of our member schools!
At Academy School, 4th-6th grade classes are excited to receive funding to purchase a grow lab and humidity tent that they will use to grow plants for their garden beds. The grow lab will provide approximately 180 students the opportunity to become more involved in starting seeds in their classrooms. The seedlings grown will stock their school garden beds with vegetables, herbs, and flowers that can be used for cooking activities in their classrooms.
Townshend Elementary School launched a brand new FTS program in March. This grant will provide vital funding for purchasing ingredients and materials for Harvest of the Month taste tests and seed money for starting a small garden at the school. Taste tests are being given in each school classroom, reaching all 110 students. Students enjoyed the first Harvest of the Month activity in March, which focused on maple syrup. Teachers have already utilized funds from the grant to purchase a variety of whole grains for students to see, touch, and make art with, as well as some whole-grain bread and plain, refined flour white bread for April’s taste test. Garden planning is underway!
Just down the road at Newbrook Elementary School, the grant will fund multiple FTS-related projects. A woodfired pizza oven is central to Newbrook’s school culture and FTS program. This grant will fund the purchase of firewood to fuel the oven for six months and ingredients for pizza dough and sauce. The FTS team is also building two new raised beds next to the pizza oven so that students will be able to enjoy or work in the garden during recess time, if they choose, and will be able to harvest herbs and pizza toppings moments before their pie goes in the oven! The remainder of the grant will be used to restock the school’s cooking cart so that Amy Duffy, the school’s Garden Coordinator and FTS Educator, can continue to cook with students during her weekly visits to each classroom.
Many thanks to the Windham County Community Advisory Board of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont for supplying these grants and providing essential funding for activities and green spaces at our local schools.
Next month’s Harvest of the Month is dairy. Learning about dairy in Vermont provides an opportunity not only to sample delicious offerings like Vermont cheese, yogurt, and ice cream, to talk about beautiful cows and our pastoral Vermont landscape, but also to engage in rich discussions with students about food justice, economic justice, human rights, and Vermont’s dairy farming industry.
Vermont is fortunate to have strong advocates for our many migrant workers in the dairy industry. Migrant Justice, Vermont’s worker-led farmworker rights organization, leads this effort. After many years of laying the groundwork, in 2017, Ben & Jerry’s became the first business to join Milk with Dignity, a worker-driven model for social responsibility in the dairy industry. Currently, Migrant Justice is working hard to encourage Hannafords to be the next large New England-based business to join Milk With Dignity, and local activists participated in a day of action at the Hannafords on Putney Road in Brattleboro earlier this month.
If you would like more information, lesson plans, and resources for working with students to learn about the complex and important issues surrounding dairy farming in our region, here are a few resources to get you started.
Many of Food Connects’ sponsors are local businesses looking to support Farm to School that may not directly do so with their work. Food Connects has the unique privilege, however, of working closely with one daily—Fresh Picks Café.
Based out of Manchester, NH, Fresh Picks Café is a food service contracting company that works with public schools and school districts to provide meals for their students. These meals, often sourcing local foods and always following state and federal guidelines, are quite delicious! Our Farm to School team works with its team members at schools across Windham County, and their values align well with our work.
“The motivating philosophy at Fresh Picks Café is that wellness and good food go hand in hand—especially in education. Our comprehensive, coordinated, pro-active wellness programs promote this belief with an emphasis on fresh and whole wheat foods that are locally grown and produced.”
And so, a symbiotic relationship was established. Fresh Picks Café supports our Farm to School program and helps us grow and thrive. At the same time, our Farm to School team helps their school teams apply for kitchen equipment grants, provides professional development opportunities, and partners with them on multiple projects (like the Where in the World Are We Eating series).
This long-lasting partnership has helped feed children throughout Windham County for years and will continue to bring the most nutritious food possible to help kids in our neighborhoods thrive.
