Lettuce turnip the beet
COLONIE—Just like the outdoors, signs of spring are stirring once again across the North Colonie School District, where students and staff are planting both literal and figurative roots for a more sustainable future.
With shovels, compost buckets, and ideas, the school district is entering its seventh year of the North Colonie Farm-to-School program, which was created to instill environmental education and locally sourced fresh produce for the cafeteria. This year, according to organizers, plans are underway to expand composting across the district all year round, design new gardens,
and incorporate additional environmental science on sustainable practices.
“Our goal is to give students the chance to grow their own food, understand where it comes from, and learn how to reduce waste,” said Amber Cost, North Colonie’s Farm-to-School Facilitator.
Funding and Expansion
The North Colonie Farm-to-School Program, which began in 2018, has received financial support throughout the years from several sources, including from the community. But in 2024, a $99,346 farm-to-school grant from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets gave the program a shot of fertilizer, helping the district buy more composting equipment, increase the training of students and staff, and weave more sustainability concepts into the curriculum.
Additional funding from community donations has helped strengthen farm-to-school connections, bringing fresh, local food into school cafeterias, Cost said. The town also made a generous donation to cover the cost of an aerated composting system, ensuring that Shaker High School can enhance its composting process.
“Support from the community has been incredible,” said Cost. “It’s not just funding—it’s neighbors, local businesses, and families all coming together to help our students learn and grow.”
North Colonie is also partnering with Schenectady in applying for a $5 million New York State regional food infrastructure grant, which requires a multi-district partnership to qualify.
“If we’re successful, that funding could expand our composting efforts and improve sustainability infrastructure across the district,” said Cost.
Garden Beds: Growth Over the Years
Over the past seven years, the school gardening initiative has grown from a single garden at Shaker High School into a district-wide movement. Gardens are located at Shaker High School, Shaker Middle School, Blue Creek Elementary School, Latham Ridge Elementary School, Loudonville Elementary School, and Boght Hills Elementary School, each designed to serve
as both a sustainable food source and a hands-on learning space.
“We grow a lot of herbs, we grow a lot of greens, celery, things like that have been able to supplement here and there throughout the summer,” said Cost.
This spring, students and staff will begin work on a new garden at Latham Ridge Elementary. “Latham Ridge was the one that we just met last week to talk about, again, a simple system that could be implemented this spring,” said Cost.
Composting: Closing the Loop on Waste
At Shaker High School, the composting movement is thriving. Cost and senior student Sriman Iyer have worked closely with local partners, students, and staff to create a hands-on composting system that allows students to see sustainability in action and understand how their choices impact the environment.
“This project started because I was in the science research program at the high school,” said Iyer, adding, “the whole composting thing kind of just struck my eye. I knew Mrs. Cost was already looking to do something with composting, so we partnered up and this is what we’ve been working on so far.”
Each day, students and staff at Shaker High School deposit an estimated 58.25 pounds of food waste—mostly fruits and vegetables—into collection bins. That waste will be transformed into nutrient-rich compost, helping to fertilize school gardens and complete the cycle from food to soil to food again.
To streamline the process, Shaker High School’s technology class is set to build the first fully customizable composting bin in March. “We like that the microbins are completely customizable,” said Iyer. “Normally they don’t have doors, but we want to add doors so kids can look inside and see the composting process.”
Additionally, Shaker High School is looking into installing an aerated composting system, which would improve efficiency at a cost of under $1,000. “We’re trying to get numbers associated with a couple of different possibilities and then kind of decide from there where we go,” said Cost. “It’s all just kind of little by little.”
At Boght Hills Elementary, students and teachers will soon be introducing worms into the process. Called vermicomposting, this method uses worms to break down organic waste into nutrient-rich compost.
Educational Impact
The composting initiative isn’t just about reducing waste—it’s about teaching lifelong sustainability skills. “Composting lets students see science in action,” said Cost. “They learn about decomposition, soil health, and how their choices impact the environment.”
Iyer has also taken on a mentoring role, working closely with younger students to share his passion for sustainability. “If we can just develop a passion in kids to care about the environment more just like I have been, I think that would just be like a great look for the future overall,” said Iyer.
Community Partnerships: Growing Together
North Colonie schools aren’t doing this alone. They’ve partnered with Forts Ferry Farm, a local farm that has provided irrigation systems, composting expertise, and hands-on educational opportunities for students.
“Forts Ferry Farm has been with us every step of the way,” said Cost. “They’ve helped install irrigation systems, hosted student visits, and even trained our cafeteria staff.”
The farm also participates in a compost exchange, sending organic waste to Shaker High School while benefiting from the rich compost the school produces. This collaboration helps students see how sustainability works in the real world.
Looking to the Future
With gardens flourishing, compost bins multiplying, and students learning every step of the way, the future appears bright for the North Colonie Farm-to-School program.
And if all goes well, the results will be un-beet-able.
Amanda Conley is a UAlbany Journalism student participating in the SUNY Institute for Local News initiative to help community journalism.
