A Visit to Just Roots Farm

 On August 30th, we had a great time meeting with school nutrition staff from Greenfield Public Schools at Just Roots Farm in Greenfield, MA! The event started with a walking tour of the farm led by Brooke Bullock (Just Root’s Community Engagement Coordinator). We saw the beautiful community gardens, available to anyone who wants a plot to grow their own food, as well as the wide array of crops grown by the farm. We had a chance to taste delicious food, such as ground cherries, herbs, tomatoes, and beans.

After the tour we talked with Brooke and Rochelle Bellin (Associate Director) about food justice and the ways in which Just Roots Farm is committed to food access for all.Next we took part in a team building challenge: two 12-person teams had to prepare a dish using a bag of crops from the farm and a table of oils, condiments, spices, and tools. We ended our visit by sampling the delicious salads that were created by the Greenfield Food Service staff and eating lunch together. 

The visit to Just Roots is part of a larger effort Massachusetts Farm to School is undertaking to engage all school nutrition staff – from servers to cooks to cafeteria managers – in farm to school efforts. In addition to the Greenfield Public Schools, we will be working with two other school districts to provide a series of experiential learning opportunities for staff to support their work sourcing, preparing, and promoting local foods in the school cafeteria.

This effort is funded with generous support from a USDA Specialty Crops Block Grant.