In June 2025, a team from Bellows Falls Union High School, including staff and a local community member, attended the Northeast Farm to School Institute (NFTSI) kickoff event at Shelburne Farms in Vermont.
Photo courtesy of Shelburne Farms
This marks the beginning of a year-long professional development journey to expand what the school offers to its students and local community.
Organized by Vermont FEED, the Northeast Farm to School Institute brings together educators, food service professionals, school administrators, and community advocates. Through dynamic speakers, interactive workshops, and tailored coaching, the program helps teams build effective, sustainable Farm to School programs that benefit students, schools, and local communities.
The Bellows Falls team is enthusiastic about bringing fresh, engaging experiences to their students in the coming school year. Their vision includes integrating Farm to School concepts with the Vermont Harvest of the Month program—a statewide initiative that highlights seasonal, locally available foods each month through recipes, posters, and classroom resources.
“Farm to School is about helping students make meaningful connections between what they eat and how it affects their health, the environment, and their local economy,” said one team member. “It’s education that goes beyond the classroom.”
During the four-day kickoff event, the team participated in a wide range of sessions. Workshop offerings included curriculum planning, planning school gardens, student-centered taste tests, composting and recycling in schools, cooking with students, and even creative arts like printmaking with natural dyes.
Photo courtesy of Shelburne Farms
As the new school year approaches, the Bellows Falls team is ready to continue the work. They are committed to making the effort a collaborative one—welcoming students, staff, and community members to be part of the conversation and the hands-on work of building a thriving Farm to School culture.
With this foundation laid, Bellows Falls Union High School is poised to not only enhance student learning but also strengthen ties between the school and the local food system.
Attendees of the Northeast Farm to School Institute. Photo courtesy of Shelburne Farms
Written by: Adelaide Petrov-Yoo