Farm to School Project this week at VCS!

There are exciting developments afoot at VCS, beginning with Maine Farms Week from October 9-17 and including our Maine Harvest Luncheon on October 17. Read on to learn about these exciting events and what they mean for VCS students.

These activities are part of a larger Farm to School project that was started this fall at VCS through an Oak Grove Foundation Grant. Farm to School programs create connections between schools and local farms. They aim to increase schools’ purchase and consumption of locally grown foods in order to improve children’s health and support local farming communities. F2S programs also create educational links between students and farms, by facilitating classroom visits by farmers and field trips to farms. Along the way, farms and schools develop a deeper sense of community.

To kickoff our F2S program at VCS, we are planning a week of educational activities followed by a “Grown in Maine” Harvest Luncheon. Many local farmers are coming to the school to share their stories, ranging from Grange members who will talk about life on a Vassalboro farm in the early 1900s to a recent VCS grad who now runs a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm in China. Maine’s First Lady, Karen Baldacci, will also be visiting with the children, sharing her experiences gardening at the Blaine House. Meanwhile, our Food Service Staff are busy preparing for another exceptional meal, this time using ingredients from local farms, many within 10 miles of the school, and all from Maine! If this is a success, we hope to add more local foods to the menu throughout the year. Please show your support and have your child eat our Maine Harvest Lunch on October 17! This is a great way to teach kids about the resources and opportunities within their local community.

If you would like to learn more about this project or would like to be involved, feel free to contact us: Also, we may need a few volunteers to help serve lunch on October 17: Deb Soifer (soifer@vcsvikings.org)(445-4250) or Kelly Payson-Roopchand (549-3096).