Win win situation

I went to an interesting meeting, early this morning, before working my day job. Some parents at the local school, and the person who runs the hot lunch program there, recently when to a conference on the Vermont FEED (Food Education Every Day) program. VT-FEED is a program sponsored by NOFA, Shelburne Farms, and Food Works of Montpelier, that encourages schools to buy lunch food from local farmers. As part of the deal, the kids visit the farm, or the farmer comes into school to talk about where food comes from and what farmers do. And since it cuts out a lot of the middle people the school food buyer usually goes through, the farmer can actually get a decent price. It is one of these things that combines education, kids, healthy eating, promotion of a local economy, community, and fun.

The meeting this morning was to get the farmers in to meet the person who makes the food buying decisions. So it looks like our little school (about 50 students, K-6, with 3 teachers doubling up each grade) may be buying some produce from Old Shaw Farm next year, as well as meat and cheese and bread from local farms as well. Pretty exciting stuff!