Stories

October 7, 2026 – From apple harvesting to forest story time, Guilford Central blends outdoor learning, community and core academics.

October 2, 2026 – Who better to explain why farm to school matters than students? At our January 2026 FTSEC Awareness Day, two CVU seniors shared with legislators what they've learned.

October 1, 2026 – We’re sharing a few ways to get involved, communicate your good work, and deepen your farm to school and early childhood learning.

September 21, 2026 – Community input, clear communication, and gratitude helped Hunt Middle School's garden thrive. Sixth-grade educator school garden champion Maisie Anrod shares what she's learned.

September 16, 2026 – A new report shows Vermont and New York have some of the highest rankings when it comes to nutritional access in schools.

August 28, 2026 – Welch and others gathered at a school nutrition conference to find ways to strengthen the connection between Vermont’s local food system and school nutrition programs.

August 21, 2026 – AACI grows their farm to school programs, embedded them into daily routines and special events, like their annual open house.

August 17, 2026 – U.S. Senator Peter Welch spoke at the School Nutrition Association of Vermont's recent annual conference at Shelburne Farms.

July 22, 2026 – Every summer, educators, school nutrition staff, and community partners gather for the Northeast Farm to School Institute, a year-long journey reconnecting kids with where their food comes from.

June 11, 2026 – A group of 20 farm-to-school coordinators from across the country visited Williston in May to tour Williston Central School. 

June 8, 2026 – A South Burlington nonprofit is building a more resilient local food system through organic farming, nutrition education and food access programs.

June 4, 2026 – Two Northeast Kingdom students have been honored by the Vermont Land Trust for their dedication to farming and forestry, the conservation organization announced.

May 25, 2026 – 705 lunches. 100% local. One record-breaking day. And the first-ever delivery of local sourdough rolls to Brattleboro's school cafeteria. The On the Rise project is getting more Vermont grains into school meals.

April 15, 2026 – Hear from the Shelburne Community School students who joined Shelburne Farms chefs and educators this winter to prepare for the statewide youth culinary competition.

March 16, 2026 – The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets has released its annual report on the Vermont Farm to School and Early Childhood Program investments and impacts.

March 11, 2026: Last month, the Network gathered in Montpelier to share a meal, generate renewed energy, celebrate impacts of our network, and plan for our future. We're sharing the main takeaways from that time together.

February 17, 2026 – Food Dignity Podcast host Clancy Harrison speaks with Network Coordinator Dana Hudson about how relationships, education, and community demand can shift food systems from the ground up.

February 3, 2026 – Last month, Vermont passed a milestone of 1,000 school days (five years!) ensuring every student has access to breakfast and lunch at school. A school food director shares the impacts she sees every day.

January 13, 2026 – Hunger relief advocates and state lawmakers celebrated a milestone at the Vermont State House.

January 13, 2026 – Legislators and advocates gathered at the State House to celebrate five years of Universal School Meals. 

January 13, 2026 – In celebration of 1,000 days of the program and more than 14 million meals served annually, advocates shared the importance of the program.

January 1, 2026 – Sarah Tousignant, Executive Director of the Mountain Village School in Stowe, VT, discusses how focusing on nutrition, nature, and discovery in early childhood is a crucial aspect of an individual's development.

December 8, 2025 – Senator Welch joins St. Albans students, educators, and farmers to cheer senate passage of bipartisan Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act.

November 14, 2025 – Network Coordinator Dana Hudson spoke with Liza Pill, 2014 Jr Iron Chef VT student participant, to hear how the program impacted her life.

November 7, 2025 – Students, teachers, school nutrition staff, farmers, producers, and state leaders gathered at Harwood Union Middle and High School to celebrate Vermont’s farm to school initiatives.

November 12, 2025 – To highlight the schools meal program, the Vermont Farm to School & Early Childhood Network held an event celebrating Harwood’s commitments to sustainability and connections with local food systems. 

November 7, 2025 – For the Harwood Unified Union School District, it's more than just putting nutritious food from local sources on the plates of students; it's also an opportunity for education.

November 3, 2025 – Educator Julia Marchessault talks about Trout Tales, a student-created podcast that celebrates their study of brook trout and the resulting community connections.

October 28, 2025 – an editorial on the importance of farm to school and early childhood programming in Vermont.

October 14, 2025 – A fall festival of food and farming in Guilford strengthens kids’ ties to their community and their food.

Mount Mansfield Schools and Bone Mountain Farm partner to turn 300 pounds of squash into healthy baked goods for students.

October 3, 2025 – A new collaborative project aims to remove barriers that prevent Vermont schools from buying more local food.

September 26, 2025 – Applications for the 2026 grant are now open. Recipients will receive between $10–30k to support projects.

September 11, 2025 – Harwood Unified Union School District creates meals featuring locally sourced produce and experiment with trendy dishes like Korean barbecue pork over mac and cheese.

September 3, 2025 – Tom Corbett’s dismissal was set in motion last spring, when Central Vermont Supervisory Union’s school board approved a contract with Boston-based Genuine Foods.

September 2, 2025 – Food services coordinators at Windham Southeast Supervisory Union and Addison Northwest School District discuss menus, how federal funding cuts could affect school meals, and the pros and cons of following the USDA’s rules.

August 26, 2025 – WSESU kicks off in-house school nutrition program with greater flexibility to make meals that reflect our community’s needs and tastes.

August 26, 2025 – Students and volunteers tend an expansive garden behind the school. Teacher Maisie Anrod brings them together among the cucamelons.

July 18, 2025 – Hear how local purchasing is working in Essex and the impact of the Local Foods Incentive.

June 13, 2025 – A reflection on the third annual student-led FEAST, a program supported by the Network.

June 9, 2025 – We’re grateful to our legislative champions for recognizing the importance of nourishing all our children with fresh, local food while supporting the farmers, educators, and school nutrition teams who make it possible.

June 9, 2025 — Early childhood educators from across Bennington County came together at Hildene for the second annual gathering.

May 13, 2025 – We're continuing our recap of Farm to School & Early Childhood Awareness Day and sharing the enthusiastic stories from Champlain Elementary students in Burlington.

April 11, 2025 – NOFA-VT is spearheading two new projects to reimagine what’s possible in school cafeterias, focusing on bakery and dairy products.

April 1, 2025 – The Trump Administration's cost-saving crusade, including deleting nearly $2 million from Vermont's food system, poses a threat to farms and food producers.

March 25, 2025 – USDA's shift will hit Vermont schools and farmers, one nonprofit reports

March 17, 2025 – We're recapping our 2025 Farm to School & Early Childhood Awareness Day, beginning with testimonies from Vermont school nutrition professionals, farmers, and producers.

February 27, 2025 – John Buck of Buck Family Maple joined advocates to stress the importance of sustaining funding during Farm to School Awareness Day. 

February 20, 2025 – Fourth and fifth graders meet up after school every Wednesday to prepare meals for six local seniors, while learning cooking and baking skills and culinary etiquette.

February 1, 2025 – Understanding our food biases is crucial when addressing trauma, especially within cafeterias and food systems education. This was a central theme in a recent training at Springfield High School, led Farm to School Coach Sheila Humphreys.

January 21, 2025 – Two groups demonstrated the power of engaging students during the gathering’s storytelling hour, as they shared their experiences connecting learning and school meals with Vermont’s agricultural community.

December 10, 2024 – Over 60 farm to school enthusiasts from around the state gathered in Rutland to learn together and find renewed focus.

December 6, 2024 – A case study in empowering students—and reducing waste—from Norwich, Vermont’s Marion W. Cross Elementary School.

November 18, 2024 – Coaches Dave Horner and Whitney Machnik share how this youth culinary program goes beyond teaching cooking skills.

November 7, 2024 – fifth graders get an in-depth look at the seasonal foods celebrated through the state's Harvest of the Month program.

October 25, 2024 – Farmers, educators and community members met to invigorate the farm-to-school movement in Franklin County, discussing obstacles and next steps.

October 24, 2024 – It's National Farm to School Month, and Montpelier High School students showcased their food systems programs extending beyond traditional classrooms.

October 15, 2024 – U.S. Senator Welch and VAAFM Secretary Anson Tebbetts tour the Montpelier High School greenhouse in celebration of National Farm to School Month.

October 9, 2024 – Shrewsbury Mountain School welcomed farm to school practitioners to its campus to share how it has integrated such programming into its own campus.

September 5, 2024 – Some of the school and early childhood program projects that have been impacted by the state's FTSEC Capacity Building Grant.

August 22, 2024 – Nearly 100 pounds of donated cucumbers donated from local farms were processed by students and volunteers to make 82 jars of pickles.

July 30, 2024 – Students at Vermont’s largest high school are rolling up their sleeves and getting in the garden as part of a program focused on sustainability.

July 18, 2024 – Concerned about climate change in Vermont, Champlain Valley Union High School student volunteers open a farmstand to sell food grown at the school.

July 17, 2024 – Two district-wide teams coached by Food Connects have launched a year-long farm to school plan with the support of Shelburne Farms Institute for Sustainable Schools and NOFA VT.

June 25, 2024 – Leland and Gray High School's Journey Away program explores the food cultures of Vermont, American South, Vietnam, and France.

June 21, 2024 – savvy food buying has helped Harwood Unified Union School District qualify for state grant funding.

June 20, 2024 – Montpelier High School's inaugural Solon Soup for the Soul stands as a testament to the enduring power of collaboration, compassion, and the simple act of sharing a meal.

June 17, 2024 – Crossett Brook Middle School in Duxbury increased its local food purchasing from 14% to 23%.

June 10, 2024 – The Windham Northeast Supervisory Union was recognized for their hard work to serve local foods in all their meals as a part of the Local Foods Incentive Grant Program.

June 10 , 2024 – The state recognized six supervisory unionsthat have achieved the highest rates of local purchasing through The Local Foods Incentive Grant program.

June 10, 2024 – For the second year in a row, the food program at the Windham Northeast Supervisory Union, led by Harley Sterling, has won a top state award.

June 3, 2024 – West River Education District Food Service Manager Jacob Gallogly honored for his team's approach to nutrition and food culture.

May 16, 2024 – a look back on a peer-to-peer learning opportunity for farmers interested in connecting with schools and sharing their way of life with the next generation.

May 15, 2024 – a third-grade class visits Miller Farm, an organic dairy farm in Vernon, VT.

May 9, 2024 – Grafton Elementary School recently held a successful two-day work party to begin installing new raised beds for their gardens. 

April 2024 – Vermont food systems specialists share our state’s unique approach to implementing the USDA Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement.

March 27, 2024 – Food Service Manager Jake Gallogly is celebrated by Hunger Free Vermont and School Nutrition Association of Vermont for increasing access to healthy school meals.

March 7, 2024 – Network Coordinator Dana Hudson spoke with Hayden Fuller, 2010–14 Jr Iron Chef VT student participant, to hear how the program impacted his life.

February 22, 2024 – champions of the farm to school movement spoke to state leaders about how farm to school is making a difference in their communities.

February 2024 – How can early educators make the best use funding to connect their children to local food and nutrition and agriculture education? ASPHN to explores current approaches from early educators and policy specialists.

February 14, 2024 – VAAFM Farm to School grantee Charleston Elementary tried out food systems activities for their classrooms, brainstormed new ways to connect students to their neighboring farmers and producers, and made a kid-friendly snack.

January 2024 – We gathered as a Network to share food and stories, brainstorm together, align projects, and inspire one another's efforts.

January 19, 2024 – As a high school student, it’s easy to grab food from the cafeteria without thinking about who made it or how it got there. Student Soob Soobitsky decided to go beyond the lunch tray to meet the dedicated kitchen staff who prepare their meals daily.

January 18, 2024 – As a longtime farm to school champion, Dana will bring her expertise to our membership, fostering learning, collaboration, and innovation that advances our common goal.

January 2024 – Vital Communities’ Upper Valley Farm to School Network funded six projects at area schools and early childhood education centers.

October 24, 2023 – Students and faculty at Spaulding Alternative School showcase how they’re putting their farm to school plan into action.

October 2023 – The Janet Munt Family Room's annual Family Supper and farm to early childhood programming supports families across the community.

October 2023 – Vermont Teacher of the Year Aziza Malik explores how food, like storytelling, connects us all.

October 19, 2023 – A pilot project brings organic milk into classrooms: Windham Northeast Supervisory Union students visit Miller Farm to see where their milk comes from.

September 2023 – Early childhood center Growing With Wonder is using child-led, play-based learning experiences to engage with food in a meaningful and responsible way.

September 20, 2023 – The Windham Northeast Supervisory Union is partnering with a local dairy farm to provide organic milk to students in four schools.

September 9, 2023 –“My goal was always to connect kids’ lunches with food producers and local foods,” said Gretchen Czaja, the SU’s food service director.

September 8, 2023 – Miller Farm supplies Windham Northeast Supervisory Union with organic milk in a stainless steel 'cow'.

August 2023 - An early educator in Milton has created a space where food and community intersect, providing a nurturing environment for children and families to learn and support one another.

June 13, 2023 – Vermont's Local Purchasing Incentive has allowed the district to stretch dollars further and focus more on local purchasing.

June 9, 2023 – Vermont supervisory unions purchase locally through The Local Foods Incentive Grant are recognized. Windham Northeast Supervisory Union has the highest percentage at 27% local.

June 2023 – Three videos highlighting activities that explore outdoor, place-based learning; cooking with kids; and extending young children’s knowledge of agriculture and the food they eat.

June 2, 2023 - June is National Dairy Month, and Shelburne Farms is highlighting a longtime program connecting farmer and students: Dairy in the Classroom.

April 3, 2023 – Vermont Edition speaks with school food and policy experts on the need for Universal School Meals in the state.

March 31, 2023 –Through the lens of Vermont, NPR highlights how the movement to provide free school lunches for all students—regardless of ability to pay—is helping kids and educators alike.

February 2023 – On Farm to School & Early Childhood Day, advocates testified in Senate and House Committees to share how food systems education and local foods in school meals are making a difference to Vermont students, farmers, and communities.

November 14, 2022, This Farm Feeds Vermont Kids – Alburgh Community Education Center Food Services Manager Charity Nephew shares how she has sourced more food locally while keeping costs down.

November 8, 2022, This Farm Feeds Vermont Kids – Home-based childcare program owner Laura Butler and Blue Heron Farmer and Owner Christine Bourque are bringing farm-fresh food to kids and broadening tastebuds.

November 3, 2022, This Farm Feeds Vermont Kids – The Milton Family Community Center is dedicated to connecting kids to agriculture, nutrition, and people who grow their food—and the work is paying off.

October 4, 2022 – “Farm to school is now nationwide, and where did it start? Here in Vermont,” said Senator Patrick Leahy. We kicked off Farm to School Month with a celebration at Crossett Brook Middle School.

July 29, 2022 – Our webinar series for educators was as much a learning tool for school communities as it was for the Network partners who created it.

June 1, 2022 – Vermont Students to Receive No-Cost Breakfast and Lunch for 2022-23. On Tuesday, May 31, Gov. Phil Scott signed S.100, the Universal School Meals Act. This act, combined with legislation passed in this biennium to increase the use of Vermont foods and farm to school, means Vermont students will all have access to Farm Fresh School Meals everyday.

November 11, 2021 – Senior manager for the Child Nutrition Program at the Essex Westford School District Scott Fay explains the critical need for schools to source more local food.

October 2021 – October is National Farm to School month and to celebrate here in Vermont, farms across the state that provide food to schools or early childhood programs are proudly displaying lawn signs that read: This Farm Feeds Vermont Kids.

September 7, 2021 – National Farm to School leaders visit Shelburne Farms to learn about Vermont's farm to school successes. Seven Days visits Harwood Union High School to see programs in action.

June 2021 – Governor Phil Scott signed H.106 and H.439 on June 8, 2021, enacting a Local Foods Purchasing Incentive for Vermont schools. This new law (now Act 67) will provide a direct incentive to schools who meet local purchasing targets in their school meal programs, allowing them to serve more fresh Vermont food on their menus.

May 2021 – U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) visited Sharon Elementary School to highlight new federal Farm to School legislation. The Farm to School Act, introduced by Leahy on April 22, seeks to reauthorize and expand the popular federal Farm to School program.

May 2021 – Kathleen Kesson asks, "What happens to all these lovely school gardens in the most bountiful months of the summer, when school is out and there is no one to tend them?" 

2016, and a 2020 Update – Milton High School biology teacher Rick Scharf shares his story about learning the art of growing mushrooms and sharing his love of gardening with his students as part of the curriculum.

October 2020 – As a result of Covid-19 and waivers granted at the federal level, for the first time ever, all Vermont schools are currently providing Universal School Meals to their students and will through the end of the 2020/21 school year.

March 2020 – On February 12, students, teachers, administrators, farmers, school nutrition staff and advocates came to the Capitol to share their stories of the benefits of farm to school.

December 17, 2019 – Vermont Farm to School Network members had a busy year expanding farm to school activities​ throughout the state. We're sharing a look into some of the Action Teams’ recent progress.

October 10, 2019 –  Senator Leahy visited the St. Albans Town Education Center to celebrate Farm to School month and announce USDA grants awarded for school districts in Vermont to expand Farm to School activities.

March 11, 2019 – Farm to school champions gathered at the Vermont State House in Montpelier to advocate for the expansion of Vermont’s Farm to School and Early Childhood program and raise awareness of the positive impact of this program.

November 12, 2018 – October was National Farm to School Month, a time to celebrate the connections happening all over the country between children and local food. Here is just a glimpse of a few ways the state celebrated.

October 23, 2018 - Supporters of farm to school in Vermont gathered Monday morning at Berlin Elementary School to celebrate National Farm to School Month, as well as the awarding of an USDA Grant to NOFA-VT to support Farm to School efforts in the state. The group also participated in a tour of the school garden, hosted by several of the students at the school.

May 28, 2018 – While schools and communities around the state have been cooking up great Farm to School activities all year, our Farm to School Network Action Teams have been busy tackling strategic projects that will help us reach our statewide goal. Read on for updates about the high impact projects our teams are taking on, and how you can get involved.

March 2018 – Vermont schools are embracing a wide range of farm to school experiences. In order to illustrate how farm to school programming could work in early care and K-12 schools, we chose five examples from across the state, diverse in experience, student population, grade level, socioeconomic representation, and approaches.

November 1, 2017 – Farm to School Month kicked off in Vermont Monday, October 2, when Governor Phil Scott will signed a proclamation declaring October to be Vermont’s Farm to School Month in the Governor’s Ceremonial Offices at the Statehouse.

June 8, 2017 – Governor Phil Scott signed S.33, the Rozo McLaughlin Farm to School bill, which will further enhance Vermont’s Farm to School programming by expanding the program and setting new, ambitious goals for growth.

February 14, 2017 – Farm to school champions gathered at the Vermont State House in Montpelier to advocate for the expansion of Vermont’s Farm to School program and raise awareness of the positive impact Farm to School has on Vermont kids, our health, and the local economy. Here are just a few highlights from these testimonies

2016 – Barrett Williams, Principal of Sharon Elementary School, shares his experiences with farm to school and place-based education over the last ten years and the impacts on learners of all kinds.

2016 – Teacher Meg Hopkins of Sharon Elementary talks about how farm to school has helped her fourth graders draw critical connections between education, food, equity, community, and service.

2016 – Sharon Elementary third grade teacher Keenan Haley discusses place-based-education, and how he teaches his students to care for themselves so that they can learn to take care of the world around them.

2015 – Steve Marinelli, Food Service Director for the Milton Town School District, talks about how Farm to School has helped Milton's school meal program evolve into a showcase for healthy, local foods.