Farm Fest 2024

Fourth and fifth graders spent the morning immersed in vegetables, pollinators, dancing, and much more at the school’s annual Farm Fest event.

Launched in 2016, this themed event invites students to explore good nutrition and sustainability through engaging, hands-on activities led by farmers, vendors, and volunteers.

Students rotated between stations, where they participated in lessons on nutrition, fitness, pollinators, and vegetables. One highlight of the day was sampling fresh coleslaw prepared by Whitsons Culinary Group!

At one station, Yorktown’s Hilltop Hanover Farm & Environmental Center taught the students about seeds. Elsewhere, Ms. Hyndman quizzed the students all about kale! Northwell Health was also on hand to test students' knowledge of various food items.

Special thanks to WBP Home Delivery for donating a variety of vegetables, which the students were excited 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 emphasized that Farm Fest offers students a unique opportunity to connect with the local agricultural community while experiencing “a hands-on approach to learning about things they often only read about or see in movies.”

Farm Fest coincides with the school’s participation in National Farm-to-School Month, an October celebration focused on food education, school gardens, and nutritious lunches filled with local ingredients. It also reinforces Crompond’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, highlighted by the school’s pollinator garden and outdoor classroom, which every class visits regularly.