WCAX
A room that normally sees 310 hungry students daily was filled with teachers, administrators and farmers. They are looking to bring their worlds together for National Farm to School Month while tightening their belts at the same time.
Randolph Elementary is forced to deal with decreasing budgets, and steadily increasing poverty levels. More than half of the students rely on free meals daily.
Karen Russo runs the cafeteria feeding Randolph students breakfast and lunch on a $100,000 budget.
"When you want to run a program for kids eating local, fresh, nonprocessed food you have to get creative," Russo explained.
For example last year they allocated more than $1,000 of their budget to buy local, organic beef.
Russo said, "It was so popular, and it was wonderful, organic beef. We ran out after 700 pounds. So we decided for this school year we would purchase two organic cows."
NOFA officials say one of the reasons the Randolph farm to school program has been so successful is because the initiative does not end when you walk out of the cafeteria.
Abbie Nelson of NOVA-VT said, "They have farmers in each classroom, agriculture education in the classroom, they have a food service director is how determined to get fresh food in the cafeteria and cooks from scratch."
This year they are equipping teachers with potential lesson plans that focus on farming and foods.
They're even teaching kids to move their bodies through an interactive music video featuring Beyonce. They're inspiring kids to stay active.
Nelson says schools and farmers are all feeling the pinch, but find a way to make it work because they're problem solvers.
Nelson explained, "There is a deadline schools cannot say sorry we are not doing lunch today. That is not an option. Farmers cannot say sorry I am not harvesting this crop for market. There is no option."
She says now it is up to state agencies to find a way to grow their initiative keeping Vermont kids healthy and local farms alive.
"When we can get people to see those partnerships instead of separate parallel lines then I feel successful," said Nelson.
You can find a link to the official "move your body" music video here
