What is Cambridge Farm to School?
Cambridge Farm to School is a volunteer-run non-profit organization that assists with programming and facilitates hands-on education and learning opportunities in the Cambridge School District and the community.
Our core programs currently include:
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Cambridge Elementary Chef in the Classroom
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Cambridge High School Chef in the Classroom
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Cambridge Food Pantry Chef in the Classroom (2025)
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Green Team: Cambridge Elementary School Compost and Recycling Program
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Alternative Recycling & Electronic Recycling Events
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Education Outreach
mission
Cambridge Farm to School promotes healthy nutrition and fosters connection to real food through education and practice, with a focus on community and the environment.
Cambridge F2S works collaboratively with the following entities in our community:
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Cambridge School District & Administration
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Cambridge Schools Food Administrator
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Cambridge Activities Program
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Cambridge Food Pantry
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Severson Learning Center
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Cambridge Community Library
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Severson Learning Center Committee
The Growth of Cambridge Farm to School
The Cambridge Farm to School program was unofficially started by a food service worker, Kristin Evenson. In 2009 Karen Laing, a local farmer, became the first chair of the Cambridge Farm to School program. The aim was to concentrate on local producers and their connection to the Food Service in Cambridge. Karen founded the School Lunch Garden at Severson Learning Center in 2011 to grow produce on the School District property for the use of Food Service in school lunches.
In 2012, local parents Robin Kantzler and Grace Leonard became the co-chairs and began to focus on Farm to School programs at the elementary school level. Both Robin and Grace began Farm to School education and enrichment programs, including the successful Chef in the Classroom series with local chef Gene Gowan, modeled after Fort Atkinson's program. Grace attended "Eat Here, Eat Well" meetings to get guidance about how to start the program in Cambridge. They also started the Ready-Set-Go-Watermelon Shark. After a few years Robin Kantzler took over as the chair of the committee. There have been many dedicated community members that have volunteered through the years to make the program what it is today - too many names to mention!
In 2017, new co-chairs Jacy Eckerman and Ben Timp formed a new Farm to School Advisory Committee and partnered with the Cambridge-based Rural Schools Collaborative with the goal of becoming a 501c 3 non-profit organization. The new Farm to School Advisory Board is focusing on expanding school-driven, self-sustaining programming that will benefit students years into the future!
In Jan 2019 the Cambridge Farm to School Program officially received their 501c3 non-profit status and are excited to be independent!
Cambridge F2S continues to grow and create new programs. In 2025 Chef in the Classroom returned to the High School Freshman's Health Class AND we started a NEW Chef in the Classroom program at the Cambridge Food Pantry. The Green Team at the Elementary School is going strong and they are composting and recycling their lunch waste everyday thanks to a group of dedicated students. The Alternative Recycling Programs still offer drop off locations at CES and the Cambridge Community Library. There are many more exciting programs in the works so stay tuned.