Hoosac Valley H.S. Students Give Back to Community by Taking Care of School Garden

New England Dairy and Massachusetts dairy farmers are proud to highlight the work of Hoosac Valley High School (Chesire, MA) students, Tia and Kathryn. When the 2020-2021 school year ended, Tia and Kathryn stepped up and volunteered to take care of their school’s garden by watering it, harvesting produce, and providing general maintenance throughout the summer. With more students eating school meals than ever, Tia and Kathryn wanted to ensure their classmates would have access to the garden’s bounty when they returned in the fall. As fruits and vegetables became ready to harvest, they washed, processed, and froze it for the new school year’s school meals program. After such a rewarding experience, these students went above and beyond to launch a new high-school science project focused on tending the school gardens to allow more of their fellow students to get involved in incorporating local produce into their school meals program. 

Local New England dairy farm families continuously serve their communities by enhancing our lands and producing nutrition foods to feed our growing world.  This support has been in the spotlight over the past couple years as more New Englanders look to rediscover local food and create connections with local farmers to feed their families.

The dairy farm families of Massachusetts and New England are the heart and soul of their communities and towns. They understand how important it is to recognize young leaders like Kathryn and Tia, who drive healthy changes in their school community.