Crompond Farm Fest 2022

Crompond students enjoyed a day filled with vegetables, plants, dancing, and so much more at the school’s annual Farm Fest event on October 14.

Started in 2016, the themed event has fourth and fifth graders learning about good nutrition and sustainability in a fun and interactive way from farmers, vendors, and volunteers.

For two hours, the students moved between 10 stations, where they participated in hands-on lessons about nutrition, fitness, soil, compost, bees, syrup, and vegetables. The students also sampled fresh tomato salsa that was made using produce from Crompond’s own garden!

At one station, Yorktown’s Hilltop Hanover Farm taught the students about plants. They were even given the opportunity to pluck the basil plant from the soil and take a bite — talk about farm-to-table!

Elsewhere, the students were given Popsicle sticks and tins filled with soil. Their mission? To investigate! They were excited to discover worms and salamanders living among the dirt, sticks, and leaves.

Northern Westchester Hospital was also on hand to quiz the students on health and fitness and challenge them to complete an exercise.

A special thank you goes out to WBP Home Delivery for donating a variety of vegetables for the students to take home and enjoy.

Of course, no Farm Fest would be complete without a little dancing! The students were excited to move their feet and learn a line dance to the tune of “Cotton-Eyed Joe.”

The special day was organized by fourth-grade teacher Cari Byrnes and YCSD Director of Wellness Laura Tolosi. Ms. Byrnes said Farm Fest gives the students an opportunity to understand the local agricultural landscape while providing them with a “hands-on approach to learning about things they only read about or see in movies.”

Farm Fest is tied in with the school’s participation in national Farm-to-School Month, an October celebration of food education, school gardens, and lunch trays filled with healthy local ingredients. It also aligns with Crompond’s commitment to sustainability, rooted in the school’s pollinator garden and outdoor classroom, which every class visits regularly.