Remember the last time you split a restaurant bill with friends—how long did it take? If it’s anything like my experiences, it always ends up being far more complicated than expected. Now, imagine splitting the grocery bill for 30 teachers and divvying up cases of potatoes, mushrooms, asparagus, arugula, and more. Add in special orders (Terra Nova coffee, anyone?) and delivery, and you’ve got the Brattleboro Union High School’s (BUHS) Virtual Farmstand.
Despite the pandemic restrictions, BUHS students in the F.A.R.M.S program (Foundations of Agriculture, Reading, Math, and Social Engagement), with the help of teachers Alison Kelly, Erica Cross, and Lauren Allembert, managed the school’s buying, which sold over $2,500 worth of local food to school staff over the past year. School staff would place their orders via a Google Sheet developed by Food Connects, and the Food Connects Food Hub would then deliver the bulk order directly to the school. From there, students handled all communications to the staff, measured and packed individual orders, and sent invoices to their customers. Taken all together, the BUHS Farmstand is a standout example of how Farm to School in the upper-grade levels can be interdisciplinary, hands-on, and engaging for the entire school community.
“The Farmstand was an anchor for many of our students this past year. Not only did it keep learning hands-on during the pandemic, but it helped our students build community within the school." says BUHS teacher Lauren Allembert.
Students practiced their math skills—dividing orders, measuring out correct weights, and tallying up invoices. The class had to create systems to manage the flow of fresh produce through the classroom and back out to customers. Individuals honed their communication skills via emails to teachers and when delivering orders.
School staff were excited to support the students in their real-world learning. Added benefits for the school community included an easy way to buy local foods and lower prices since they were buying directly from the Food Hub.
The F.A.R.M.S. program does much more Farm to School as well. Students grow crops in raised beds built by the Windham Regional Career Center, practice culinary skills using local foods, and learn about the natural sciences through the lens of horticulture. The program is also open to a wide audience, explains Allembert, “the F.A.R.M.S. program creates an opportunity for all students in our community to engage at any level. Students have taken sustainability coursework, participated in the farmstand, and others have completed community service within the C.S.A."
Looking to next year, the class is excited to get their farmstand back in person. While the virtual format was an innovative pandemic solution, the sense of community fostered through the physical stand can’t be replaced.