Northwest and Islands of Vermont 

Burlington School Food Project 

CLASSROOM
Burlington classrooms have been taking advantage of trips to the Intervale this fall. Ten different classrooms from four different Burlington Elementary schools, including Champlain, HO Wheeler, Edmunds and Barnes visited Healthy City Youth Farm this fall and participated in Harvest Field Trips and trips to Lucky Ladies Chickens, owned by farmer John Cleary. These field trips are connected to the Burlington science curriculum as a kick off to a unit, or a complement mid way through. Teachers and Students have been excited to take advantage of this great opportunity in their backyards.

CAFETERIA
Already this year, Burlington Schools Food Service has processed and/or served over 6,000 lbs. of local produce in the schools’ salad bars and lunch lines, including local basil, broccoli, green beans, strawberries, zucchini, lettuce, mesclun, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and carrots.

COMMUNITY
The Burlington Food Council is an open community group which includes farmers, parents, Burlington School District employees, students, researchers, and health and nutrition experts and has met monthly since 2003 to improve the farm to school food system and food, farm, and nutrition education in Burlington, Vermont. Past events and activities have included a benefit contra dance co-sponsored by City Market, a Great Veggie Giveaway that bagged and distributed almost 3000 pounds of carrots, potatoes, and cabbage to Burlington schoolchildren, and a recent opening-night benefit performance of "American Machine" by Burlington playwright Jim Lantz. In these ways, the Food Council helps to connect the Burlington School Food Project to local farms, businesses, City of Burlington departments, and not-for-profit organizations interested in a healthier Burlington.