Farm-to-School plans take root, create community connections

LACONIA — Gilford and Laconia Elementary schools participated in Belknap County Conservation District’s USDA Farm to School planning grant this school year. Working with a coordinator, they grew farm-to-school teams and plans for agricultural education and community connections.

Gilford’s team developed local food lessons for kindergarteners. Students measured circumferences of pumpkins, guessed the number of seeds, picked apples and made applesauce. In March, National Nutrition Month, elementary students sampled Bolduc Farm’s maple syrup, Stone Mountain’s apples, Rolfe Farm’s eggs, and Garlic Guy’s garlic. This winter, Gilford Elementary School Principal Danielle Bolduc hosted a maple symposium for educators, and GES’ maple sugaring operation opened for area schools to visit.

Laconia Elementary teacher and farm-to-school team member Naomi Mills attended the symposium, then invited a forester to teach third and fourth graders maple tree identification for tapping. The students collected 50 gallons of sap from Pleasant Street School trees, which was boiled down to produce one gallon of maple syrup at Gilford Elementary’s evaporator. 

Both schools introduced healthy, thrifty cooking classes for families. Laconia’s food service director Mike Llavina taught Chinese New Year and Mexican-themed classes; Gilford’s team showed parents how to prepare chicken and vegetable stew and oven mac n cheese. They plan to incorporate local foods in next year’s classes. 

This project aims to inspire other schools to start farm to school plans. For more information, contact Lisa Morin at BCCD, lisa.morin@nh.nacdnet.net or visit nhfarmtoschool.org.