Progress 07/01/23 to 12/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience: Family and Consumer Science (FCS) and Culinary teachers in Southern New England Connecticut and Rhode Island teachers attended full-day in-person workshops at the Yellow Farmhouse Education Center. Our teachers' mailing list also participated in asynchronous virtual programming featuring farmers and food system experts. Teachers in Alliance districts The Connecticut State Board of Education designates alliance districts as a priority for improving student achievement and enhancing educational opportunities. Several teachers who participated virtually and in person were from alliance districts. Special efforts were made to ensure that teachers knew about training and were supported in their efforts to attend. FCS and Culinary Teachers regional and national Regional culinary teachers accessed virtual professional development. Outreach to national culinary teachers culminated in the debut of our curriculum website and Virtual PD launched on the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences website. FCS Students from high schools within a 60-mile radius of Stone Acres farm In this time period, we welcomed over 800 students to Stone Acres Farm for field trips. High school students participated in workshops and volunteer service around gleaning produce in the summer of 2023 Low-income residents of New London, CT, Stonington, CT, and Westerly, RI Constituents of Johnny Cake Center in Westerly, RI, and New London Community Meal Center in New London, CT received fresh produce from the gleaning and food donation program Changes/Problems: We have made a few changes in our approach to accomplish our project goals. One of these changes is the shift from a monthly advisory meeting for our curriculum to an individualized one that meets on an as-needed basis, responding to various forms of feedback we might need. We found it challenging to coordinate various stakeholders to commit to set meetings. Similarly, our virtual PD offerings for teachers have shifted from synchronous meetings to asynchronous newsletters and video recordings. These newsletters and videos feature interviews with food systems experts (farmers, food justice educators, food rescue professionals, climate change experts, etc.), resources that would be useful to a classroom teacher, and curriculum support. These virtual offerings are sent to a list of 200 teachers and have been opened at a 50% rate. We also had to stretch our field trip offerings beyond the 2023-2024 school year. Scheduling challenges made it difficult to complete all trips in Spring 2024, so we coordinated trips during the Fall of 2024 to complete the number of field trip seats provided for by this funding. Our high school gleaning and food donation program funded through this project also shifted in scope. We worked closely with Ocean Avenue Learning Academy, a program in Southeastern Connecticut for students with special needs. They came to the farm as our gleaning and food donation volunteers for this project. This has since launched a tremendous partnership between our two organizations, and they've returned to the Yellow Farmhouse for several other programming rounds. The period for food donations listed in our project was July 2023 - November 2023, with a goal of 3,000 pounds of gleaned donated food to our partners at the New London Community Meal Center and the Jonnycake Center of Westerly, RI. That number ended up being 2,144 pounds of food donated. 1,248 was gleaned from Stone Acres Farm's fields, the rest donated from the Yellow Farmhouse Education Center's micro farm. We attribute this to challenges experienced working with partner farms, due to the lack of capacity at partner farms. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Several members of the Yellow Farmhouse Education Center staff completed professional development to aid in the activities supported by the project. One member of our education staff attended the 2024 ReFED Summit, where he learned more about innovative ways to reduce wasted food, a core component of the project's goals. Another team member spent time learning with The Food Project in Boston, MA, where he learned more about effective youth development models, specifically about fostering more profound connections with the food system. Our team of educators attended the FCCLA Spring Leadership Conference, learning more about how the organization works and presenting our work on food waste. This opportunity also provided us space further to develop relationships with schools across the state of Connecticut. Other opportunities for professional development provided by this project include the ongoing virtual and in-person sessions for high school culinary teachers noted in the above goals section. The Yellow Farmhouse Education Center worked closely with a consultant to help construct our teacher and student surveys. This individual helped us develop different strategies for our evaluation tools, resulting in the surveys sent to teachers who learned with us and students who visited the farm. We used his expertise and guidance to shape these tools. He also aided us in writing a theory of change for our work in the areas outlined in the project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The Yellow Farmhouse Education Center has disseminated the work and information compiled in this project through various methods. One is our role as an attendee at the Perkins Grant Consortium, run by the Eastern Connecticut Regional Education Service Center. This group also includes Department Heads for CTE programs across the state. Our executive director attends these meetings and has shared our work there to reach a broader audience. Our programming is promoted through our email list, another effective way to share what we have learned. This list reaches around 4,000 people, and we frequently share upcoming events, resources, and other connections with our audiences. We also intensely work with the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) and the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA). During this reporting period, we coordinated times to record a virtual PD with AAFCS that outlines our curriculum model and our broader scope of work. This will be shared yearly with a national consortium of FCS teachers. Our educators also visited the CT chapter of FCCLA, where they presented our work on reducing wasted food and helped further the connections between our organizations. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Impact Statement:The Yellow Farmhouse Education Center's project, supported by USDA's NIFA, has created valuable opportunities for high school Family & Consumer Science (FCS) culinary teachers and students, while addressing food waste and insecurity. FCS teachers gained access to high-quality resources, including a Foods II curriculum aligned with modern food systems education. Virtual professional development sessions boosted their skills and confidence, while hands-on workshops and summer/fall institutes, with stipends, further equipped them to inspire students in culinary topics. Students benefited from farm-based field trips and scholarships, with over 800 visiting Stone Acres Farm to learn about sustainable agriculture and food systems. Youth-led volunteer activities contributed to local hunger relief organizations, including the Johnny Cake Center and New London Community Meal Center, deepening their understanding of food justice and community responsibility. This project addressed food loss by recovering significant amounts of food through gleaning, redirecting resources to those in need. Donated produce between July and November 2023 provided fresh, sustainably grown food to those most in need. The program also helped build a pipeline of future leaders in sustainable food systems by engaging high school students in hands-on agricultural activities. This sparked increased awareness of food insecurity and sustainable practices, encouraging students to take action now and in the future. These activities fostered a strong sense of community, helping students forge strong connections with each other and the land. Through this ongoing collaboration, this project has demonstrated how experiential learning can drive change in knowledge, actions, and conditions, ultimately creating a more informed, engaged, and empowered society. Goal I Develop and format semester-long Foods II curriculum (~20 weeks of lessons) Major Activities Completed: Developed curriculum focusing on advanced culinary skills, food system inequities, and food waste reduction. Drafted five units, reviewed by freelance curriculum writers and an advisory committee. Integrated feedback to refine lessons and compile resources. Data Collected: Insights from food system and equity experts for curriculum accuracy. Summary Statistics and Discussion of Results: Expanded discussions on food justice, regional food traditions, and historical contexts. Adjustments made based on feedback. Key Outcomes: A complete set of 5 units with 39 lessons; free access for FCS teachers. Facilitate monthly meetings with members of the Advisory Committee to solicit feedback on Foods II curriculum as it is developed Major Activities Completed: Shifted to individualized meetings with specific assignments. Data Collected: Pointed feedback on lessons, resources based on individuals' experiences. Summary Statistics and Discussion of Results: Feedback included and resources compiled. Key Outcomes: Enhanced curriculum quality through feedback; strengthened collaboration with Advisory Committee. Post Foods II curriculum on the website Major Activities Completed: Formatted and launched the curriculum for digital access; coordinated with web development team for site launch. Data Collected: Expect analytic data from the web team 6 months after launch in spring 2025. Summary Statistics and Discussion of Results: Ongoing collection of analytics toevaluate outreach strategies. Key Outcomes: Foods II curriculum accessible to FCS teachers nationwide. Conduct quarterly outreach to FCS teachers in New England through CT AAFCS and other chapters Major Activities Completed: Attended Perkins Grant meetings, presented at AAFCS, Northeast FCS Network, and CT Department of Education. Outreach via email list to hundreds of teachers across New England. Data Collected: Feedback from participants to inform the curriculum and promote work. Summary Statistics and Discussion of Results: Participation in meetings facilitated new partnerships and strengthened relationships. Key Outcomes: Yellow Farmhouse work has opened up new audiences in the region. Goal II Conduct 10 virtual PD programs for FCS and culinary teachers Major Activities Completed: Held 10 virtual sessions via newsletter and online recordings, covering regenerative agriculture, climate change, and Indigenous foodways. Data Collected: ~50% open rate on newsletters sent to 200+ teachers. Summary Statistics and Discussion of Results: Newsletters had a 50% open rate. Digital recordings received ~15-20 views on YouTube. Key Outcomes: Delivered PD that supported teacher development and classroom innovation. Facilitate 2 in-person full-day workshops Major Activities Completed: Scheduled and delivered workshops focused on farm-to-table education. Data Collected: Pre- and post-workshop surveys assessing teacher knowledge and skill acquisition. Summary Statistics and Discussion of Results: Teachers found the workshops valuable, with most gaining practical ideas for their classrooms. Networking was a key highlight. Key Outcomes: Enhanced teacher confidence in experiential teaching methods; future workshops should focus on food justice. Plan, market, and facilitate 2024 summer institute for 100 teachers Major Activities Completed: Developed agenda for the institute, focusing on networking, reducing food waste, and building a culturally competent classroom. Initiated marketing efforts. Added fall 2024 professional development session. Data Collected: Pre- and post-surveys assessing knowledge and skill acquisition. Collected contact information for 40 teachers. Summary Statistics and Discussion of Results: Strong response to time spent networking and reviewed concepts. Key Outcomes: Hosted successful summer institute for 40 teachers. Offer stipends of $300 for up to 40 teachers for participation in the 2024 Summer Institute Major Activities Completed: Outlined stipend distribution process and distributed stipends across the state. Data Collected: Addresses for teachers participating in summer institute and fall 2024 sessions. Summary Statistics and Discussion of Results: Teachers reported stipends helped offset travel, lodging, and participation costs. Key Outcomes: Reduced financial barriers to teacher participation in food systems education. Goal III Offer scholarships for up to 800 culinary students to participate in farm field trips Major Activities Completed: Coordinated field trips and promoted scholarships. Data Collected: Over 650 post-field-trip surveys completed. Summary Statistics and Discussion of Results: Nearly all students found the field trips relevant, with many interested in farm operations and waste reduction. Key Outcomes: Increased access to experiential learning for culinary students. Recruit and train five high school volunteers Major Activities Completed: Developed a volunteer training program and recruited students for summer and fall 2023. Data Collected: 2-7 volunteers per session, totaling over 50 volunteer hours. Summary Statistics and Discussion of Results: Volunteer numbers grew as students became more engaged. Key Outcomes: Strengthened community partnerships and expanded food access. Donate 3,000 pounds of gleaned food Major Activities Completed: Partnered with Stone Acres Farm for gleaning and donations. Data Collected: 2,144 pounds donated to hunger relief organizations. Summary Statistics and Discussion of Results: 1,248 pounds gleaned from Stone Acres Farm and 896 pounds from Yellow Farmhouse micro-farm. Key Outcomes: Enhanced community food security through collaborative efforts.

Publications

Progress 07/01/23 to 06/30/24

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audiences reached during this time period include: Family and Consumer Science (FCS) and Culinary teachers in Southern New England Teachers across Connecticut and Rhode Island attended full day in person workshops at the Yellow Farmhouse Education Center. Our mailing list of teachers also participated in asynchronous virtual programming that featured farmers and food system experts. Teachers in Alliance districts Alliance districts are designated by the State Board of Education as priority for improving student achievement and enhancing educational opportunities. Several of the teachers that participated virtually and in person were from alliance districts. Special efforts were made to ensure that teachers knew about trainings and were supported in their efforts to attend. FCS and Culinary Teachers regional and national Regional culinary teachers accessed virtual professional development but the majority of this outreach will take place in the coming months with the launch of the curriculum website as well as Virtual PD that we have completed and will launch soon on the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences website. FCS Students from high schools within a 60 mile radius of Stone Acres farm In this time period we welcomed nearly 800 students to Stone Acres Farm for field trips, the remaining groups will be attending this fall. High school students participated in workshops and volunteer service around gleaning produce in the summer of 2023 Low-income residents of New London, CT, Stonington, CT, and Westerly, RI Consituents of Johhny Cake Center in Westerly, RI and New London Community Meal Center in New London, CT received fresh produce from gleaning and food donation program Changes/Problems:We have made a few changes in our approach over the past few months in order to accomplish our goals for the project. One of these changes is the shift from a monthly advisory meeting for our curriculum to an ad hoc one that meets on an as needed basis, responding to various forms of feedback we might need. We found it challenging to coordinate various stakeholders to commit to set meetings. Similarly, our virtual PD offerings for teachers has shifted from synchronous meetings to asynchronous newsletters. These newsletters feature interviews with food systems experts (farmers, food justice educators, food rescue professionals, climate change experts, etc), resources that would be useful to a classroom teacher, and curriculum support. These virtual offerings are sent to a list of 200 teachers, and have been opened at a 50% rate. We also had to stretch our field trip offerings beyond the 2023-2024 school year. Unable to fill all the seats offered, we have schools lined up in Fall of 2024 to complete the number of field trip seats provided for by this funding. Our high school gleaning and food donation program funded through this project also shifted in scope. We worked closely with Ocean Avenue Learning Academy, a program in Southeastern Connecticut for students with special needs. They came to the farm to be our gleaning and food donation volunteers for this project. This has since launched a tremendous partnership between our two organizations, and they've returned to the Yellow Farmhouse for several other rounds of programming. The period for food donated listed in our project was July 2023 - November 2023, with a goal of 3,000 pounds of gleaned donated food to our partners at the New London Community Meal Center and the Jonnycake Center of Westerly, RI. That number ended up being 2,144 pounds of food donated. 1,248 of thas was gleaned from the fields of Stone Acres Farm, the rest donated from the Yellow Farmhouse Education Center's microfarm. We attribute this to challenges experienced in working with partner farms, as we were unable to continue the coordination of gleaning across different locations. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Several members of the Yellow Farmhouse Education Center staff completed professional development to aid in the activities supported by the project. A member of our education staff attended the 2024 ReFED Summit, where he learned more about innovative ways to reduce wasted food, a core component of the goals for this project. Another team member spent time learning with The Food Project in Boston, MA where he learned more about effective models of youth development specifically about fostering deeper connections with the food system. Our team of educators attended the FCCLA Spring Leadership Conference, learning more about how the organization works as well as presenting our work on food waste. This opportunity also provided us space to further develop relationships with schools across the state of Connecticut. Other opportunities for professional development provided by this project include the ongoing virtual and in person sessions for high school culinary teachers noted in the above goals section. To aid in the construction of our teacher and student surveys, the Yellow Farmhouse Education Center worked closely with a consultant. This individual helped us think through different strategies for our evaluation tools, resulting in the surveys sent to teachers over the course of their time learning with us, as well as the students visiting the farm. We used his expertise and guidance to shape these tools. He also aided us in writing a theory of change for our work in the areas outlined in the project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The Yellow Farmhouse Education Center has disseminated the work and information compiled in this project through a variety of different methods. One of these is our role as an attendee at the Perkins Grant Consotrium, run by the Eastern Connecticut Regional Education Service Center. This group also includes Department Heads for CTE programs across the state. Our executive director attends these meetings and has shared our work there in order to reach a broader audience. All of our programming is promoted through our email list serv, another effective way to share our learnings. This email list reaches around 4,000 people and we are frequently sharing upcoming events, resources, and other connections with our audiences. We also have a strong working relationship with the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) and the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA). During this reporting period we coordinated times to record a virtual PD with AAFCS that outlines our curriculum model and our broader scope of work. This will be shared throughout the year to a national consortium of FCS teachers. Our educators also visited the CT chapter of FCCLA, where they presented our work on reducing wasted food, and helped further the connections between our organizaions. Finally, we utilize the listservs for the CT Farm to School Collaborative and a list maintained by the Connecticut Department of Education's CTE department. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?I. Develop High-Quality Curriculum for FCS/Culinary Classrooms For the Foods II curriculum we plan on completing the lessons and launching during the next reporting period. As noted above we have a solid framework in place and plan on completing before the ended of the year. As we continue to work with ouradvisory panel, we look forward to implementing their feedback and completing the lessons. II. Offer Accessible In-Person & Virtual Professional Development for FCS/Culinary Teachers We have 3 more virtual professional development sessions scheduled to be sent out before the end of the next reporting period. Yellow Farmhouse staff has already conducted interviews with local food systems stakeholders for these and we look forward to sharing with those with our teachers. Topics yet to be shared include the connections between climate change and food justice. In the next reporting period we also expanded on our summer institute, held in August for culinary teachers. We will also complete a more comprehensive review of the survey data collected throughout the year, and will use that to help us in the planning of future sessions for teachers. III. Facilitate Farm-Based Experiential Learning Opportunities for Students During the next reporting period we anticipate finishing up the remaining spots available for field trips. Many of the spots were filled during this current reporting period, and we have schools scheduled to fill the remaining spots. We also have survey data from the already completed field trips to review. We have begun data entry and this will culminate in a full report that includes quantatative and qualitative informaiton thatwill help us determine what students got out of their time spent with us, as well as to help us craft our next round of trips to the farm.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Many people do not understand the systems by which their food gets to their table. When young people do not know how or where food is grown, it is difficult for them to ask critical questions or make informed food choices, even as they are at the cusp of entering adulthood. This project is designed to increase understanding of agriculture and food systems among FCS/culinary teachers/students, instilling in both groups a confidence in learning about this complex topic. Our target audiences for this project include both FCS/culinary teachers as well as the students in their classrooms. One major population served are high school culinary teachers from across the region(Southern New England), most of which are from Connecticut, but alsoincluding Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Another target audience for this project are high school culinary students, specifically those from within a 60 mile radius of Stone Acres Farm.Over the course of the grant priority has been given to schools with at least 40% of their student body receiving free or reduced lunch. We strategically worked with Alliance Districts (districts with low Accountability Index measures as designated by the Connecticut State Department of Education). These school districts include East Haven, Groton, New London, and Norwich. The recipients of donated produce consists of low-income residents in New London and Stonington, CT as well as Westerly, RI and the surrounding towns. FCS teachers are usually the only one in their field at their respective schools, and do not usually have high quality professional development available to them. By providing them the opportunity to work together and share ideas, we are able to foster those important connections they would otherwise have the opportunity to make. Their students are also at a unique point in their life where they on the cusp of decision making. By working directly with students via farm based field trips and their teachers through professional development and curriculum support, we are preparing them to be critical food systems thinkers as they age. Goal I. Develop High-Quality Curriculum for FCS/Culinary Classrooms Over the past few years, the Yellow Farmhouse Education Center has been working on a curriculum called "Farm to Culinary Classroom," meant to fill a major gap in most high school culinary classrooms. Our work seeks to incorporate a critical examination of the food system, while still teaching the necessary skills found in teaching culinary at the high school level. During this reporting period we worked on the scope and sequence of a semester long curriculum(Foods 2), as well as setting up and working with our advisory panel to ensure relevancy, accuracy, and cultural diversity. In the next phase of the grant, we will becompleting the writing and publishing of the lessons on ourwebsite. We consulted with a core group of FCS teachers to gain insight into what is typically taught in a Foods II course, helping to inform our plans. Five teachers shared their plans with us. Once we received those plans we formulated unit outlines, activity ideas, resources to be shared, and culminating activities for each unit. These plans were reviewed by advisors as well as Yellow Farmhouse staff members. Our plans have been condensed to fit the needs of the FCS teachers we work with, and be useful tools for them to use in their classrooms. II. Offer Accessible In-Person & Virtual Professional Development for FCS/Culinary Teachers For this reporting period we have nearly completed our goal of delivering high quality professional development for our high school culinary teacher audience. Finding less success in holding synchronous virtual professional development sessions, we shifted our model to an asynchronous experience delivered via a virtual newsletter. These newsletters included an interview with an expert in an aspect of the food system, an example being the director of a local gleaning organization for a newsletter focused on wasted food reduction. The newsletters also included links to relevant articles, lesson plans, and other resources a culinary teacher would find useful in their classroom. We have completed 7 of the 10 virtual offerings, and have will be sending the remaining 3 in the next few months. These newsletters are sent to 200 teachers, with an average open rate of 50%. We also completed 2 days of in person professional developmentfor teachers. In the fall of 2023 we welcomed 38 teachers to the farm for a day themed around the regenerative mindset and how that presents itself in the classroom. Teachers learned from a nationally renowned economist who reviewed these concepts with the audience. We also spent time learning about regenerative agriculture practices utilized at Stone Acres Farm. Our next day of professional development in the spring focused on wasted food reduction. 15 Teachers heard from a panel of local experts, including those working to end food insecurity for our local communities. They brainstormed ways to teach and engage their students around this topic. Our teacher surveys conducted after these professional development sessions have provided us with insight that will further inform our work. Teachers responded frequently they enjoyed spending time with colleagues in their fields, and they find the material we cover relevant and interesting for their classrooms. Another takeaway from the surveys was a clear need for more support in teaching about the connections between food and culture. This will help guide us as we plan our summer institute. Teachers also consistently report back in their surveys (45% and 65% of respondents for each of the days) they enjoy time spent working together on the space we share with Stone Acres Farm. During this reporting period we planned and developed our summer institute, to be held in August 2024. Work on this next step in our professional development included lining up speakers, coordinating menus, and ordering the necessary supplies to put together the professional development sessions. We also strategically marketed the institute out to our networks, including email blasts to our 4,000 person mailing list, sending out to various stakeholders and list servs, and contacting teacher organizations we are affiliated with. III. Facilitate Farm-Based Experiential Learning Opportunities for Students The Yellow Farmhouse Education Center welcomed 574 students to Stone Acres farm during this period (the remaining students to reach our goal will be visiting in Fall 2024), from 22 different schools across the state of CT. During each of these field trips, high school culinary classes were given a tour of Stone Acres Farm, highlighting the property's history and the sustainable agricultural practices employed by the farmers working there. They engaged in a farm based task centered around the reduction of food waste, whether that be helping the farm team with a bed preparationor gleaning produce that would otherwise be cast aside. These classes then cooked and shared a meal together using produce directly from the farm. In doing so they are getting an up close look at different parts of the food system - production, processing, retail, consumption, and the complexities of food waste. Our high school volunteers focused primarily on gleaning and assisting the harvest of produce in our microfarm. We welcomed 12students into the micro farm to work on this. These volunteers worked across the spectrum of farm based activities to ensure produce grown by Yellow Farmhouse as well as gleaned produce from Stone Acres Farm ended up at our partner organizations like the New London Community Meal Center and the Jonnycake Center of Westerly. During this reporting period 2,296 pounds of food ended up with these organizations.

Publications