For Educators

Introducing Our New Resource "Learning Locally, Transforming Globally"

aestey — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 19:14:40 +0000

Introducing Our New Resource "Learning Locally, Transforming Globally" aestey Wed, 04/03/2024 - 15:14

Plastic pollution and trash burning are big problems in rural Nepal. Middle schoolers at the Kopila Valley School in Nepal’s Surkhet District decided to try and help; they learned about the harmful effects of pollution, developed an educational campaign, researched alternatives to plastic, and created and distributed cloth bags in their community.

This is just one example of ways students from Nepal to Vermont have used the same framework for addressing global challenges in their own communities. These steps are laid out in a new resource from Shelburne Farms Institute for Sustainable Schools, Learning Locally, Transforming Globally.

Above: Activities in Learning Locally have been used from Nepal (left) to Nigeria, Ukraine to Vermont (right).

“We’ve seen over and over again that by teaching toward sustainability with a focus on making community connections, we can truly change the world, one community at a time,” says Jen Cirillo, Shelburne Farms Institute for Sustainable Schools director of professional learning and a co-author of the resource.

Step by step, Learning Locally engages learners in making change on a local or regional level via a school or community action project. It’s an Education for Sustainability approach that is paired with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, so along the way, learners develop the sense of agency they will need throughout their lives to tackle the challenges we face as a global community.

In 2015, the United Nations established 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as “a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.” The SDGs provide a blueprint toward sustainability by setting targets for economic, social, and ecological systems improvement with a deadline of 2030.

“Tackling complex, global issues like climate change, poverty, food insecurity, and racial inequities can be overwhelming for young people. The SDGs give young learners a place to start,” explains Cirillo. “Actively engaging youth as leaders in implementing local solutions to global challenges demonstrates that they have the power to make a difference, encouraging a lifelong commitment to service and creating sustainable communities.”

Learning Locally is designed for K–12 educators in formal and informal education settings.

Get the Resource

Download a free PDF

Order a spiral-bound copy

Andrea Estey

For Educators

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Leveraging Federal & State Funding for Innovations in Farm to Early Childhood

Sarah — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 20:46:56 +0000

Leveraging Federal & State Funding for Innovations in Farm to Early Childhood Sarah Mon, 03/04/2024 - 15:46

Farm to early childhood encourages children to investigate their food systems, adopt nutritious eating behaviors, and develop deeper connections to their communities. How can early educators make the best use of federal and state funding to connect their children to local food and nutrition and agriculture education? Watch a recent webinar from Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN) to explore current approaches from early educators and policy specialists.

Watch the webinar from ASPHN

Presenters:

[1:53] Katrina Kefalas, Program Analyst CACFP Policy Branch, USDA Food & Nutrition Service
The Child Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federal program funded by the USDA providing reimbursement for meals and snacks provided to children and adults enrolled in various settings (child care, family childcare homes, adult day cares, after school, emergency shelters, etc). Katrina shares how this program can support and bolster FTEC opportunities.

[14:53] Brenda Tourangeau, Farm to School Coordinator, Milton Family Community Center
Milton Family Community Center cares for and feeds nearly forty children, serving them breakfast, lunch, and snack daily. Brenda shares tips for getting kids outside in the garden, and how she has worked with local farmers to help kids understand who makes their food and fiber. “Putting the plant into the dirt is such instant gratification, but they also love planting the seeds in the dirt and waiting for it to sprout. It’s just so much fun watching their reactions when they pull a vegetable out of the dirt.”

[29:00] Laura Butler, Owner & Educator, Imagination Island
Laura operates an in-home early childhood center in Milton, VT, and has been a CACFP participant for over 29 years. Gardening with her kids quickly took root with the families. “Families are now growing gardens and we’re swapping foods. I have one dad that is really good at growing squash, so he grows the squash for us. We have a salad garden, and it produces so much more than what we need to eat in a week—it is actually feeding all of the six families, too.” Laura is a longtime Shelburne Farms collaborator and professional learning participant.

[39:47] Melanie Tran, Farm to Early Childhood Education Specialist & Registered Dietician, Michigan’s Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities
10 Cents a Meal for Michigan’s Kids and Farms is working to bring more local, nutritious foods to Michigan children, which reached approximately 590,000 children in SY2022-23. This reimbursement program supports local purchasing, and can offer additional funds on top of CACFP. Melanie shares how the program gained traction and the difference it is making.

Original webinar date: January 9, 2024. Download the slide deck.

Sarah Webb

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Announcing our Programs for Educators in 2024

aestey — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 14:59:12 +0000

Announcing our Programs for Educators in 2024 aestey Fri, 03/01/2024 - 09:59

“Learning to live with climate change is therefore a process of bearing worlds, as we simultaneously become more attuned to our enmeshment with the more-than-human [world], mourn those relationships as they are ruptured, act with them to cultivate the most promising futures possible, and are ourselves changed throughout the process.”

—Blanche Verlie, Bearing worlds: learning to live-with climate change (2019)

With all that is unfolding in the world right now, it’s easy to be overwhelmed with feelings of powerlessness and disconnection. Personally, I cannot wait for summer, because being in community with others who are committed to teaching and learning that makes a difference is the highlight of my year.

What Shelburne Farms Institute for Sustainable Schools uniquely offers is professional learning that connects people from around the world who share a passion for Education for Sustainability. Looked at collectively, this community of educators reinforces that we can do something, together.

In 2023, the Institute for Sustainable Schools offered 65 different programs, reaching 1,500 educators across the globe. (You can hear from a few of them in the video below.) Our staff facilitates learning and supports each educator as they discover the way Education for Sustainability will work in their community.

Study after study confirms what we educators already know: that education is an important part of addressing pressing issues and inspiring positive change. Join us in shaping a more sustainable future with professional learning this year.

Request Information

Educating for climate action

Returning are several programs focused on inspiring climate action and instilling a love for and understanding of place.

A Watershed for Every Classroom, year-long, begins July 16–19

Climate Resiliency Fellowship, year-long, begins Aug. 13–15

Focus on Education for Sustainability

Education for Sustainability (EFS) is learning that links knowledge, inquiry, and action to make positive change. Take all of our courses through the EFS Graduate Certificate, offered with the University of Vermont. Or, try out one of the certificate's core courses. (If you’re new to this work, we recommend starting with Foundations in EFS.)

EFS Graduate Certificate, multi-year

Foundations in EFS, July 8–12

Immersion in EFS, July 23–25

EFS Leadership Academy, year-long, begins July 30–Aug. 1

For early childhood educators

Project Seasons for Young Learners: Cultivating Joy & Wonder, happening July 15–19, is an immersive week-long summer workshop that will inspire your early childhood curriculum with fresh ideas.

Cultivating Joy & Wonder, July 15–19

Food systems education

Farm to school is a strategy for connecting classrooms, cafeterias, and communities to shape a healthier, more just future for youth and the planet. We’ll welcome school, district, and early childhood teams from our region for the Northeast Farm to School Institute, and teams from around the country for the Farm to School Institute Adaptation Program, both kicking off in late June. (Applications for this year's programs are now closed—but you can put us on your calendar for 2025! Express your interest in the Northeast or Adaptation offering, and we'll reach out when applications reopen in early 2025.)

Request info about our programs

Jen Cirillo

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Farm to School Impact by the Numbers

Sarah — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 14:44:12 +0000

Farm to School Impact by the Numbers Sarah Fri, 03/01/2024 - 09:44

2023 was a big year for our longstanding work in farm to school.

Since 2000, Vermont FEED, our partnership project with NOFA-VT, has been instrumental in advancing farm to school, locally and beyond. We work with educators, farms, and school nutrition professionals all over the region to help students understand where their food comes from and who makes it.

Vermont FEED also acts as a key connector on the state, regional, and national level. We bring farm to school champions — school administration, advocates, legislators, and more — together to share learning and effect bigger food systems change, faster.

We’re sharing a look back at some of our projects, collaborations, and campaigns that helped to propel the farm to school movement forward in 2023.

Sarah Webb

309 Teachers Impacted

Throughout all of our farm to school professional learning in 2023, we worked with 309 teachers across Vermont, supporting their work in helping their students connect the dots of where their food comes from and the impacts of their choices on their bodies, and the community. Among them, 2024 Vermont Teacher of the Year Aziza Malik, who is using storytelling and food stories to build identity and community.

Learn about Aziza's project

42 Team Members Participated & 15,436 Students Impacted

Our Northeast Farm to School Institute bring teams together to build skills, relationships, and a collaborative action plan for their schools, districts, and early childhood programs. With the support of a coach, teams spend the school year putting their plans into action and strengthening their capacity to impact classrooms, cafeterias, and communities with change that lasts.

"In the school setting, it's really hard to bring stakeholders together and really have the time and space to get in the mindset to do this work. The food and the workshops have been amazing experiences, but that dedicated team time to really dive into this work has been the most valuable piece" –Educator Sam Bromley, Institute participant

16 Farm to School Institutes Launched & Planned

Our Farm to School Institute Adaptation Program supports states in their efforts to adapt, develop, and launch their own Farm to School Institute programs. We focus on the core components that make our Institute model successful, while modifying aspects to fit participants' local context and goals. In 2023, states all across the country are launching, or planning to launch, their own programs to serve their unique communities. Among them is Connecticut, who shared their experience.

Sarah Webb

15 Farmers Mentored

Our first-ever Agricultural Educators Cohort is a peer-to-peer learning opportunity designed to support farmers who are interested in hosting field trips, and developing relationships with local classrooms. Each participating farmer is matched with a coach in their region to address a range of topics from on-farm visit safety and logistics to developing engaging and relevant educational activities.

“I really enjoy coaching the farmers that I'm partnering with because it's inspiring to see the work they're doing on their own land, but then also finding really interesting and educational ways to bring people onto the farm. And each farmer's doing it differently. It’s really inspiring to see the myriad of ways that they're sharing their way of life with so many Vermont kids and adults.” –Misse Axelrod, Vermont Farm and Forest School, Roxbury, VT

Learn more about the program

14 Early Childhood Teams Received Coaching

We are connecting our earliest learners to where their food comes from through our Northeast Farm to School Institute and as a partner in state grant programs. We offer technical assistance, coaching, professional learning, and grant support.

This includes supporting early childhood providers in their efforts to feed their children more local foods through Vermont's Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Grant, which helps early childhood education programs and after school programs access more Vermont-grown foods by subsidizing the cost of a share.

"We've seen this grant jump start snack programs, nutrition education experiences for children and families, on-site garden exploration, and family food backpack programs. This incredible program helps stabilize both our farming and early childhood communities and works toward building more equitable food access and local food systems in Vermont." –Cynthia Greene, Farm to Early Childhood Education Partnership Coordinator, Shelburne Farms

We have a long partnership with early educator Laura Butler, who is building relationships with her community and farmers.

Sarah Webb

20 School / Dairy Farm Partnerships Developed

Vermont's Dairy in the Classroom program combines hands-on classroom curriculum with field trips to local dairy farms. Students develop an appreciation for the importance of farms, farmers, and animals in their everyday life.

“So many kids today don’t have a connection to their food. To be able to show first hand where food comes from is a treat for us. We love to share what we do as dairy farmers, and we feel so lucky to be able to give kids the chance to pat a cow.” –Farmer & Owner Linda Stanley, Paul-Lin Dairy

We joined a field trip to Paul-Lin Dairy in Bakersfield

20 Teens Engaged in Statewide Food Systems Youth Summit

Vermont high school students from Woodstock, Harwood Union, Leland & Gray, Montpelier, North Country Union, and Pacem gathered at Knoll Farm for the first annual Youth F.E.A.S.T. Summit (Food Education and Sustainability/Systems Thinking). The students self-organized and created a day of workshops and conversations for themselves and their fellow students passionate about food systems. They taught and attended workshops on microgreens, wildcrafting, advocating in the state house, cooking, and nutrition.

“We often hear about an academic achievement gap in schools, but I think there has been a realization over the last several years that there is actually an engagement gap. We have to stop blaming young people for not being engaged and recognize the strategies that we can use as educators for learning to flourish. Co-creating programming and putting students in the position of decision-maker in their own education is one way toward this deeper learning schools are looking for.” –Director of Professional Learning Jen Cirillo, who supported the students in this event

Sarah Webb

83,000 Students Impacted by 'Farm-Fresh School Meals for All' Campaign

We worked as part of a broad coalition to advocate for the permanent implementation of Universal School Meals in Vermont. On June 14, 2023, the bill was enacted, making breakfast and lunch permanently available at no charge in Vermont schools.

Combined with the Vermont Farm to School & Early Childhood Grants and the Local Foods Incentive Grants, Universal School Meals ensures every Vermont student has equitable access to nutritious local food and food education.

We gathered at Spaulding Education Alternatives School to celebrate

Sarah Webb

For Educators

Education Impact

Farm to School

For Educators

Farm to School

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What is Farm to School? Green Teacher Podcast Digs In

All over the country, schools are transforming food systems education. Our professional learning team is featured on the podcast Talking with Green Teachers to discuss farm to school's impact.

For Educators

Education Impact

Farm to School

Adapting the Model: Connecticut’s Statewide Farm to School Institute

As part of the 2023–24 Farm to School Institute Adaptation cohort, Connecticut reflects on their experience launching their first statewide Institute.

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Farm to School

Youth Voice

Honoring Identity in the Classroom: Students Embrace Their Food Story

Vermont Teacher of the Year Aziza Malik explores how food, like storytelling, connects us all.

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Farm to School--just wonderful!! Thank you Shelburne Farms for your innovative programs and dedicated outreach to VT lives where it matters most----kids and education.

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March 1, 2024

Adapting the Model: Connecticut’s Statewide Farm to School Institute

Sarah — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 13:37:23 +0000

Adapting the Model: Connecticut’s Statewide Farm to School Institute Sarah Wed, 02/14/2024 - 08:37

Created in partnership with NOFA-VT, our Farm to School Institute is a proven professional learning model for creating lasting, whole-school change. Since 2015, our Farm to School Institute Adaptation Program supports farm to school leaders in bringing our model to their state and launch their own Institute programs, ensuring farm to school’s transformative benefits are realized in more communities across the country.

Here, Connecticut's 2023–24 adaptation team reflects on their experience adapting and launching their first statewide Institute:

How they got started: Connecticut school teams and coaches have been attending the Northeast Farm to School Institute since 2016, which provided their leadership familiarity with the Institute model and helped develop organizational capacity within their own collaborative. In 2022, Connecticut participated in the Farm to School Institute Adaptation Program.

Organizations involved: The Connecticut Farm to School Collaborative, FoodCorps CT, and New Britain ROOTS (fiscal sponsor) are the lead organizations of the Connecticut Farm to School Institute. Planning team members include a diverse team of food system leaders from non profits, school districts and procurement specialists.

Institute status: Connecticut launched their first year-long Institute in the summer of 2023, which started with an in-person retreat at the Yellow Farmhouse Education Center in Stonington. Three school teams were selected to participate: Cheshire Public Schools, Consolidated School District of New Britain, and Ponus STEAM Academy. Planning is underway for a 2024–25 Institute.

Adaptations for Community Context

We call it an adaptation and not a replication for a reason. For farm to school programs to thrive, they must be a reflection of and integrate within the community: the students, the school culture and priorities, the local food system, and community partners. There is no one-size-fits-all program to build robust, sustainable farm to school programs; the Farm to School Institute model supports schools in building their own capacity to define what meaningful change means for them.

Here’s how Connecticut is adapting the Institute model, and the learning they’ve shared:

Diverse Voices Added to the Planning Process

During the planning stages of Connecticut’s inaugural statewide Institute, the Collaborative “looked around the table and noticed that we all looked similar, and we needed to add some more diversity in our voices and experience to our team,” shares Lisa Lenskold, Co-Founder of Norwalk Grows and Project Director of the Connecticut Farm to School Institute.

First, the Collaborative sought out an expert: Director of DEI at Naugatuck Public Schools, who urged the planning team to place equity at the heart of every aspect of the Institute. "Theresa made it abundantly clear that centering equity should not be viewed as a complex undertaking," Lisa explains. "Our unwavering commitment to equity led us to embrace and integrate it into our daily activities. We vowed to remain receptive to learning and adaptable to change, ensuring that these shifts became intrinsic to our work, rather than an isolated effort." This approach ensures that equity is not an afterthought, but the driving force behind the Institute.

The planning group expanded with the addition of an advisory board, which brought more educators, school nutrition directors, urban farmers, and other community members to the table to offer insight into increasing accessibility to a wider range of schools and districts.

The 2023–24 Connecticut Farm to School Institute. Photo courtesy Connecticut Farm to School Collaborative.

Coaches Embedded in Community

“We decided one of our key strategies was to add diversity and lived experiences to our coaching cohort,” explains Lisa, “We really wanted the coaches to have a connection to the school community.” The planning committee prioritized people who had a commitment to the community they would support over those who may have more formal experience with farm to school. “We looked for people that love their community. It’s really about being authentic and committed to making it happen.”

“We had been sending the same coaches [to the Northeast Farm to School Institute] year after year,” Lisa continues. “And we thought, We have great people in our state, let’s give people that are flying under the radar an opportunity .” The Institute kicked off with four brand new coaches, “and they are GREAT coaches,” Lisa beams.

Once the coaches were on board, they had support from a Coach Liaison, Catherine Hallisey, from FoodCorps. The Coach Liaison took the lead in recruiting coaches, matching them with teams, and building those relationships, which they decided to start early on.

“Throughout the years attending the Northeast Farm to School Institute, we noticed that oftentimes it was one team member who filled out the application for the program,” Lisa explains. “This was the same person who completed the farm to school rubric for the team — and not always with input from team members.” Connecticut opted to have the teams and their coaches meet together before the in-person retreat to think through the rubric and their values statement as a group, offering a shared understanding of the school’s baseline and a chance for the whole group. “This really benefited the teams and coaches,” Lisa continues. “They felt connected before the retreat so they were able to hit the ground running with their action plan right out of the gate. With only two days on site and commuting each day, this was a great way to maximize the time at the retreat.”

Leveraging the Success of State Grants

Recruiting teams for the year-long Institute experience is a big undertaking, and Connecticut was able to piggyback off the statewide Connecticut Grown for Connecticut Kids farm to school grant program to find interested schools. “We leveraged the success of that grant by inviting recipients of that funding to participate in our Institute,” Lisa shares. “We were able to reach out to folks that had an interest in farm to school without having to market a new idea all across the state.”

The grant applications also offered insights into the goals and aspirations of the teams, which were used to inform Institute programming. The planning team was able to create workshops that would directly support the team’s plans for what they wanted to build in the coming year.

What’s Next for Connecticut? “We're going to forge ahead,” Lisa shares. “The work is important and we’re going to make it happen.”

See Connecticut's First Farm to School Institute

Learn More

Our Farm to School Work

Farm to School Institute Adaptation Program

Northeast Farm to School Institute

Sarah Webb

For Educators

Education Impact

Farm to School

Education Impact

Farm to School

Vermont’s Farm to School Program is Adapted Across the Country

We're expanding our farm to school professional learning program nationwide, hosting teams from Kansas, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and Rhode Island.

For Educators

Farm to School

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What is Farm to School? Green Teacher Podcast Digs In

All over the country, schools are transforming food systems education. Our professional learning team is featured on the podcast Talking with Green Teachers to discuss farm to school's impact.

For Educators

Farm to School

Youth Voice

Honoring Identity in the Classroom: Students Embrace Their Food Story

Vermont Teacher of the Year Aziza Malik explores how food, like storytelling, connects us all.

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Sweet Potato Hummus

Sarah — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 17:22:13 +0000

Sweet Potato Hummus Sarah Mon, 02/12/2024 - 12:22

“Student engagement is always high with farm to school,” shares Charleston Elementary School Principal Christopher Lawson. “Kids are doing taste tests, planting in the greenhouse, cooking in the kitchen, and creating snacks for the school. And, they’re learning transferable skills—collaboration and cooperation.”

Connecting kids to how food is grown has always been part of the Shelburne Farms story. We partner with agencies and organizations across the state to reach more schools and support them in building connections among the 3Cs of farm to school—the classroom, cafeteria, and community—so all Vermont kids know where their food comes from.

Charleston Elementary staff explore food systems activities in a recent professional learning day with Shelburne Farms staff. Photos by Sarah Webb.

Our professional learning team recently headed to Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom to work alongside staff from Charleston Elementary School, a Vermont Agency of Agriculture Farm to School grantee. Along with Green Mountain Farm-to-School, we spent the day trying out food systems activities educators can bring into their classrooms, and brainstorming new ways to connect students to their neighboring farmers and producers.

And, in true farm to school fashion, creating and sharing food was central to the day. Try out the Sweet Potato Hummus we whipped up together, a quick and delicious alternative to your typical chickpea spread:

Sweet Potato Hummus

At-home scale, yields 1-2 cups

Ingredients:

1 medium sweet potato
1½ Tbsp olive oil
½ 15-oz can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1½ Tbsp tahini
1 clove garlic, peeled
Juice of ½ lemon
¼ tsp cayenne
¼ tsp smoked paprika
⅛ tsp cumin

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake sweet potato in a baking dish for 45-60 minutes, until cooked through and tender.
While the sweet potato cools, add other ingredients to a food processor. Once the sweet potato is cool enough to handle, remove skin and add flesh to other ingredients.
Process until smooth, and serve. Hummus can be topped with a sprinkle of cayenne, if desired.

School Nutrition Programs Scale, yields ~15 cups

Ingredients:

8 medium sweet potatoes
¾ cup olive oil
7 ½ cups chickpeas
¾ cup tahini
12 cloves garlic, peeled
Juice of 4 lemons
2 tsp cayenne
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin

Use the method above for this volume, too.

Recipe adapted by Green Mountain Farm-to -School from Cookie and Kate.

Members of the Charleston Elementary farm to school team: principal Christopher Lawson, educator Elisabeth Thompson, educator Laurinda Maxwell, and Green Mountain Farm-to-School coach Elyse Perambo.

Sarah Webb

For Educators

Farm to School

Recipes

Letting Go of the Recipe: Hands-On Cooking with Kids

Try the "recipes" we cooked up during Cultivating Joy & Wonder, our annual professional learning workshop for early childhood educators.

Farm to School

Recipes

Confetti Corn Salad

An easily adaptable summer salad to feature what's coming out of your home garden and looking especially delicious at the farmers’ market.

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Farm to School

Youth Voice

Honoring Identity in the Classroom: Students Embrace Their Food Story

Vermont Teacher of the Year Aziza Malik explores how food, like storytelling, connects us all.

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February 14, 2024

A Watershed for Every Classroom Returns

aestey — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 14:20:02 +0000

A Watershed for Every Classroom Returns aestey Thu, 01/25/2024 - 09:20

The transformational professional learning program will welcome a new group of educators in 2024

The impacts of climate change on our watershed are many; take, for example, how December’s flooding spread invasive knotweed along Vermont’s rivers. Extreme storms and heavy rains like those that happened in 2023 underscore the urgent need for place- and climate-based education that prepares the next generation of leaders for the future. “We are seeing the impacts of climate change on the watershed both locally and globally. In order to meet the moment, we need to connect students to their local waterways and build skills for a climate-resilient future,” says Shelburne Farms Institute for Sustainable Schools professional learning facilitator Emily Schaller.

A Watershed for Every Classroom will provide an opportunity for educators to learn about and strategize around these goals. The program is, truly, for every educator in the Lake Champlain Basin. “Every subject can be connected to the watershed: science, math, English Language Arts, history, social studies, you name it. The watershed touches everything,” explains Schaller. Through A Watershed for Every Classroom, teachers learn the stories of the Lake Champlain Basin, ultimately gaining new ways to engage their students in learning about their place to understand where they live and nurture a sense of belonging and stewardship.

The year-long learning opportunity is presented by The Champlain Basin Education Initiative (CBEI), a community of organizations engaged in watershed education that includes Shelburne Farms. For the past three decades, CBEI has offered workshops, forums, and experiences with lasting impact on hundreds of teachers and thousands of their students.

Educators in the Lake Champlain Basin region of Quebec, New York* and Vermont are invited to apply. The program is best suited for educators working with grades 4-9, but is applicable to all subject areas and grades. Applications are being accepted now through March 10.

*For New York teachers, note Lake Champlain Sea Grant is recognized by the New York State Education Department's Office of Teaching Initiatives as an approved sponsor of CTLE for Professional Classroom Teachers, School Leaders, and Level III Teaching Assistants. CTLE certificates of completion will be offered for educators in attendance for the full duration of the program.

More About This Program

Apply Now

Start a conversation with Professional Learning Facilitator Emily Schaller at eschaller@shelburnefarms.org to talk about this program.

Email Emily

Andrea Estey

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Join Us at the 2024 Green Schools Conference

aestey — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 16:18:42 +0000

Join Us at the 2024 Green Schools Conference aestey Fri, 12/22/2023 - 11:18

Santa Fe, New Mexico from March 5–7, 2024

Education has always been Shelburne Farms’ lever of change. We work directly with educators, students, and visitors to help them build healthier communities and a healthier planet.

We’re proud to partner with the Green Schools Conference, and invite you to join us and fellow leaders in Education for Sustainability at this three-day event.

The Green Schools Conference (GSC) brings together everyone involved in creating and advocating for green schools, focusing on those leading their schools and school systems toward whole-school sustainability. Now in its 14th year, the three-day event provides a platform for the green schools community that inspires and facilitates the progress of the green schools movement.

Each year, the conference program includes a variety of educational formats that offer a deep dive into the most pressing green school topics within the areas of environmental impact, health and wellness, environmental and sustainability education, and whole-school sustainability culture.

I’ll be in-person in Santa Fe this March, and hope to see you there!

Emily Schaller

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A Savory Cheddar-Chive Scone Recipe

aestey — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 18:15:24 +0000

A Savory Cheddar-Chive Scone Recipe aestey Fri, 11/10/2023 - 13:15

Chive blossoms in the garden. Photo by Laura Ockel.

Culinary arts instructor Dylana DeGannes opens her scone-making workshop at Shelburne Farms with an invitation to reflect on this quote from Malcom X: "Revolution is based on land. Land is the basis of all independence. Land is the basis of freedom, justice, and equality."

How does this connect to cooking? “When I think of this quote, I think of the importance of access. In the work I’m doing, food is a tool I use to give students access to opportunities,” explains Dylana. As an educator at West Brooklyn Community High School in New York, Dylana’s ultimate goal is to empower her students; in this high school, known as a transfer high school, students have experienced challenges or fallen behind in their studies, and are working to get back on track toward graduating.

Through her culinary arts courses, Dylana’s students are finding new possibilities for their futures. Together in her classroom, they look at history through food; then, students are invited to cook, learning about ingredients and even health and safety protocols, skills they can apply in life and in potential culinary careers. “The kitchen is a space for my students to just be—and to access something new.”

She shared this story, and her recipe for scones, in our Foundations in Education for Sustainability workshop for teachers this summer. “When you cook together, you let your guard down, you talk about things. Food can bring us together.”

Left, educator Dylana DeGannes shares with fellow teachers ways she uses cooking to empower her students. On right, workshop participants get hands-on with scone making. Photos by Andrea Estey.

Recipe: Savory Cheddar-Chive Scones

By Dylana DeGannes

Make Dylana’s recipe for scones with your family this holiday season. Scones are one of Dylana’s favorite treats to make with young chefs because they’re so forgiving. Tip: Chill the scone dough for at least 15 minutes in the refrigerator before baking to prevent over-spreading. “You want to keep the dough as cold as possible.”

Makes 6-8 scones

Dry ingredients

2 cups pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes or grated
1 cup cubed Shelburne Farms cheddar, any age

Wet ingredients

½ cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing scone tops if desired
1 egg
½ cup chives, finely chopped

Directions

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt and sift into a mixing bowl.
Combine butter with sifted dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients and whisk together.
Mix wet ingredients and dry ingredients, stirring until everything appears moistened, then fold in cheddar cubes. Pour out onto a lightly floured surface.
With your hands, form the dough into a disc, then cut into wedges. Place wedges on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Refrigerate dough for at least 15 minutes. While dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Remove dough from the fridge. For a golden brown, extra crisp, and crumbly exterior, brush with heavy cream or buttermilk before baking.
Bake for approximately 20–25 minutes at 400 degrees.

Support Dylana’s bakery business, Dylana’s Sweet Treats, which offers shipping on her homemade bread pudding during the holiday season, or follow her on Instagram.

Join our next Foundations in Education for Sustainability workshop for educators, happening at Shelburne Farms July 8–12, 2024.

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The Power of Food to Connect Across Cultures

Sarah — Wed, 08 Nov 2023 14:47:40 +0000

The Power of Food to Connect Across Cultures Sarah Wed, 11/08/2023 - 09:47

The Janet Munt Family Room Supports Young Learners & Families

Momos & Samosas!

On the day before the Family Supper, the bustling kitchen of the Janet Munt Family Room is filled with the enticing aroma of spices and freshly prepared dishes. Parents, community members, and staff work side by side, crafting traditional momos and samosas, while laughter, conversations, and storytelling in various languages create a vibrant atmosphere. The children, supervised and engaged by attentive staff, explore the gardens and participate in outdoor activities, as they share in the anticipation of the upcoming celebration. This year's preparations are extra special, as a local family has generously donated a goat to be shared and savored by all.

As the day of the Family Supper arrives, excitement is in the air. Families gather at the picturesque Ethan Allen Homestead, laden with their homemade dishes, ready to share their culinary heritage with the community. A long, inviting food line forms, as everyone eagerly awaits the chance to sample the myriad of flavors from around the world. The festive atmosphere is amplified by the rhythmic sounds of live music, the sweet scent of freshly pressed cider, and the smiling faces of old friends and new acquaintances mingling together. As the evening unfolds, the party carries on into the night, a heartfelt testament to the power of food, culture, and community in bringing people together.

The community gathers for the Family Supper at Ethan Allen Homestead, a chance to sample the myriad of flavors from around the world. Photo courtesy Janet Munt Family Room.

A Community Resource for All Ages

The Janet Munt Family Room is a parent-child center located in Burlington offering a range of services to families with young children, such as early care, playgroups, parent support and education, home visits, and community development.

Many of the center's programs involve farm to early childhood activities, including the Family Play at the Gardens program, which provides care and activities for children, gardening support and workshops for adults, and access to shared or individual garden plots for the season. To ensure accessibility for all families, transportation and meals are also provided. These community garden programs provide families with control over their own food production, promoting food sovereignty and building strong networks of mutual support. English classes or tutors are also sometimes available, which enables families to learn gardening, food, and cooking vocabulary in a real-life context. This immersive approach can improve fluency and engagement in language learning.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Family Room stepped up to support families in need by delivering locally sourced and gleaned food to over 150 families per week. This service has since transformed into an on-site pantry to increase food security within the community. It offers a wider range of produce and farm shares, including culturally relevant items like green amaranth, bitter melon, and African eggplant. The pantry offerings were informed by research conducted during the food box distribution, which identified items that were meaningful to New Americans and reminded them of home. These specialty vegetables are now grown by Digger’s Mirth and Intervale Community Farm.

Through partnerships with Feeding Chittenden, the Vermont Land Trust, and the Vermont Food Bank, the Family Room has been able to provide families with a unique resource: a goat certificate that allows them to have a goat slaughtered in a culturally relevant way for religious or cultural festivals. These goats are raised at Pine Island Community Farm by a Bhutanese family who came to Vermont as refugees in 2009.

Outdoor activities keep everyone engaged during the Family Supper, including the opportunity to press apples for cider. Photo courtesy Janet Munt Family Room.

The Secret Ingredient

The Janet Munt Family Room has a secret ingredient that makes its programs truly exceptional: a deep understanding of the importance of food in sustaining health, community, and culture. Through its farm to early childhood initiatives, the Family Room provides families with access to culturally relevant foods, which fosters a sense of belonging and helps to sustain the unique cultural practices of New American families. The Family Supper and other food-related events promote intercultural exchange and celebration, bringing families from all backgrounds together to share in the joy of food in a community where all can feel supported, valued, and empowered. By recognizing the power of food to connect people across cultures, the Family Room is building a stronger, more resilient community that authentically celebrates diversity and helps all families to thrive.

Janet Munt Family Room

Take Your Next Step

Are you an early educator looking to connect your students with hands-on learning opportunities about food, farming, and nutrition? Visit the Vermont Farm to School & Early Childhood Network's website to learn more!

Learn more

The Association of State Public Health Nutritionists' Farm to ECE grantee programs are supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the United States (U.S.) Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), as one of several projects funded by cooperative agreement number NU38OT000279 (total of $6,320,000). This resource was supported by ASPHN's Farm to ECE grantee program, which is funded by the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity (DNPAO)/ National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP)/CDC/HHS. The contents of this resource are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by DNPAO/NCCDPHP/CDC/HHS, or the U.S. government.

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November 8, 2023