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 2025 premier sponsors – The Abbey Group and Community National Bank!
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
Follow Our Story
On Monday, our Farm-to-School team had the sweet opportunity to visit Judd’s Wayeeses Farms in Morgan, where they immersed themselves in the cherished Vermont tradition of sugaring. 🍁
Ella, Alex, and Elyse hiked out to the sugarbush with excitement to meet one of the owners, Donna Young, and learn the art of tapping a maple tree. Donna gave us a behind-the-scenes tour of the sap storage area, explaining how reverse osmosis helps concentrate sap before boiling. Inside the sugarhouse, the team was educated about the boiling equipment and the intricate processes involved. The afternoon concluded with a delightful tasting of various syrup grades!
With such valuable knowledge gained, the team is eager to incorporate their experiences into the upcoming Maple Field trips, workshops, and Taste Test this March. A heartfelt thank you to Judd’s Wayeeses Farm for generously sharing your expertise and time with us!
We’re gearing up for Vermont’s March Harvest of the Month, which is - of course - MAPLE! We source our maple syrup from Dan & Kim Backus, owners of Kingdom Mountain Maple, a VOF-certified, family-run, sustainable operation. We’ve proudly sold their delicious maple products for over 10 years, and can’t wait to celebrate this sweet, local favorite!
Link in bio to learn more about this Harvest of the Month 🍁
Photography by @vermontcorey
Our Farm-to-School team had the wonderful opportunity to participate in one of our favorite annual events: the @nofavermont Children’s Conference. This year, we gathered at the beautiful new venue at St. Michael’s College, where a variety of farm-related activities were available for youth in the library.
Elyse shared her passion for fiber arts and felting with a group of young participants, using fiber from her own sheep. It was heartwarming to see their creativity as they crafted their own felted pouches. Ella introduced the concept of food preservation in a hands-on pickling activity, allowing the kids not only to learn but also to savor the pickles they made together. Alex taught the “sheep to sweater” program, enlightening the younger children about sheep and guiding them in their own felting project. 🐑
We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the NOFA-VT Children’s Conference for welcoming the GMFTS team to the event. 💛
✨ Meet the Team: Meggie ✨
Meggie joined GMFTS in 2022 and has been an integral part of our team ever since. She began as our Food Access & Logistics Coordinator, where she helped facilitate The Lunchbox summer meal program and supported a range of community food access initiatives in the Northeast Kingdom.
Since spring 2023, Meggie has served as Food Hub Logistics Manager, overseeing operations and communications for our food hub, Green Mountain Farm Direct. In this role, she works closely with farmers/food producers and buyers to ensure efficient distribution and strong relationships to strengthen our local food system.
Outside of GMFTS, Meggie is an active member of her community. She volunteers with the Westmore Association and helps manage her local farmers market.
When she’s not working or volunteering, you can find Meggie jogging, reading, watching reality shows, or hanging out at Parker Pie.
Today we wrapped up our Junior Chef afterschool program at Barton Academy & Graded School! This session, students built foundational cooking and baking skills while making their own ranch dressing, guacamole, oatmeal cookies, smoothies, and more. Our Junior Chefs gained confidence in the kitchen with every recipe.
To celebrate their hard work, each student went home with a homemade cookbook featuring the recipes we created together—so they can keep cooking (and sharing!) at home.
We love watching our Junior Chefs grow their skills, try new foods, and discover the joy and reward that comes from preparing a recipe from scratch. 💚
✨ Meet the Team: Hilary ✨
Hilary joined GMFTS in May 2023 and serves as our Food Access & Logistics Coordinator. She organizes and facilitates key food access initiatives like The Lunchbox (our summer meals program), community workshops, and youth cooking programs, while also supporting daily operations at our food hub, Green Mountain Farm Direct.
Hilary is actively involved in the Essex–Caledonia–Orleans (ECO) Food Security Network and is helping spark an exciting effort to launch a community-owned food co-op in Newport. She’s passionate about building community and all the ways in which food can enrich our lives. 💚
Outside of work, you’ll find Hilary on the trails hiking, biking, or cross-country skiing—or at home cooking, reading, and snuggling with her cats. 🐾
Roses are red. Violets are blue. Supporting our local food system starts with you. Spread the love by shopping local this Valentine’s Day! 🩷
🍯 Gift some honey to your honey! Adorable bear-shaped 12 oz bottles of liquid honey from Northwoods Apiaries (Westfield) make a perfect present.
🍫 Feel the love with the “Love” Chocolate Bar from Prophecy Chocolate (Morrisville), featuring cacao, maple sugar, damiana, rose, and vanilla.
🌹Indulge in the sweetness of Vermont’s fields and forests with Maple Wild Rose Ganache Chocolate from Sweet Mountain Chocolate (Westfield).
🎁 Treat those closest to you with decadent gluten and dairy-free brownies from West Meadow Farm Bakery(Essex Junction).
🍨 Top it all off with some luscious Chocolate Raspberry Truffle ice cream from Kingdom Creamery of Vermont (Hardwick).
This Valentine’s Day at Green Mountain Farm Direct, we’re celebrating the connections that make our local food system thrive – our producers, who pour their hearts into growing and creating fresh, delicious products, and our customers, who support Vermont farmers and food makers every day.
Learn more about our food hub by visiting our website: greenmountainfarmdirect.org
We’ve had a fun-filled Farm-to-School winter at Derby Elementary School! K–2 students explored pumpkins, sheep, and seeds as part of their classroom units, while 5th graders dove into garden preservation by making pickles and tasting sauerkraut.
Classroom unit lessons allow us to connect with students in meaningful ways while keeping learning hands-on, even when we’re inside in the cold months. Curiosity, creativity, and food exploration don’t hibernate for winter!
