Growing Connections During National Farm to School Month
October is National Farm to School Month, a nationwide celebration of how schools, communities, and foodservice leaders are rethinking what “local food” means. It’s about strengthening food systems, empowering students, and creating a healthier, more sustainable future, one seed, one tray, and one lesson at a time.
At Babylon Micro-Farms, we’re proud to help bring this mission to life. Our indoor micro-farms make it possible for schools to grow fresh, nutritious produce on-site, all year long, with no pesticides, no long-distance shipping, and no growing seasons required. But beyond fresh food, our farms create an ecosystem of engagement: hands-on learning, environmental stewardship, and real connections between students and the food they eat.
This month, we’re celebrating some of our inspiring partners who are living out these values every day: Green Bronx Machine, Norfolk Public Schools, and Bentonville Public Schools.
Growing Learning and Nutrition at Green Bronx Machine
In the Bronx, Green Bronx Machine is redefining how education and agriculture intersect. Founded by educator and advocate Stephen Ritz, the organization empowers students to grow their own food and, in the process, grow stronger, healthier communities.
Students in the Green Bronx Machine classroom harvesting bok choy
Partnering with Babylon Micro-Farms, Green Bronx Machine uses indoor farming technology to connect students directly to how their food is grown. Within classroom settings, students plant seeds, learn how light, water, and nutrients work together to support plant growth, and watch as their crops thrive in real time. The micro-farm becomes a living lesson in biology, sustainability, and nutrition education, all while producing fresh greens for classroom tastings and community events.
By transforming urban learning spaces into hands-on growing environments, Green Bronx Machine and Babylon Micro-Farms are showing students that they can be both the innovators and the caretakers of their own food systems.
From Farm to Cafeteria in Norfolk Public Schools
Norfolk Public Schools in Virginia is demonstrating what true farm-to-school innovation looks like by bringing hyper-local produce directly into school meals across the district. At the district’s central nutrition services office, Four Galleri Micro-Farms are used to grow vibrant leafy greens that are prepared and distributed to schools for use in daily menus.
This centralized approach ensures that students across the city benefit from fresh, sustainably grown produce while supporting the district’s commitment to local sourcing and environmental stewardship. Each harvest of lettuce, basil, or microgreens makes its way from the farm to the cafeteria, closing the loop between food production and nutrition.
By integrating indoor farming into their meal preparation process, Norfolk Public Schools has created a powerful example of how technology and tradition can work together to nourish students and strengthen community food systems. It’s a genuine farm-to-school success story, grown right in the heart of the district.
Fresh Ideas and Flavor in Bentonville Public Schools
Cece Pedersen, Farm Operator at Bentonville High School, with their Galleri Micro-Farm
In Bentonville Public Schools (AR), the connection between local food and student nutrition is thriving. At Bentonville High School and Bentonville High School West, staff operate two Galleri Micro-Farms, growing fresh herbs and greens that are incorporated into school meals across the district.
The farms supply the foodservice team with a steady source of hyper-local produce, inspiring new and flavorful menu options such as Banh Mi sandwiches topped with cilantro grown right inside the schools. This approach allows Bentonville’s nutrition staff to showcase the freshness and versatility of their own harvests, while reinforcing the district’s commitment to sustainability and innovation.
By growing produce on-site, Bentonville Public Schools is reducing food miles, enhancing menu quality, and modeling what farm-to-school can look like in the 21st century, where technology, wellness, and culinary creativity come together to nourish students every day.
Growing the Future, One Farm at a Time
Across these partnerships, Babylon Micro-Farms is helping schools turn the principles of “farm to school” into a daily experience. Our automated, soil-free systems use up to 96% less water than traditional farming and are designed to make sustainable food production simple, measurable, and inspiring.
But what truly sets these programs apart isn’t just the technology, it’s the impact. When students grow food themselves, they eat more vegetables, understand sustainability on a personal level, and see that innovation can start right where they are.
As we celebrate National Farm to School Month, we’re inspired by the educators, foodservice leaders, and students who are making farm-to-school a living reality. Together, we’re building a generation that doesn’t just talk about change, they grow it.
