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Farm to School in Northampton

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A yellow circle with the text 'Freshampton Farm to School Northampton' and illustrations of a goat eating an apple and an open book.

Cafeteria, Classroom, & Community

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  • Three photos: first is cafeteria line, second is classroom teaching about food, and third is local produce taste test

Freshampton Presents at the National Farm to Cafeteria Conference 2025

Logo for the National Farm to Cafeteria Conference, featuring a fork and text.

December 1, 2025 – December 4, 2025

National Farm to Cafeteria Conference Website

Workshop:

Building Capacity: Structuring Resilient Farm to School Programs at the SFA and State Level

Description:

Farm to School programming can take many forms, as can the staffing models and infrastructure that support them. Join Massachusetts farm to school program coordinators at the SFA level and a state agency representative as they highlight the overarching structures and history of their programs, including the staffing models that have helped sustain them. Following these case studies, participants will explore farm to school program models through an interactive simulation, allowing participants to design and adapt their own farm to school program in response to hypothetical shifts in funding, staff, resources and leadership priorities. The simulation debrief will provide an opportunity for participants to reflect on best practices that foster resilience and sustainability in farm to school programs amid evolving challenges.

Speakers

  • Brianna Jackson, Chicopee Public Schools, Farm to School Coordinator
  • Bryan Jersky, Northampton Public Schools, Farm to School Coordinator
  • Maggie Nowak, MA Office for Food and Nutrition Programs, Local Food System Specialist
  • Mistelle Hannah, Northampton Public Schools, School Nutrition Director

Freshampton in the Cafeteria

November Harvest of the Month: Cranberry

Bowl of cranberries

 

Links to Learn More about Massachusetts Cranberries

UMass Cranberry Station

Cranberry Harvest Season

Bountiful Bogs: The Massachusetts Cranberry Story

 

glass bowl on table of dried cranberries

September Harvest: Tomatoes

 

 

A hand holds a blue basket overflowing with ripe, red strawberries.

 

Freshampton in the Cafeteria

December Harvest of the Month:  Kale

close up photo of kale leaves

 

UMASS teaches us about Kale

 

kale chips with parmesan cheese in a white bowl

 

Crispy Kale Chips Recipe

Harvest of the Month Taste Test Recipes

  • Photo of the Recipe for Cranberry Chickpea Salad: Ingredients are, 2/3 cup plain whole greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 3 cups chickpeas, 3 stalks celery (diced), 1/2 cup dried cranberries. In a large bowl whist together the yogurt, lemon juice, dijon, salt, pepper until combined. Add the chickpeas, celery, cranberries, and stir to coat in the dressing. Serve immediately or store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

  • Recipe for Apply Yogurt Dip: ingredients, 1 container yogurt, 1/2 cup nut butter, 3 tablespoons honey. Combine the yogurt, nut butter, and honey in a mixing bowl. Serve right away or refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours for a chilled dip. Serve with fresh fruit.

  • Spinach Pesto Pasta Recipe: 1 pound Spinach, 3/4 cups of Olive Oil, 1/4 cup of Parmesan Cheese, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1/2 tablespoon of chopped garlic, 1/2 tablespoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper. 1. Add olive oil to food processor. 2. Add spinach until food processor is 1/3 full, then process until smooth. 3. Continue adding handfuls of spinach and processing until all the spinach has been used. 4. Add cheese, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper then blend. 5. Mix with cooked pasta and serve.

  • Chive Cream Cheese Recipe: 8 ounce cream cheese, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 tablespoon milk (you can substitute yogurt or sour cream) 1/4 cup chopped fresh chive. 1. Mix together cream cheese, milk, and garlic powder in a food processor until whipped and smooth. 2. Stir in freshly chopped chives.

     

    Tzatziki Recipe: 2 cups plain Greek yogurt, 1 1/2 cup grated or diced cucumber, 12 cloves of minced garlic, 3 tablespoons of dried dill, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon white vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. 1. Mix everything together and enjoy

  • Roasted Breakfast Potato Recipe: 3-4 potatoes, diced. 3 tablespoons oil, 3/4 teaspoons garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, salt and pepper to taste. 1. For the crispiest final product, dice potatoes and add them to a bowl of cool water to sit for at least on hour or up to overnight. 2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 3. Drain Potatoes and cut into uniform pieces. 4. Toss drained and cut potatoes in bowl with seasonings and oil. 5. Spread evenly on 1-2 baking sheets as to not over crowd so the potatoes can roast evenly. 6. Bake for approximately 30-40 minutes until evenly browned and soft. Stir and rotate about half way through.

  • Kale Caesar Salad Recipe: 1 pound kale, 1 cup mayonnaise or Greek yogurt, 1-2 cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 1 can chickpeas, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon black pepper. 1. Drain, rinse, and dry chickpeas. Season with herbs and spices of choice and roast in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Set aside and let cool. 2. For dressing, mince garlic and let soak with lemon juice and vinegar for 5-10 minutes. Whisk in mayo, parmesan cheese, and black pepper. Thin with water 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Keep cool until it is time to dress salad. 3. Remove stems/ribs from kale. Massage for 1-2 minutes to soften the leaves gently. They will darken (this is ok). Cut or tear into bite size pieces. Rinse and dry. 4. Toss with dressing and garnish with roasted chickpeas. Optional: sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

  • Rainbow Honey Carrots Recipe: 1 pound carrots, 4 teaspoons honey, 3 teaspoons butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper. 1. Wash, peel and slice carrots into 1/4 inch coins. 2. Steam carrots until tender, but still slightly firm, checking for doneness if necessary, about 5-10 minutes. (Alternatively, cook in a pot, bring 2 inches of water to a boil. Add carrots and cover, then follow above directions. 3. Stir in honey, butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper until well combined.

  • Cranberry Granola Recipe: 3cups rolled oats, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/3 cup apple juice, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1/3 cup honey, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 cup dried cranberries, 1/2 cup sunflower seeds. 1. Combine oats, seeds, and cranberries into a large bowl, 2. add brown sugar, apple juice, vegetable oil, honey, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla to the bowl and stir well. 3. Spread mixture on a sheet pan and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or golden brown. 4. Remove granola from the oven and allow to cool before enjoying.

  • Sweet Butternut Squash and Apple Bake Recipe: 1 small butternut squash, 1 large apple (peeled, cored, and sliced), 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of butter (slightly softened), 1 teaspoon all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon of table salt, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. 1. Peel squash, scoop out seeds, and cut into bite size pieces. 2. Place squash and apple slices in a 8x8 pan. 3. Blend remaining ingredients with fork or pastry cutter until crumble. 4. Distribute evenly over squash and apples. 5. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes.Squash Recipe

  • Apple, Ham, and Spinach Wrap Recipe: 1 medium apple, splash of lemon juice, 4 whole wheat tortillas (10 inch), 8 slices of sliced ham, 1 cup of baby spinach. 1. Prep apple by peeling, coring, and thinly slicing. 2. Toss with lemon juice to prevent discoloration. 3. Lay out whole grain tortilla on clean surface. Add tow slices of ham, several apple slices and 1/4 cup of baby spinach. 4. Wrap tightly, slice, and serve.

  • Recipe for No So Canned Salsa: One 15 ounce can or Jar of Salsa, 11 ounces of tomatoes (5 medium), 1/4 cup of chopped onion, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of sofrito, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. 1. Blend all ingredients together in a food processor until smooth paste forms. 2. If needed, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time to puree the ingredients until you achieve the desired consistency.

Taste Testing Happens all Year in the Cafeteria

taste test with tried it love it at elementary school
two girls at a taste testing table
students in line for a taste test in the cafeteria
nurtirtion service workers at a table giving out sample of vegetarian wraps
student in line for a taste test
students gathered around a squash taste testing table
student gathered at a table with a taste test sign
roasted butternut squash in taste testing cups
roasted butternut squash in taste testing cups
recipe for roasted butternut squash
children lined up to taste roasted butternut squash
Lite Life Foods plant based chicken parmesan
JFK Middle School Students in line to try Lite Life Foods plant based chicken parmesan
JFK tally sheets voting on how much the students liked or disliked the Lite Life Foods plant based chicken parmesan. Loved it has the most tallies, followed by liked it, and only a few tallies for not for me. Most students loved or liked the product.
BLT made with Lite Life Foods Tempeh for taste test at Northampton High School
Staff from Lite Life sharing the Tempeh BLT to NHS students at a table in the cafeteria
NHS students in line to try Lite Life Foods Tempeh BLT in the school cafeteria
elementary school students in line to try granola with dried cranberries
granola and dried cranberry in taste test cups for elementary school students to try
Apple Yogurt Dip Taste Test with local apples. Dip is in cups with sliced apples on top
Taste test table featuring apple yogurt dip samples and apples
children lined up to try samples of apple yogurt dip and local apples
students in line to try a taste test
children in line to try something new
small paper cups filled with cranberry chickpea salad for taste testing
taste test table set up with samples of cranberry chickpea salad

Freshampton in the Classroom

 

 

Freshampton Brings Food Education to the Classroom! Both In School and Field Trips!

 

 

 

 

 

FLEX FARMS: Indoor Hydroponic System

The Fork Farms logo features two green leaves with the text 'Fork Farms' and 'Food Access Technology' below.

Flex Farm - Indoor Hydroponic System

The Flex Farm is the most efficient, scalable, and transformative indoor, vertical hydroponic technology on the planet. By carefully controlling everything plants need to thrive, each Flex Farm can grow more than 394 pounds of produce annually. They’re portable and only require a standard electrical outlet and less than 10 square feet of space.

 

Link to Learn more about Fork Farms Flex Farm Tower

Northampton High School grow tower, growing fresh lettuce in the classroom

Our Freshampton team has brought multiple Fork Farm Grow Towers to Northampton Public Schools.

You can find them at Northampton High School and JFK Middle School.

The towers have been intergrated into the Science Curriculum in Northampton.

Fresh lettuce grown in our schools and served on the tray is the pinacle of local farm to school table.

local lettuce in a salad bar with tongs

 

The amazing team at Freshampton researched the innovative company, Fork Farms, and invested time and valuable grant writing talent to secure two Flex Farms Grow Towers.  Freshampton partnered with NHS teacher Megan Murphy, to bring one of the hydroponic towers to her classroom for school year 2024-2025.  The second grow tower will be located in the cafeteria for the fall of 2025.  It will be exciting to grow our own lettuce and serve it right on the line.  This is as local as one can be, traveling only a few feet to the serving line.

 

From NHS Growtower to NHS Salad Bar! May 2025...Northampton Public Schools Grows their own Lettuce!

fresh lettuce on salad bar from Northampton High School grow tower

 

The amazing team at Freshampton researched the innovative company, Fork Farms, and invested time and valuable grant writing talent to secure two Flex Farms Grow Towers.  Freshampton partnered with NHS teacher Megan Murphy, to bring one of the hydroponic towers to her classroom for school year 2024-2025.  The second grow tower will be located in the cafeteria for the fall of 2025.  It will be exciting to grow our own lettuce and serve it right on the line.  This is as local as one can be, traveling only a few feet to the serving line.

Photo Below: From NHS Growtower to NHS Salad Bar! May 2025...Northampton Public Schools Grows their own Lettuce!

Fresh lettuce on salad bar, grown in Northampton High School grow tower

Freshampton Field Trips and Classroom Learning

  • Photo: NPS student in a farm field
  • Photo: Local Farm
  • Photo: Northampton Students of Field Trip to a farm
  • Photo: Northampton Students of Field Trip to a farm
  • Photo: Northampton Students of Field Trip to a farm
  • Photo of children in a farm field with a teacher learning about soil and growing food
  • Photo: Field Trip to Farm
  • Photo: Field Trip to Farm
  • Student holding seeds, determining where on the map to place the seeds based on the origin of the seeds
  • map of all the places the seeds originate from
  • students grinding wheat seeds into flour to make crust for pizza
  • students using flour they made from seeds to make crust for pizza
  • adult serving food to a student in a classroom
  • a skillet of grains
  • a classroom of student raising their hand for a guest speaker
  • a students hands holding food over a tablecloth with limes and flowers
  • a guest speaker reads and holds up a book about foods in an elementary classroom
  • small hands hold a few seeds
  • students dough made from seeds
  • Students making flour from seeds to make pizza dough
  • student hands peeling a potato
  • Containers of pickles made by students

Freshampton and the Community

 

 
 

Take a Look at some of the Amazing Local Farms and Vendors the   

Northampton Public School’s Nutrition Department, Freshampton,

uses to source items served in all our schools.

 
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

Links to Local Vendors

  • Warner Farm, Sunderland, MA

    Warner Farm is proud to be one of the oldest and longest running family farms in New England.

  • The Commonwealth Kitchen

    At CommonWealth Kitchen, we believe in the power of inclusive entrepreneurship to change the world.

  • Red Fire Farm, Granby, MA

    At Red Fire Farm, we are deeply committed to rich soil & healRed Fire Farm is a year-round local source for high-quality food and garden plants using organic principles that result in safe food and a healthy environment.

  • Little Leaf Lettuce, Devens, MA

    Little Leaf Farms was founded to make locally grown, great-tasting lettuce that’s available year-round.

  • Marty's Local, South Deerfield, MA

    Delivering fresh, high-quality produce, flours and grains, dairy, meats, cheeses, and specialty foods every day.

  • Joe Czajkowski Farm, Hadley, MA

    Joe Czajkowski Farm specializes in organic and conventional fruit and vegetables, servicing schools, universities, farms and grocers.

  • Pine Hill Orchard, Colrain, MA

    We are a family owned and operated farm in beautiful Colrain, MA

  • Side Hill Farm, Hawley, MA

    Welcome to Sidehill Farm Yogurt Sidehill Farm Yogurt is a small family-owned creamery producing fresh, delicious, certified organic yogurt from the milk of grass-fed cows.

  • Plainville Farm, Hadley, MA

    Stop by Plainville Farm any morning and you’ll be offered a cup of coffee and a pickle.

  • One Mighty Mill, Avon, MA

    Mighty means stone-milled. We are standing up to the industrialization of food by building our own healthy stone-milled food systems.

  • Bardwell Farm, Hadley, MA

    Bardwell Farm is committed to growing a quality product that has a positive impact on the environment and local community.

  • Klein's Kill Fruit Farm, Germantown, NY

    Klein’s Kill Fruit Farms is a vertically integrated farm that has provided quality fruit to its customers large and small.

  • Ocean Spray, Middleborough, MA

    With its bold, bitter taste, the cranberry might be a little offbeat. But then, so are we.

  • Sky Blue Bakery, Agawam, MA

    Recognizing a gap in providing wholesome, nutritious options for school districts nationwide, Sky Blue Bakery was born out of a visionary quest to transform surplus commodity programs into delicious solutions.

  • Duva Distributers, Worcester, MA

    Duva Distributors is one of the largest independent distributors of high-quality breads and rolls, serving Central and Western Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

  • Meal Mantra, made in Massachusetts

    Meal Mantra is a line of authentic, all-natural Indian Curry sauces. Meal Mantra sauces are hand made in the USA with heirloom family recipes from the creators of Tandoori Cuisine and are simmered to perfection. We take pride in our all natural ingredients & flavorful spices.

  • Winter Moon Roots, Hadley, MA

    Winter Moon’s goal is to produce quality winter root vegetables while minimizing the farm’s carbon footprint.

  • All Star Dairy, South Hadley, MA

    All Star Dairy Foods, Inc. is celebrating over 60 years in the dairy business serving Southern New England.

  • Cabot Creamery, Waitsfield, VT

    The farm families who own Cabot Creamery Cooperative love what they do.

  • Teddy C Smiarowski Farm, Hatfield, MA
  • Growing Places, Leominster, MA

    Growing Places envisions a thriving community-based food system that nourishes every member and the Earth.

Define Local: What makes our food local?

 

 

Here's a more detailed explanation of Farm to School:

Focus on Freshness and Local Sourcing:
Farm-to-school initiatives aim to provide schools with fresh, locally-grown, and seasonal produce. This means that the food should be sourced from farms that are relatively close to the school, reducing transportation distances and ensuring optimal freshness. For farm-to-school programs, the ideal distance between a farm and a school is generally considered to be within a 400-mile radius to ensure the freshness and sustainability of the food supply.

Benefits of Local Sourcing:
Local sourcing has several benefits, including supporting local farmers, reducing transportation costs and carbon emissions, and promoting a deeper understanding of food systems and seasonality among students. 

Farm to School Benefits:
Farm to school initiatives can lead to increased fruit and vegetable consumption, increased physical activity, healthier food choices, improved willingness to try new foods, and increased food system knowledge.