Lawn Signs Highlight the Farm to School & Early Childhood Connection in Vermont
Burlington, VT - 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. The lawn signs have been provided by the Vermont Farm to School & Early Childhood Network to highlight the farmers who are helping to create a strong local food system that connects nourishing Vermont food with Vermont’s children. A map of participating farms and some great photos are available.
Senator Patrick Leahy said: “I visited Next Chapter Farm in Middlebury for Farm to School Month and heard how the farmer, Lara Dickson, provides a CSA share to a local pre-school. Each week, the preschoolers get to unpack their box, learn about local vegetables, and eat a delicious lunch. Communities around Vermont have similar stories about how this movement helps farms and schools support each other and provide quality food and nutrition education to students. I am proud to be a national champion of this transformative born-in-Vermont initiative.”
Vermont’s local farmers, farm workers, and school nutrition professionals are key components of our vibrant food system, and were especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic when food supply chains broke across the country. Over 100 Vermont farms provide food to feed our youth across the state through early childhood programs and school nutrition programs, and 87% of Vermont schools purchase at least some local food from a local producer. Farm to School and Early Childhood is expanding in Vermont with 88% of schools participating in some farm to school activities such as learning gardens, and over 50% holding student field trips to farms in 2016-17.
The Vermont Farm to School & Early Childhood Network has been advocating for expanding farm to school to every Vermont community. One great step in achieving this goal occurred when 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) provides a direct incentive in the form of a cash reimbursement to schools who meet local purchasing targets in their school meal programs, allowing them to serve more fresh Vermont food on their menus and support Vermont producers. The local purchasing incentive will mean that even more Vermont farms will feed Vermont kids over the next several years. The Vermont Farm to School grant program is now the Farm to School & Early Childhood grant program, and this year 35 early childhood programs received grants to purchase Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares from Vermont farmers to serve fresh local food to their children. The Network is asking the State to invest in expanding the program next year.
Farmers who posted signs at their farms and farm stands were excited to be part of the campaign. "It is our pleasure to know that we can help where we’re needed in bridging food gaps here in Vermont. Where there is a will there is a way, and farmers are happy to help when needed,” enthused Jeremy Michaud, owner of Kingdom Creamery of Vermont.
Becca Perrin of Green Mountain Farm Direct also expressed support from the distributors’ perspective, stating, “It’s so necessary to highlight the ‘farm’ side of Farm to School! Our Vermont farmers and producers are essential to keeping our school meals local and nutritious. Green Mountain Farm Direct is honored to facilitate the connections that get Vermont food in Vermont schools.”
Molly Leach, Owner & Early Childcare Provider at Molly Leach Daycare talked about her experience, saying, “It has been such a joy to be able to work with and teach about colors, counting, textures and shapes with the gorgeous, fresh produce we received from our local farmer, Lara at Next Chapter Farm! The children look forward to unpacking our CSA box together on Friday mornings to see what goodies we have received that week. And to be able to continually remind them that this produce was grown by a local, community farmer is an honor.”
Lara Dickson, Owner & Farmer, Next Chapter Farm, agreed, and stated, "It's heartwarming to watch young kids marvel at vegetables they may have never seen or eaten before. To participate in the Farm to School & Early Childhood program allows us to help encourage kids' natural curiosity, delight, and future appreciation and interest in where the food on their plate comes from. For this small farm it's a way to pay it forward to the next generation of healthy, vibrant adults."
Follow the campaign throughout October by searching for #ThisFarmFeedsVTKids on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can also find photos on the campaign webpage.