Farm to School Education in Montpelier is Building Resilience

“What’s so inspiring to me is you’re solving big challenges by creating a local agricultural economy and a cleaner, more sustainable environment. It takes work, it takes effort. It takes more than just saying you want a solution—we all do—it’s about doing it.”  –U.S. Senator Peter Welch

In celebration of National Farm to School Month, U.S. Senator Peter Welch and Vermont Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets Anson Tebbetts visited Montpelier High School (MHS) to see the farm to school program firsthand and understand how the school integrates food systems education throughout the curriculum and school meals. The event was organized by the Vermont Farm to School & Early Childhood Network, of which we are a member.

MHS students toured the Senator and Secretary through the greenhouse and gardens, pointing out the colorful greens destined for the cafeteria salad bar; ripening peppers students will cook down into hot sauce and bottle for sale; and abundant beds of kale, squash, herbs, and more for the student-run crêpe cart business, which raises money for student travel scholarships.

“We run the crêpe cart at the Capitol City Farmers’ Market,” explained Student Manager of the cart, Veda Gahagan. “We source most ingredients from our school gardens and the market itself.” Students learn all aspects of a small business, including budgeting, foodservice, marketing, and cooking. “I met a lot of farmers, and I know where all the ingredients are coming from,” shares Veda. “It’s special meeting so many members of this community, and I feel connected to Montpelier and Vermont.”

Vermont Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets Anson Tebbetts shared his admiration for the students’ work, “They’re learning how to take the food they grow, make it into a product, sell it, make a business plan, and develop relationships.”

The MHS farm to school efforts have not been without challenges, including recent flooding that devastated their gardens and infrastructure, but the teachers and students worked through the obstacles. “Food systems are complex, and that brings in rigor, constant critical thinking, and problem solving,” explains educator Tom Sabo. “When things go wrong here, it is an educational opportunity, a whole new lesson plan.”

“Everything that we saw here, the students did,” Senator Welch remarked following the tour. “The environmental champions in our society are the young people. And Montpelier students are showing us that it isn't just about advocating and having the expectation that someone else will solve a big problem. It’s about taking on the responsibility yourself.”

Every student participates in farm to school at some point during their time at MHS. Whether it’s working in the greenhouse, keeping bees, making and selling value-added products, tending to the school’s flock of chickens, taking culinary skill-building classes, or maintaining the pick-your-own community food security garden, students have ample opportunities to explore sustainable food systems.

“The Food, Farm, and Society class has really helped me to understand what a food system actually is and how everyone contributes to it,” student Sam Boyce shared. “And, being able to work in the gardens has taught me a lot of life experiences, especially because it was technically the first job that I’ve ever had.”

The benefits run deep; students may not always be interested in farming as a career, but they value a local agricultural economy. “We create educated consumers,” Tom Sabo continues. “Consumers that understand that the price tag isn't the only cost associated with the food we buy. Consumers that are willing to pay a fair price for food that benefits the environment, local farmers, and the local economy.”

Vermont schools spend 20 million dollars annually on school food, and the farm to school movement is working to include more farmers in that economic opportunity. The Vermont Agency of Education’s Local Food Incentives program and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets’ farm to school grant programs have supported the expansion of Vermont products served in Vermont schools. “Now, we have over 100 Vermont farmers and producers selling to school meal and early childhood programs,” shared Network Coordinator Dana Hudson.

Following the tour, the teachers and students sat down with the Senator and Secretary for lunch in the cafeteria. On the menu: fresh-off-the-griddle, student-made buckwheat crêpes with local tomato, pesto, and mozzarella.

“[The Vermont delegation in Washington] is proud of Vermont’s Farm to School program and Universal School Meal program. The implementation is what you’re doing here, and you’re seeing the benefits,” noted Welch. “Montpelier High School is such an inspiration. If my colleagues and I could learn these lessons of cooperation and effort, I think we’d be better off not just in Montpelier, but all around the country.”

Montpelier is an alumni of the Northeast Farm to School Institute, a program of Shelburne Farms Institute for Sustainable Schools and NOFA-VT, and was recently awarded  a Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, & Markets grant to support the purchase of a new food trailer to expand their culinary entrepreneurship offerings.

Learn more about the statewide programs supporting schools and early childhood programs in deepening student connections to local food systems:

• The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, & Markets (VAAFM) Farm to School & Early Childhood Capacity Building Grant provides financial and technical assistance to schools or early childhood education organizations looking to develop or expand their farm to school programs. Application due November 14.
• The VAAFM Farm to Institution Market Development Grant supports market development opportunities for local food producers and processors, with a focus on Vermont institutional markets. Application due October 23.
• The VAAFM Farm to School and Early Childhood Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Grant reimburses early childhood education providers and after school programs for the cost of a CSA share. Applications open in early 2025.
• The VAAFM Farm to School and Early Childhood Vision Grant supports innovative projects that engage youth in addressing contemporary problems through farm to school and early childhood activities. Applications open March 2025.
• The Vermont Agency of Education Local Foods Incentive Grant provides a financial incentive to school districts and supervisory unions that meet local purchasing targets in their school meal programs. Application due December 9.
• Shelburne Farms Institute for Sustainable Schools and NOFA-VT’s Northeast Farm to School Institute,  a unique year-long professional learning opportunity for selected school, district, or early childhood teams from New England and New York. Applications open later this year.
• The USDA Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program supports launching new farm to school programs or expanding existing efforts.