CORINTH — Cornell Cooperative of Saratoga County’s Farm to School program originally launched in 2018, with the aim to connect schools throughout NYS with farms and food producers within their community to strengthen local agriculture, improve student health, and promote regional food systems awareness. Saratoga Springs CSD was the only school to partake in the first year of the grant to wildly successful results. The positive commentary surrounding the program brought three more local schools. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, and with a little creativity, the outcomes continued to be exceptionally positive.
A favorite “game” the students like to play is the “Caught Eating Your Veggies” contest. Students respond well to the fun competition and strive to gain the most stickers to show they’ve eaten their vegetables.
Corinth Central School is one of the three new schools participating in the program. Through the collaborative efforts of the Pitney Meadows Community Farm, CCE Saratoga, and Corinth CSD’s very own Food Service Director, Lisa Tevendale, Corinth’s Kindergarten–Fifth graders competed for three days in May. Ms. Haack’s third graders received 66 stickers between the 15 students to win the contest. Each student received a Seed Starter goodie bag that included a “No Farm, No Food” sticker from the American Farmland Trust, assorted seeds from Pitney Meadows, Stewart’s single scoop coupons donated by the Corinth PTSA, and Lisa Tevendale contributed the seed starter kits.
The Farm to School Grant program has been widely well-received and will continue into the 2021-2022 school year. Contact Nicolina Foti, CCE Saratoga Farm to School Grant Coordinator, for more information at 518-885-8995.
