The North Colonie Farm-to-School program in New York is a model of sustainability in education, where students and staff are growing their own food, learning about environmental science, and reducing waste.

Funding and Expansion

• The program has received financial support from various sources, including a $99,346 grant from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets in 2024.
• Community donations have helped strengthen farm-to-school connections, bringing fresh, local food into school cafeterias.
• The town has made a generous donation to cover the cost of an aerated composting system at Shaker High School.

Additional funding from community donations has helped strengthen farm-to-school connections, bringing fresh, local food into school cafeterias, according to Amber Cost, North Colonie’s Farm-to-School Facilitator.

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.

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, with gardens located at multiple schools.

Gardens are designed to serve as both a sustainable food source and a hands-on learning space, where students can grow a variety of herbs, greens, and other crops.

Composting: Closing the Loop on Waste

At Shaker High School, the composting movement is thriving, thanks to the efforts of Amber Cost and senior student Sriman Iyer.

“Composting lets students see science in action,” said Cost. “They learn about decomposition, soil health, and how their choices impact the environment.”

“This project started because I was in the science research program at the high school,” said Iyer. “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.”

Students and staff at Shaker High School deposit an estimated 58.25 pounds of food waste into collection bins daily, which is then transformed into nutrient-rich compost, helping to fertilize school gardens and complete the cycle from food to soil to food again.

Shaker High School’s technology class is set to build the first fully customizable composting bin in March, with the addition of doors to allow students to see the composting process.

Educational Impact

The composting initiative isn’t just about reducing waste—it’s about teaching lifelong sustainability skills.

• Students learn about decomposition, soil health, and how their choices impact the environment.
• Composting lets students see science in action, and Iyer has taken on a mentoring role to share his passion for sustainability with younger students.

“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.