Green Mountain Farm-to-School (GMFTS) is a leader in the growing farm-to-school movement in Vermont. Our mission is to strengthen local food systems in Vermont by promoting positive economic relationships, education, and access between schools, farms, and communities.
We create and sustain healthy communities by working across the food system with capacity building, resource development, and technical assistance through our Farm-to-School program, Farm Direct food hub, and Lunchbox food truck.
Our Programs
Thank you to our 2024 premier sponsors – The Abbey Group, Community National Bank and Jay Peak!
Our work is made possible because of a network of businesses, institutions, organizations and community members who are in partnership with us.
You can view all our supporters here. Interested in becoming a sponsor? Please contact Catherine at ccusack@gmfts.org
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This week’s Lunchbox is jam packed with fun activities. Learn how to ride a bike with NDD and Newport Bicycles, then replenish with a fresh smoothie from the smoothie bike🚴♀️🍓🍌. Other activities include Farm to Family outreach with WIC (Irasburg & Newport only), and a Robotics Demonstration (Irasburg only).
Swipe to see the full menu and list of activities for the week ahead
Find us 11am-1pm:
*Tuesdays at Leach Public Library (Irasburg)
*Wednesdays at Barton Public Library
*Thursdays at Gardner Memorial Park (Newport)
This week’s Lunchbox was bursting with color! 🎨Kids ignited their inner-artist to create rock art, and the market basket table was popping with an array of fresh, local produce. 🍅🥬🥒
Join us next week at any of the Lunchbox locations for bike riding lessons! A local bicycle advocate and safe cycling instructor will offer instruction on riding strider bicycles or can help kids learn to pedal for the first time. Bikes and helmets will be available, or bring your own. Free bicycle mechanics will also be offered. This event is being co-hosted by Newport Downtown Development and Newport Bicycles.
Next week, enjoy lunch and bike riding lessons at The Lunchbox! 🚲 A local bicycle advocate and safe cycling instructor will offer instruction on riding strider bicycles or can help kids learn to pedal for the first time. Bikes and helmets will be available, or bring your own. Free bicycle mechanics will also be offered. A strider, also called a running bike, is a bicycle with no pedals. Children as young as two can learn how to run and glide, teaching them balance. Striders are considered the best way for children to learn how to ride a bicycle. Ditch those training wheels! This event is co-hosted by Newport Downtown Developmentt and Newport Bicycles.
Kids will enjoy activities that spark creativity and imagination at this week’s Lunchbox! Stop by for “rock art”, story hour, and a local author visit from Natalie Kinsey-Warnock (Irasburg and Barton only)!
Find us 11am-1pm:
*Tuesdays at Leach Public Library (Irasburg)
*Wednesdays at Barton Public Library
*Thursdays at Gardner Memorial Park (Newport)
Pinecone bird feeders were the star of this week’s Lunchbox. Kids had a blast making their own bird feeders to take home and put up for their bird friends! Other fun activities included composting w/ the NEK Waste Management District, Modern Theater- Punch & Judy, and enjoying yummy BBQ Pulled Pork sandwiches.
To stay in the loop on everything Lunchbox-related, click the link in the bio!
Chirp Chirp! This coming week at The Lunchbox we will be making pinecone bird feeders. Other activities include composting with the NEK Waste Management District in Irasburg and a visit from Modern Theater- Punch & Judy in Barton. Swipe through to see the full menu and list of activities for the week ahead!
Come find us 11am-1pm:
*Tuesdays at Leach Public Library (Irasburg)
*Wednesdays at Barton Public Library
*Thursdays at Gardner Memorial Park (Newport)
Link in bio to sign up for weekly lunchbox emails📩
Our Presto-Pesto taste test was a hit at this week’s Lunchbox. Visitors got to make and try garlic scape pesto, made with fresh garlic scapes from our school gardens🪴.
To receive weekly Lunchbox emails outlining the week’s menu and activities, click the link in the bio!
Storm. Mountain Ash. Red Sky. Garlic Tomato. Nettle. No, this isn’t an exercise in free association- these are just some of the many flavors of cheese made by Sweet Rowen Farmstead! 🧀🧀🧀
Sweet Rowen is a family owned & operated dairy farm located in West Glover. The farm practices rotational grazing and careful management of soil fertility, using frost-seed legumes to increase the soil nitrogen content. Owner Paul Lisai milks a small herd of Vermont Heritage Lineback cows, which tend to have a unique white splash running the length of their backs, as well as white splotching on the face. Their delicious cream-top milk is bottled and used to make yogurt and a variety of flavored cheese curds & spreads.
We are proud to partner with Sweet Rowen to get their products into schools across the NEK. You can find their products for purchase at Green Mountain Natural Foods, Arbor Farm Market, Stowe Village Market, and other small retailers across the Northeast Kingdom.
Funding for creating a sustainable local food system was made possible in part with a Rural Business Development Grant from USDA Rural Development.
