A study from the Innovation Center for U.S Dairy states 7% of adult Americans (16 million people) believe chocolate milk comes from brown cows.

Research from the past few decades indicates that adults and children alike are becoming further and further removed from food systems, and therefore the farms and agricultural practices that contribute to those food products.

In New Hampshire, one of the ways professionals combat this issue is through School to Farm Days. A program offered through New Hampshire Agriculture in the Classroom (NHAITC) brings fourth graders to local farms to participate in a day of learning about local agriculture and how it impacts their lives.

Ag in the Classroom (AITC) is a national program that strives to improve agriculture literacy for teachers and the students they work with. The program is backed by USDA but the size and scale of the program is on a state-by-state basis.

School to Farm Days happen in varying capacities across the country, depending on how the state’s priorities and funding align with ag education. Typically, the days feature the agriculture industries and commodities that are local to the state. In New Hampshire, NHAITC is a co-sponsored effort by New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation and UNH Cooperative Extension.

New Hampshire School to Farm Days mostly include presentations about forestry, maple sugaring, orchards and fruit production and dairy farming. Each of New Hampshire’s 10 counties can participate in a School to Farm Day event close to them.

Earlier this year, Carter Hill Orchard sponsored the Merrimack County School to Farm Day. Over 100 students from schools across the county participated in a day of learning about a variety of agricultural sectors unique to the state.

Carter Hill Orchard is located on the outskirts of Concord, NH. As the name implies, the orchard sits on the top of a hill with beautiful views of the Granite State. Since the mid-1700s, the land has been an orchard of some kind, creating deep roots in New England. The orchard that is seen today came to fruition in the 1970s when Sunnycrest Farms Inc. purchased the land, which then started the Larocque family legacy in the orchard. They are the current owners of the farmland.

The orchards were in bloom for the School to Farm Day – a perfect time for students to learn about how fruit grows. Photo by Hannah Majewski

Sunnycrest Farms hired Rob Larocque to manage the orchard because of his passion for apple farming. In 2001, Rob was able to purchase the land with his wife Annette, and they renamed it Carter Hill Orchard as an homage to its history on Carter Hill.

The Larocque family completed several initiatives to expand the orchard but also made sure to prioritize their visitors. Rob built a play area for children, a watch tower to see the views of Concord, created walking trails across the orchard and opened a bakery that Annette runs.

Additionally, the family expanded the farm stand from its original size and became partners of New Hampshire Cider Works, where they make apple cider on location at the orchard. In 2010, Carter Hill Orchard was named a New Hampshire Farm of Distinction.

Today, Todd Larocque, Rob and Annette’s son, manages the orchard. Todd was named Young Farmer of the Year in 2013 by the New Hampshire Grange. Today, Carter Hill offers U-pick apples, peaches and blueberries along with a stocked country store of baked goods and local farm-made items. The various gazebos and large lookout tower make for a welcoming environment at the farm.

New Hampshire schools have a unique opportunity to engage their students with local agriculture. Mike Smith, NHAITC program director, noted, “Part of the scope of School to Farm Days is to provide background to where items that students use every day come from and that the products of their lives are cultivated by people so they can eat, clothe themselves, build things and live a generally more prosperous life.  It’s important to connect kids to where their food comes from, how it’s created, grown, processed and eventually ends up on their table.”

Carter Hill Orchard and the Larocque family were able to play a unique role in educating the next generation about how their food is produced as an extension of the great things they already do to welcome the community to their orchard.

To learn how to get your farm involved, visit agclassroom.org.

by Hannah Majewski