Examples of Past New York Harvest for New Kids Week Events

Chautauqua County - Forestville Central Schools celebrated NY Harvest for NY Kids Week with a roast pork dinner. Community members helped peel and slice locally grown apples for apple crisp, and local apple farmers delivered apples to the elementary and high schools for lunches that week. Contact: Karen Kozlowski, 716-965-2711

Columbia County - Ichabod Crane Central Schools invited a local apple farmer to highlight agricultural products, and quiz students on apple trivia questions.  Apple treats were provided. Contact: Karen Roberts Mort, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia County, 518-828-3346

Columbia County - Taconic Hills Central School cafeteria lines were decorated in a farm and apple theme. Workers dressed as farmers and local apples and pears were provided free with any cafeteria purchase. Columbia County Cooperative Extension also brought a local fruit farmer and a nutritionist to visit with K-6 students during lunch. Contact: Catherine Drumm, 518-325-0310

Genesee County - LeRoy Central Schools partnered with a Cornell Cooperative Extension Nutrition Educator to present "Roots and Shoots" program to kindergarten classes before lunch.  Contact: Laurie Locke, 585-768-5509

New York City - The Cookshop Program of New York City produced a New York Harvest Activity Kit that includes 11 school-based community activities including: making applesauce in the classroom, writing a letter to a farmer, tasting New York farm market products and visiting a local grocery store to find New York produce. The kits were distributed to all participating CookShop Classrooms in New York City. Contact: Hadley Friedman, 212-894-8094 x 1571

New York City – The New York Chapter of the American Institute of Wine and Food, the James Beard Foundation, and Spoons Across America sponsored Days of Taste in 50 New York City fourth and fifth grade elementary school classes. Days of Taste is a guided exploration of taste from farm to classroom to table. Trips to farmers' markets and visits with farmers were part of the program. Contact: Julia Jordan, 718-260-5345

New York City - Harvest Festival at the Block Institute included a live petting zoo, pumpkin decorating contest, agriculture booths, hands-on cow milking demonstration, an exhibit from the school's gardens, a New York themed lunch, class-made New York shaped cookies, and presentation of the school's grown vegetable pasta sauce. Contact: Todd Adelman, 718-946-9700 x217

Niagara County – Cornell Cooperative Extension held a celebration at the North Tonawanda Farmers' Market and the Niagara Wheatfield Central Schools, offering puzzles and coloring books about New York agriculture. Hula hoop and jump roping contests, and other physical activities as well as fruit and vegetable samplings were included. Contact: Carolyn Richel,  716-278-8131

Niagara County - Wilson Central Schools promoted New York milk and produce at lunch and encouraged families to visit farmers' markets. The celebration featured homemade New York caramel apples, decorating of New York munchkin pumpkins and a nutrition lesson complete with taste testing of New York products. Contact: Donna Kurial, 716-751-734

Steuben County - Corning-Painted Post Area School District held a celebration with a gourmet menu designed and prepared by a professional chef using local products. The high schools displayed "Careers in Agriculture" posters by Cornell Cooperative Extension and locally grown/processed food items were featured daily in the cafeteria. Contact: Chris Wallace, 607-654-2720

Tompkins County - Tompkins County Cooperative Extension hosted a Fall Harvest Festival at a local supermarket in Ithaca. Sampling of local foods, harvest-themed activities like pumpkin painting, seed mosaics and butter making were featured. Contact: Debbie Teeter, 607-272-2292

Washington County - Hudson Falls Central Schools celebrated with local products on the cafeteria menu, as well as a Harvest Celebration at the Kindergarten Center featuring New York State food stations and additional information on New York agriculture. Contact: Jane Pepin, 518-747-2121

Wyoming County – 4-H and Cornell Cooperative Extension offered a puppet show and hands on learning stations for kindergarten classrooms throughout the county where the students learned about apples, vegetables and dairy products. Contact: Nancy Maguire, 585-786-2251

Yates County - Penn Yan Central Schools featured local products on its cafeteria menu and a local farmer participated in an Open House by visiting the school and providing samples of New York products. Contact: Dana Burton 315-536-6781