nutrition and agriculture lessons delivered
taste tests conducted
field trips conducted
active community partnerships supporting program activities
The starting point: Building a school garden program through partnership
What began nearly a decade ago with a single school garden has evolved into a districtwide initiative anchored by meaningful relationships.
East Hartford Public Schools has built one of the most comprehensive and successful Farm to School programs in Connecticut. Through strategic partnerships, innovative programming and sustained commitment to local sourcing, the district has created a model that extends well beyond the cafeteria, connecting students to their food, their community and the agricultural systems that sustain both.
Field trips to local farms
Students see sustainable growing practices firsthand, meet the farmers who grow their food, and participate in lessons tied to plant biology, environmental science, and nutrition.
Classroom activities
Experiences are reinforced before and after each visit, creating a cohesive educational arc.
Living classrooms
From early childhood centers to elementary schools, students plant, tend and harvest crops while learning about the food system.
Summer programming
Arts, crafts, and harvest celebrations extend this engagement, ensuring the learning continues year-round.
