Farm to School
Farm to School
From elementary school to high school, every student should have the opportunity to choose, grow, and enjoy foods that support a healthy life.
Our Farm to School programs and partnerships cultivate student connections to food and learning. Teachers use school gardens to engage the senses and capture students’ curiosity through teachable moments. Students build confidence, self-efficacy, and fitness on field trips to local farms.
School nutrition professionals use locally grown produce to spark interest in new foods and encourage healthy eating habits. Together, we build a healthier, more connected community!
“Everything was fantastic. The hands-on harvesting, tasting, and observation of plants & nature was amazing.”
-Elementary school teacher
Supporting Schools
We offer an expert team of farmers, farm educators, and food access professionals that bring concrete support, proven best practices, and a foundation of excellence as innovators in the growing field of Farm to School.
Our consultation services support Farm to School initiatives in local school divisions, especially in school gardens and local procurement for cafeterias.
We contract with Waynesboro Public Schools to provide support at the Waynesboro Education Farm at Berkeley Glenn Elementary, and we contract with Staunton City Schools to provide support at the Staunton High School greenhouse and garden.
“The Project GROWs staff is amazing. Year after year - somehow - the trip gets better and better. Everything is explained perfectly for our young learners.”
- Kristen Dolan, Clymore Elementary Teacher
Kids who garden eat more veggies. That’s why we immerse students in hands-on, outdoor, experiential learning where they can discover where vegetables are grown, make connections between the classroom and the farm, and participate in age-appropriate farm tasks.
Teachers can select from our SOL-aligned lessons or request customized farm lessons for their classes.
Field trips are available April-November. Fees vary depending on group size and length of visit; financial assistance may be available where cost is a barrier.
Field Trips
Connecting Kids to Food
Lifelong eating habits are formed at an early age. As a nonprofit educational farm, we have both on-farm and off-farm programs that are changing how the next generation relates to food and land.
We partner with teachers to introduce students to seasonal vegetables, expand students’ food preferences, and demonstrate that eating new foods can be both fun and tasty. Get in touch if you’re interested in setting up a veggie tasting in your classroom!
