Our Programs
Farm to School (11 years)
Interactive lessons where children (preschool–grade 5) are empowered to learn land stewardship in school gardens and on our farm by growing, preparing, and tasting nourishing foods. We engage more than 60 preschool and classrooms monthly = 99,000 individual lessons.
Farm to Go (11 years)
Student-chef program (grades 6–8) instructs children as they prepare a balanced meal to take home for their families with recipes = 13,000 balanced meals.
Growing Food for Families (11 years)
Grows 40 selections of certified organic food for families who face food insecurity to select at the SB Food Shelf. In the past 11 years, Common Roots has offered organic shares of food to families identified by social workers in all five South Burlington schools = 26,400 individual shares.
UPDATED 2020 GOALS GIVEN THE INCREASED DEMAND AT FOOD SHELVES DURING THIS PANDEMIC:
- Growing $20,000 in organic veggies and herbs, plus $2,000 in organic plant starts. Anything not selected in South Burlington will go tot he “Feeding Chittenden” Food Shelf in Burlington (4 miles away)
- The current coronavirus pandemic has caused Common Roots to increase our efforts to provide more food security by growing more certified organic food and plant starts on our Common Roots Farm at South Village for families and households to select with safe practices. Our nonprofit mission—now in our 11th year—is food education and access.
In 2020, Common Roots will grow 33% more organic food, including veggie and herb plant starts for the South Burlington Food Shelf.
Growing Gardens (11 years)
In partnership with school, after-school, and summer programs, children visit our 48-organic raised-beds at the Farm at South Village = approximately 1,000 individuals annually.
Common Roots Farmstand at South Village (5 years)
Grows and sells 40 varieties of veggies and herbs on certified, organic, regenerative soils, open daily 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. May through November. Our goals are to increase local organic food production, provide food for our educational programs with an emphasis on growing $30,000 worth of food to relieve food insecurity, and begin to sustain our program budgets.
