In the spring of 2021, Dummerston School was awarded a $10,000 Farm to School and Early Childhood Grant from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Farm and Markets (VAAFM). This unique grant includes customized professional development provided by Vermont FEED. At Dummerston School, principal Julianne Eagan decided to use that professional development to launch a new buddy classroom program with a Farm to School and outdoor learning focus.
On November 9th, after two long years with very limited community events due to COVID-19, Newbrook Elementary School hosted its first Harvest Dinner since 2019. This was a beautiful event, showcasing student-made art, donations from the community, soups cooked by students, staff, and community members, a shared meal, and a successful fundraising effort for the Farm to School program. It also started with a beautiful land acknowledgment led by students.
Oak Grove’s Harvest Dinner: The Return of an Annual Farm to School Tradition
Townshend Elementary Secures Funding for a Farm to School Program
Local Vending Machine Snacks at Brattleboro Union High School
Food Connects' Farm to School Celebrates New Sponsor, Deerfield Valley Real Estate
We love to talk to our local businesses about the work our Farm to School team does in their communities and beyond. Our Farm to School sponsors must align with our mission to cultivate healthy food and farm connections in cafeterias, classrooms, and communities. Our new sponsor, Deerfield Valley Real Estate, is a perfect fit!
This year, the Brattleboro Union High School cafeteria has added local foods to its vending machine! Alongside more traditional vending machine snacks, Brattleboro Area Food Service Director Ali West is now stocking Brattleboro’s own True North Granola, Montpelier-based Garuka Bars, Rutland-based Sugar Bob’s Finest Kind, and Providence Rhode Island-based Shri Bark Snacks, all sourced from the Food Connects Food Hub.
For the first time since the fall of 2019, Oak Grove School held its annual Harvest Dinner celebration with families. A longstanding tradition at the school, this event features food grown in the school garden and harvested and prepared by students. This year, the dinner was attended by over 50 families and was held during the school’s fall open house.
In March 2022, Townshend Elementary School launched its Farm to School program, offering monthly taste tests and activities for students, focusing on the Vermont Harvest of the Month. Part-time teacher Kelsey Taddei volunteered her time to run the program with Food Connects FTS coach Jenny Kessler. By the end of the school year, it was clear that students and teachers alike really enjoyed growing their knowledge about local food. But the program needed resources to pay a Farm to School Coordinator to run programming, purchase supplies and curricular materials, and build a small garden.
Get to Know Our Member Schools
Food Connects Celebrates the 2021-2022 Farm to School Year
Appreciation for New Chapter, Our Long-Time Farm to School Sponsor!
The week before the start of the 2022-23 school year, Food Connects hosted a Celebration of Farm to School for school administrative teams and food service directors. We are so proud of the work being done by Farm to School teams at our member schools in Windham Central Supervisory Union, Windham Northeast Supervisory Union, and Windham Southeast School District, and we are grateful to the leaders who help make the work possible. At the event, we shared highlights from the 2021-22 school year at each member school, and we want to take a moment to share those highlights with a wider audience. Read on to hear the wonderful things happening in schools throughout the region!
