New Roots Farm Program

Farm to School initiatives have been at the heart of our school’s program and curriculum since its founding. Our Farm to School meal program features fresh, local produce and locally sourced products, emphasizing plant foods in season whenever possible. School gardening and agricultural education is part of the curriculum in both core and specialized classes, including sciences, humanities, week-long intensive courses featuring visits to local farms, and agricultural education courses offering college credit through Tompkins Cortland Community College’s CollegeNow program. School gardening projects have included “urban farming” with container and community gardens, and a larger “big farm” garden plot at the Kestrel Perch Berry Farm at EcoVillage at Ithaca just outside the city. Produce grown by students has been featured in our school lunch program, and donated to a local food bank.