Partnering on the Harvest of the Month Program

In April 2015, students were treated to roasted asparagus sourced from Holland’s Three Rivers Farm in Rockbridge County. The Holland family has been farming in Rockbridge County for almost 100 years and today they manage over 1500 acres of farmland. Located at the intersection of three rivers – the Maury, South, and James – where the soil is rich and ideal for growing produce, the Holland’s grow delicious, diversified produce on 60 acres and operate a livestock and grain operation on the rest of their land.

Left below, Dixon Holland of Holland’s Three Rivers Farm makes an asparagus delivery to the Local Food Hub warehouse for the Harvest of the Month program. To the right, Charlottesville City School Nutrition Services staff prepare the roasted asparagus, and students enjoy it in their classroom.

Below, an army of volunteers washed and counted over 2,000 multi-colored carrots in Charlottesville’s central kitchen for the May 2016 snack, which was largely sourced from Hartland Natural Farm in Madison County.

Located at Hartland Institute, a Christian missionary college, Hartland Natural Farm is run by students and is part of the college’s core-curriculum. The students operate a diversified, year-round vegetable farm, where they follow organic practices and primarily grow in high tunnels (unheated greenhouses). In addition to selling to Local Food Hub, Hartland uses their produce to supply their own student-run cafeteria, creating a unique connection among students to their food and how it was grown.