The Albert Bridge School (W. Windsor) and Wethersfield Schoolreceived one of three Farm to School implementation grants from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture at the Farm to School Awareness Day in Essex on January 25th.  Calling the joint initiative the Ascutney Basin Farm to School program, the schools have ambitious plans to connect more local Vermont food into the cafeteria, classroom and community.  The $15,000 grant, largest amount awarded statewide, will support purchase of local foods for the cafeteria and for taste tests, field trips to area farms, efforts to connect food and farm themes into the existing curriculum. The program activities and food offerings will follow seasonal themes each month, starting with seeds in March. A FTS committee is being formed to help provide guidance to the program, and will involve food service staff, teachers, parents, administrators and community members. The FTS program will also integrate garden based learning into the curriculum.

The funds will also support a part time coordinator (5-10 hours a week) to organize the FTS committee and all of the program efforts.

The Ascutney Basin program has the benefit of many strong community partners, including the Mount Ascutney Prevention Program, Windsor County Correctional Facility and the Upper Valley FTS Network – all invested in expanding the benefits of FTS to these two schools.