This document summarizes Vermont FEED's farm to school collaboration efforts in Vermont. It discusses the creation of the Community of Inquiry Learning and Practice (CLIP) network to provide outreach, create a learning community, develop resources, and strengthen the statewide farm to school network. The CLIP helped inform the first Vermont State Farm to School Institute which included a summer workshop focusing on building partnerships, connecting with farmers, program sustainability, and curriculum integration. Topics at the workshop included evaluation methods, program models, challenges, and promising evidence from initial evaluations.
Maple Apple Gumbo: Farm to School Collaboration in VT
1. Maple Apple Gumbo:
Farm to School Collaboration in Vermont
Erica Curry, Shelburne Farms/VT FEED
Abbie Nelson, NOFA-VT/VT FEED
Danielle Pipher, Shelburne Farms/VT FEED
Andrew Powers, PEER Associates, Inc.
Community Food Security Coalition Conference
New Orleans, LA – October 2010
5. Provide Outreach
Create a Community of Learning, Inquiry & Practice
Strengthen Statewide Network
Develop Resources
6. CLIP Participants Include:
•Burlington School Food Project
•Food Works Farm to Table
•Green Mountain Farm to School
•Upper Valley Farm to School Network
Vermont Farm to School Network
Community of Inquiry Learning & Practice (CLIP)
•Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and
Markets
•Vermont Department of Education
•Vermont Department of Health
7. Topics discussed:
Sharing our Programs- learning unique elements of FTS programs across the state
Evaluation- share current knowledge about FTS evaluation and identify gaps
Telling Our Story- How to capture all of the great Farm to School work happening
across the state
Group Communication Trainings & Professional Development
Planning a Summer Workshop
Community of Inquiry Learning & Practice (CLIP)
8.
The CLIP helped inform the first Vermont State Farm to School Institute…
Farm to School Summer Workshop
•Collaboration and Community of Learning Expanded to Schools
•Workshop Offered for Credit
• Action Planning Time and Resource Specialist Support
• Focus on the 3 C’s as structure for each day
• Teams including: teachers, principals, FTS coordinators, food service,
community members, farmers
•Highlighting FTS practitioners- having them share their stories
26. Preliminary Findings
• Eating F&V picked with family
• Taste test participation
• Useful measures for future evaluation
27. Discussion Groups
Farm to School Evaluation
Building a Farm to School Learning
Community/Farm to School Network
Strengthening and Developing Public/Private
Partnerships and Collaboration
Hinweis der Redaktion
In the CLASSROOM with Teacher Professional Development Courses and Food, Farm, and Nutrition Curriculum Mentorship
In the CAFETERIA with Food Service Professional Development Courses/Workshops and In-Cafeteria Mentorship
In the COMMUNITY with Community Partners, Food Nutrition Committees and Community Celebrations
Clip meetings complimented and supported the efforts of the newly formed
Vermont Farm to School Network
A series of regular gatherings of key stakeholders and regional Farm to School practitioners to identify and evaluate promising practices of Farm to School Programs.
Sacred work time
Facilitated action planning process