North Colonie CSD Farm-to-School Program Awarded State Funding

North Colonie Communications

October 11, 2024

An image of a tomato growing in the Blue Creek garden.

A tomato grows in the Blue Creek garden.

An image of a student planting a bulb of garlic in the garden.

A Boght Hills student plants a bulb of garlic in the garden.

An image of an herb growing in the garden.

Vegetables and herbs start to grow in the Loudonville Garden.

An image of large yellow squash growing.

Large yellow squash which will soon be harvested from the Shaker Middle School Garden.

An image of a raised garden bed at the Shaker Middle School Garden.

The garden beds looking good despite the heat this summer.

An image of the newly installed Loudonville garden beds.

The district’s newest garden, at Loudonville Elementary School, begins to take shape.

An image of four raised garden beds at Shaker Middle School.

Four raised garden beds grow during the summer at Shaker Middle School.

Students tend to a flower bed in the SHS garden.

An image of flowers in a garden bed at Shaker High School.

Small flowers bloom in a garden bed at Shaker High School.

An image of leaves in the foreground and the Latham Ridge Garden in the background.

Looking out over the Latham Ridge Garden and Outdoor Learning Space.

An image of kale, flowers and other produce picked from the North Colonie district gardens.

Kale, flowers and other produce picked from the North Colonie district gardens.

North Colonie Central School District is pleased to announce that we are one of just 16 Farm-to-School programs being awarded funding by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. 

The project grant in the amount of $99,346 will help increase the access to New York State farm products in school meals, support local food taste tests, and establish engaging agriculture-based instruction within the district. North Colonie is the only school district in the Capital Region to receive this grant and one of only two organizations in the area.

State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball announced more than $1.5 million in funding through New York’s Farm-to-School program, serving students in kindergarten through grade 12. As a whole, the funding is meant to increase the use of locally grown food on school menus, and improve student health, while providing increased economic benefits to New York’s farmers. Since the launch of the Farm-to-School program in 2015, $8.7 million has been awarded to more than 100 projects, benefiting school districts in every region across the State.