Rappahannock County Public Schools Farm-to-Table Program

In January 2004, with support from the Cole Family Foundation and a team of volunteer community growers with backgrounds in education, The Farm-to-Table Program was launched as a partnership between Headwaters and the Rappahannock County Public Schools. In addition to a donation of $10,000, the Foundation's gift included the time and considerable talents of Sunnyside Institute Director Janet Davis. Janet helped to create, implement, and lead the project, working with faculty, students, and community partners to craft a mission and goals, develop a curriculum, and get plants in the ground.

Initially, participants in the Farm to Table program were primarily students in David Naser's Horticulture class, Scott Schlosser's Building Trades students and Mary Arthur's Culinary Arts class. The Farm-to-Table Program is cross-curricular, which means that students in different classes, different grades, and even different schools are involved at various times. Project Coordinator Trista Scheuerlein, initially a volunteer, was hired to work part-time on the program beginning in April, 2004. Today she is a teacher employed by Rappahannock County Public Schools. She works with teachers in many different disciplines at both schools and teaches several Agriculture Exploratory classes to 6th and 7th graders.

The Program utilizes the high school greenhouse, completed in 2002. Rappahannock County residents Mitzie and (the late) Bill Young conceived the Greenhouse project and donated $11,000 for its construction, with the balance of the funds contributed by David and Maggie Cole in memory of the late conservationist John Sawhill. Built in the Rappahannock High School courtyard with direct access to the biology lab, the greenhouse is now used daily by students for various projects.

That first semester, students in David Naser's Horticulture class and Scott Schlosser's Building Trades class, with help from co-teacher Karen Alexander, RCHS Principal Roger Mello, and the volunteer team, created raised beds, filled them with soil and aged manure, and planted them with young plants cultivated in the high school greenhouse. Students also planted trees, shrubs, and native plants in selected areas around the school grounds. They built and started composting bins. They invited clients of the Rappahannock Senior Nutrition Center to visit and gather fresh produce. They grew 250 baby lettuces and other produce for the Culinary Arts Gala (a fundraiser for the high school's Culinary Arts program kitchen upgrade). Farm-to-Table students also visited a number of local sustainable farms to learn about, and in some cases help with, crops and methods.

The Farm to Table Program continued in 2005 with joint support by the Cole Family Foundation and a private donation from Jeff and Lisa Franzen. Student involvement grew to include participation from the Environmental Science class, the Industrial Technology class, and the Business and Entrepreneurism class. Produce was sold, shared with the Culinary Arts class, and donated to the Senior Nutrition Center.

In 2005, Mitzie Young of the Young Farmland Fund established a Farm-to-Table Agriculture Exploratory class for sixth and seventh-graders at Rappahannock County Elementary School. Students in the classes learn plant propagation methods, design garden ecosystems at the elementary school, and create worm composting bins for the school's organic waste.

That year the Rappahannock County Farm Bureau joined the team, providing major funding to make continuation of the program at the high school possible.

Also in 2005, RCHS teacher Beth Gall replaced David Naser as the school’s Horticulture teacher, working with Trista Scheuerlein to lead the program in the high school. The “Farm-to-Cafeteria” program was initiated, with tastings of fresh, locally grown foods
offered periodically in both school cafeterias.

Beginning in fall of 2006, students in the middle school Exploratory program began participating in The Growing Connection, a collaborative project sponsored by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the American Horticultural Society. The Growing Connection links students using computer technology in the United States, Ghana, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Participating schools use specialized growing boxes called Earthboxes to grow common vegetables and use the experience as a springboard to discuss food security and world hunger.

See the latest quarterly report (top of the home page) for more recent news on the program!

A Headwaters-Rappahannock County Public Schools Partnership FARM-TO-TABLE PROGRAM
GROWING PRIDE
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In January 2004, with support from the Cole Family Foundation and a team of volunteer community growers with backgrounds in education, The Farm-to-Table Program was launched as a partnership between Headwaters and the Rappahannock County Public Schools. In addition to a donation of $10,000, the Foundation's gift included the time and considerable talents of Sunnyside Institute Director Janet Davis. Janet helped to create, implement, and lead the project, working with faculty, students, and community partners to craft a mission and goals, develop a curriculum, and get plants in the ground. Initially, participants in the Farm to Table program were primarily students in David Naser's Horticulture class, Scott Schlosser's Building Trades students and Mary Arthur's Culinary Arts class. The Farm-to-Table Program is cross-curricular, which means that students in different classes, different grades, and even different schools are involved at various times. Project Coordinator Trista Scheuerlein, initially a volunteer, was hired to work part-time on the program beginning in April, 2004. Today she is a teacher employed by Rappahannock County Public Schools. She works with teachers in many different disciplines at both schools and teaches several Agriculture Exploratory classes to 6th and 7th graders. The Program utilizes the high school greenhouse, completed in 2002. Rappahannock County residents Mitzie and (the late) Bill Young conceived the Greenhouse project and donated $11,000 for its construction, with the balance of the funds contributed by David and Maggie Cole in memory of the late conservationist John Sawhill. Built in the Rappahannock High School courtyard with direct access to the biology lab, the greenhouse is now used daily by students for various projects. That first semester, students in David Naser's Horticulture class and Scott Schlosser's Building Trades class, with help from co-teacher Karen Alexander, RCHS Principal Roger Mello, and the volunteer team, created raised beds, filled them with soil and aged manure, and planted them with young plants cultivated in the high school greenhouse. Students also planted trees, shrubs, and native plants in selected areas around the school grounds. They built and started composting bins. They invited clients of the Rappahannock Senior Nutrition Center to visit and gather fresh produce. They grew 250 baby lettuces and other produce for the Culinary Arts Gala (a fundraiser for the high school's Culinary Arts program kitchen upgrade). Farm-to-Table students also visited a number of local sustainable farms to learn about, and in some cases help with, crops and methods. The Farm to Table Program continued in 2005 with joint support by the Cole Family Foundation and a private donation from Jeff and Lisa Franzen. Student involvement grew to include participation from the Environmental Science class, the Industrial Technology class, and the Business and Entrepreneurism class. Produce was sold, shared with the Culinary Arts class, and donated to the Senior Nutrition Center. In 2005, Mitzie Young of the Young Farmland Fund established a Farm-to-Table Agriculture Exploratory class for sixth and seventh-graders at Rappahannock County Elementary School. Students in the classes learn plant propagation methods, design garden ecosystems at the elementary school, and create worm composting bins for the school's organic waste. That year the Rappahannock County Farm Bureau joined the team, providing major funding to make continuation of the program at the high school possible. Also in 2005, RCHS teacher Beth Gall replaced David Naser as the school’s Horticulture teacher, working with Trista Scheuerlein to lead the program in the high school. The “Farm-to-Cafeteria” program was initiated, with tastings of fresh, locally grown foods offered periodically in both school cafeterias. Beginning in fall of 2006, students in the middle school Exploratory program began participating in The Growing Connection, a collaborative project sponsored by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the American Horticultural Society. The Growing Connection links students using computer technology in the United States, Ghana, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Participating schools use specialized growing boxes called Earthboxes to grow common vegetables and use the experience as a springboard to discuss food security and world hunger. See the latest quarterly report (top of the home page) for more recent news on the program!