We are thrilled to announce this year’s Farm to School mini-grant recipients. The following projects were selected from 22 qualified applicants, highlighting the need and interest for Farm to School programming in the Upper Valley. Be on the lookout for a full report on each project’s accomplishments in the fall. Thank you to the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation’s Wellborn Ecology Fund for funding our work.
Kendal at Hanover Early Learning Center is developing an intergenerational garden program with children in the early learning center and residents living at Kendal at Hanover.
Claremont Christian Academy is creating a vertical garden to complement their science curriculum and partnership with educators from the Sullivan County Conservation District.
The PRIDE club at Hartford Memorial Middle School is growing plant starts to give away to the community to support PRIDE month.
Green Mountain Children’s Center is expanding their garden infrastructure and equipment so that children can be more involved in the process from planting seeds to picking produce.
The Ottauqueechee School is partnering with local Abenaki leaders and an indigenous river keeper to assist in developing an Abenaki garden at a site near the school.
Rabbit Track Early Learning Academy is purchasing a 22-week CSA share from a local farm that will be used for children’s cooking lessons and a harvest meal prepared by students. Any excess produce will also be shared with families.
The Grantham Village School is purchasing local produce for Tasty Tuesday’s. Parent volunteers will prepare and serve locally grown fruits and vegetables during weekly taste tests for students at school. Each child that tries the sample will receive sticker that says, “I Tried It!”
Happy Valley Academy is building a community compost system for their people in their neighborhood to use. The compost system and adjacent gardens will be used by the homeschool to build community and learn about sustainable food systems.
The Lyme Nursery School is purchasing soil, plants, and seeds to grow a variety of plants including pumpkins, carrots, brussels sprouts, beets, melons, herbs and flowers. They will even attempt to grow a GIANT pumpkin for the Lyme Pumpkin Festival!
The Rainbow Playschool is doubling their garden space, adding nutrient-rich soil, and planting more edible perennials. Their new garden beds will be lower to the ground, making them more accessible to younger students.
Bethel Elementary School is investing in the sustainability of their chicken coop. Addressing a student identified need, they will be building more shade structures for the coop. They will be purchasing feed for their chickens and hatching more chicks to build the flock with the goal of generating enough profit from egg sales to sustain the costs of the flock.
Published 05/16/2023