Big Apple Crunch 2023 GVCS 1st Grade
GVCS Taste Test Thursday #ITRIEDSOMETHINGLOCAL
NY Pizza with The Farm Bridge Pizza Sauce and Cuba Cheese from Cuba-Rushford CSD
Wellsville CSD taste tests NY Cauliflower.
Summer Breeze Strawberries Farm grew fruit for Allegany County schools in 2019.
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Cassandra Bull gives Local Food presentation at 2019 NYSNA Conference.
NY Egg rolls being served for NY Thursday at Wellsville CSD.
NY Hot dogs taste tested at Scio CSD.
Farm to School
What is Farm to School?
Farm to School initiatives are popping up throughout New York and all over the country – in day care centers, in public and private schools, and in colleges and universities. These programs focus on featuring locally grown, healthy foods in school meals. They often also include other components such as classroom lessons on food and nutrition; visits to farms and farmers’ markets; creation of school gardens, and the support of school-based community supported agriculture (CSA) programs.
What is Local?
Local means many different things to different people. To some, local could be within a 30 mile radius, where other organizations have expanded that radius to 400 miles! Some organizations do not qualify something as local based on the distance traveled, but by whether the product was made in that state, or surrounding states. According to New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, "local" refers to any product grown or produced in the state of New York.
The 3 C's of Farm to School
- Cafeteria - Serving local produce in school meals.
- Classroom - Teaching students about the importance of agriculture.
- Community - Involving the collective wisdom of the community, helping the farmers and families that live in the community gain a stronger connection to the schools through field trips, lectures, and other events.
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AG LITERACY WEEK: MARCH 16-20, 2026
About This Year's Book
Seasons on the Farm
Written
by Chelsea Tornetto
Illustrated by Karen Bunting
On a farm, each season arrives with new jobs to do—crops to plant, animals to tend to, and fields to harvest. Readers get an insider’s look at what spring, summer, fall, and winter look like on a family farm, from adorable baby animals to rumbling tractors and pumpkins to pies. This sweet, rhyming story is perfect for young readers, whether their home is on a farm or not!
Learn more about Ag Literacy Week: How Does Agricultural Literacy Week (ALW) Work?
TO SIGN UP, PLEASE FILL OUT:
AG LITERACY WEEK CLASSROOM/VOLUNTEER SIGN UP FORM
Thank you to all of our volunteers who help make Ag Literacy Week a success every year!
Contact
Alyssa L. Dean
Farm to School Coordinator/Ag in the Classroom Educator
ald243@cornell.edu
585-268-7644 ext 25
Last updated December 8, 2025
Harvest of the Month
Harvest of the Month is a Farm to School initiative that promotes locally grown food in the cafeteria and beyond each month.
All promotional materials are available in the CCE Allegany Farm to School Hub. Please email ald243@cornell.edu to request access.
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New York Thursdays
New York Thursdays is a school lunch initiative that brings local, farm-fresh foods to schools throughout the year. On one Thursday or more a month, participating school cafeterias celebrate New York State grown or produced foods on their menus by serving a meal entirely composed of locally sourced ingredients!