News
Farm to SChool News
Farm to School Grant Applications Now Available
Since 2007 the Rozo McLaughlin Farm-to-School Grant Program has been awarding Vermont schools with funds to integrate local foods in school cafeterias, classrooms and communities.
The goals of the grant program are to encourage schools and school districts to serve food to Vermont students that is as fresh and nutritious as possible; maximize the use of fresh, locally grown, produced and processed foods; educate students about healthy eating habits through nutrition education, including using hands-on techniques to make the connections between farming and the foods that students consume; increase the size and stability of farmers’ direct sales market; and increase school meal participation by increasing the selection of foods available to students.
This grant program is made possible by collaboration between the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Department of Education, Department of Health and VT FEED (Food Education Every Day).
Growing Farm to School in Vermont
Vermont FEED Spring 2010 Newsletter
VermontFEED and Jr. Iron Chef VT are finalists in "Revelation to Action". Weneed your votes to win a total of $10,000! Vote for both Jr. Iron Chef VT and Vermont FEED by clicking on the link below and following the instructions.
VT FEED and Burlington School Food Project hosted the 3rd Annual Jr. Iron Chef VT on March 27, 2010
Jr. Iron Chef VT, hosted by Vermont FEED and the BurlingtonSchool Food Project was cookin’! The Champlain Valley Expo was packed onSaturday, March 27th with 57 teams of middle and high school students fromacross the state and more than 1000 parents, siblings, classmates, farmers,teachers, and community members attending to witness this hot event. Honored guest and Celebrity Judge Lisa Pino,Deputy Administrator of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program of theUSDA, led the audience in the chant:
"Iron Chef
Is Farm Fresh
Farm to School
Is Super Cool
And Local Rules!"
Congratulations to all the teams! The food was creative,tasty, beautiful and local. In the activity tent attendees played fun games,learned about Vermont Agriculture, made local treats such as blueberrysmoothies and whole wheat flatbreads, and met local farmers.
“Through the processof learning how to make their foods our kids also made a change to reallyloving what they were cooking (at first some were hesitant to eat things likeblack beans or polenta). They now are looking forward to preparing the dishesfor the entire school on the school lunch menu,” said Allison Van Akkeren,Crafstbury team parent
And the winners are:
Middle School
Best in Show:
The J-Lee Stew Crew! Twin Valley
Most Creative Dish:
Green Mountain Girls! Rochester School
Greatest Number and Best Use of Local Ingredients:
Roots for Hannaford! Lyman C. Hunt Middle School
High School
Best in Show:
Rochester! Rochester High School
Most Creative Dish:
A Cut Above The Rest! BFA
Greatest Number and Best Use of Local Ingredients:
Harwood Union! Harwood Union High School
Thanks to the sponsors of the event including: Blue CrossBlue Shield, Burlington Free Press, City Market, Channel 3 WCAX, CabotCooperative Creamery, Fletcher Allen Healthcare, Healthy Living Natural Foods,High Mowing Organic Seeds, New England Dairy and Food Council, and VermontAgency of Agriculture.
Check out Jr. Iron Chef VT's website for more photos, recipes and stories.
Check out what FEED has been up to over the last year
Secretary Vilsack Announces $25 Million for New School Food Service Equipment to Help Schools Improve the Quality of Meals
USDA releases Farm to School website
The Child Nutrition Division of the USDA released a Farm to School Website in December, 2009. The websiet will feature information on how to start Farm to School activiites, how to purchase locally, policy updates, ideas for dealing with challenges, food safety, and more.
_______________________________________________
Growing Farm to School in Vermont
Vermont FEED Fall 2009 Newsletter
________________________________________
Fuel Up to Play 60 Mini Grants Now Available
Through Vermont Action for Healthy Kids
Vermont Action for Healthy Kids announces funding for six grants to implement the Fuel Up to Play 60 program. Fueled by the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans' Food Groups to Encourage and an easy to follow Play 60 message, Fuel Up Play 60 is a FREE school wellness program to help empower your students to lead the way to eating right and staying active.
Schools in Vermont may apply for $750 in funding to implement healthy eating and physical activity action strategies and a wellness promotion kickoff event using the Fuel Up to Play 60 Wellness Activation Kit.
Schools must be enrolled in the Fuel Up to Play 60 program in order to apply.
If you don’t already have a copy of the Wellness Activation Kit, sign up for your FREE kit at www.FuelUpToPlay60.com
Deadline to apply is December 4, 2009. Grants will be awarded December 11, 2009.
For further information and to apply, or click here <http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=qjc8xsDDGcRoqvPvv2_2bVBA_3d_3d> to apply or visit www.actionforhealthykids.org <http://take.actionforhealthykids.org/site/Clubs?club_id=1210&pg=main>
Find Vermont FEED on
Check out our Page and become a fan!
_______________________________________
Vermont FEED and the The Upper Valley Farm to School Network co-sponsored a successful workshop
Over 90 teachers, food service workers, parents, Farm to School coordinators and farmers – from 22 schools in New Hampshire and Vermont – participated in the afternoon event on April 16, 2009 at the Billings Farm and Museum in Woodstock, Vermont. Panelists provided insights into the many faces of Farm to School, and the different approaches that schools can take to connect local food and farms to the school cafeteria, community and classroom. A 6-station taste test provided hands-on learning – and created many of the side dishes for the fabulous local dinner. Workshops focused on school gardens, cafeteria, nutrition and integrating local farm themes into the curriculum.
A major theme of the workshop evaluations was that there is a real demand for more opportunities for Farm to School practitioners to connect with each other. Plans are underway to do just that.
See: www.UVFTS.org for more information on the workshop and follow-up opportunities.
Jr. Iron Chef Winning Teams ~ March 2009
Most Creative: Chefs of the Hearth, Patella Home School, Burlington;
Veggie Burgers
Best and Most Use of Local Ingredients: Onion City Aiolers, Winooski Dept. of Recreation; Johnny Cake Pakoras with Maple Apple Chutney
Best of Show: Hannaford’s Top Chefs, Hunt Middle School, Burlington;
New England Harvest One Pot Meal
High School:
Most Creative: Champlain Valley Union HS Chefhawks; Green Pizza
and Apples
Best and Most Use of Local Ingredients: Healthy City, Burlington HS; Polenta Pizza
Best of Show: Hakuna Matata Team, Twin Valley HS, Wilmington;
Veggie Huevos Mullenos
___________________________________________________________
2009 Farm to School Grant Recipients
Implementation Grants:
Dover Elementary School East Dover, VTLawrence Barnes Elementary School Burlington, VT
Albany Community School Albany, VT
Sharon Elementary Sharon, VT
Harwood Union Middle/High School South Duxbury, VT
Thetford Academy Thetford, VT
State Street School Windsor, VT
Planning Grants:
Mount Anthony Union Middle School East Dover, VTRichmond Elementary School Burlington, VT
Cabot School Albany, VT
Randolph Elementary School Sharon, VT
________________________________________________________
Hartland Elementary School Recieves National Farm to School Award!
Watch Vermont Initiatives Recognized Nationally
News in and Around Vermont
Food Access Fund Established: Local Food and Collaborative Efforts to Feed a Community
The Center for an Agricultural Economy
www.hardwickagriculture.org
The Town That Food Saved
Hardwick’s economic future was dim, until a chain of events turned it into
one of the most important food towns in America.
Gourmet Magazine, October 2008
Uniting Around Food to Save an Ailing Town
The New York Times, October 2008
National News
Having a Field Day
On visits to Cohasset farm, hundreds of students escape
the indoors for hands-on education.
The Boston Globe, October 2008
Pint-Size Eco Police, Making Parents Proud and Sometimes Crazy
The New York Times, October 2008
""Average weight is progressively increasing among children from all scoioeconomic levels, racial, and ethnic groups, and regions of the country."
-David S. Ludwig, MD, Ph.D. "Childhood Obesity: The Shape of Things to Come," New England Journal of Medicine, Dec. 6, 2007