ANNAPOLIS, MD (September 29, 2025) – Governor Wes Moore has declared September 29 – October 3, 2025 as Maryland Homegrown School Lunch Week. The annual week encourages schools across Maryland to include local food in their school lunches and celebrate the farmers and watermen of the state.
Maryland Homegrown School Lunch Week is one part of the Maryland Farm to School Program, administered by the Maryland Department of Agriculture and Maryland State Department of Education, aiming to bring locally-produced foods into schools, provide hands-on experiential learning to students, and integrate food-related education, while promoting the benefits of local, nutritious foods.
To celebrate, a Homegrown School Lunch Week event will be held on Wednesday, October 1 at the Caroline 4-H Park in Caroline County. Hosted by University of Maryland Extension – Caroline County, all 8th grade students from the county will be invited to this inaugural full day event aiming to expose students to agriculture and potential career opportunities. Twelve different learning stations will be set-up for students to explore and will focus on the following areas: Ag Science Tech & Equipment, Animal Science, Food Systems, and Land & Water. In addition to the learning labs, a locally sourced food sampling will be provided by the Caroline County Public School Food Services and will feature the following items: strawberry yogurt from Nice Farms Creamery, applesauce from Blades Orchard, herb tasting from Red Acres Hydroponics, scrapple from Sudlersville Meat locker, zucchini bread from Harris Farms, apple cider from Redemption Farms, cucumber salad from TJ Farms, Maryland crab soup with crab from JM Clayton, and watermelon from Clayton Farms. Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks will be in attendance to meet and greet with the students as well.
School districts across the state will also participate in Maryland Homegrown School Lunch Week by providing students with locally-sourced school meals and educational materials. Activities include:
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Calvert County Public Schools: Local beef from Battle Creek Farm will be served in nachos on October 1 to all public schools. Educational stations, led by farmers and farm owners, at Beach Elementary will also feature corn from Swann Farms.
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Carroll County Public Schools: Local produce from Wike Family Farm, Baugher’s Orchard and Moon Valley Farm will be featured throughout September and into October on all cafeteria lines. Friendship Valley Elementary School’s admin, PTO, and Food Services are working together to provide fun and interactive agricultural and nutritional activities for students during lunch during the entire week.
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Caroline County Public Schools: Throughout the week students will be served bison burgers from Bowtie Bison Farm, corn on the cob and watermelon from Clayton Farms, kale chips from Bartenfelder Farms, Maryland crab soup from JM Clayton, Chesapeake blue catfish sandwich from Tilghman Island Seafood, cucumbers from TJ Farms, apples from Blades Orchard, spring mix and romaine lettuce from Red Acres Hydroponics, and cherry tomatoes from Cottingham Farm.
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Frederick County Public Schools: Local pears, lunch box peppers, and broccoli will be featured all week—along with everyday local favorites, lettuce mix and apples.
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Montgomery County Public Schools: All K-12 schools are partnering with Keany Produce and Moon Valley Farm to procure the following local fruits and veggies: zucchini from Schlagel Farms, pears and apples from Moon Valley Farm, and spring mix from District Farms. The products will be featured all week long (except for Thursday when schools are closed). The farmers from District Farms will also be featured on the county’s website and social media.
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St. Mary’s County Public Schools: On Wednesday, October 8th, Benjamin Banneker Elementary School will be serving Blue Catfish Cakes from Tilghman Island Seafood. There will also be full-day outdoor educational events at Mechanicsville Elementary School on October 3rd and Evergreen Elementary School on October 16th with local burgers made from meat from Part Green Hill Farms in Leonardtown. Other menu items include sweet potatoes, corn, and watermelon from Stauffer’s Produce and Beagle Hill Farm. The event features educational partners: University of Maryland Extension, Atlantic Tractor, American Dairy Northeast, the St. Mary’s County Farm Bureau, and St. Mary’s County 4H.
For educational materials, Harvest of the Month posters, produce seasonality charts, menus, places to find local products, a brief video soundbook with photos and interviews, plus much more for parents, teachers, and food service staff, please visit the Maryland Farm to School website. The Maryland State Department of Education Office of School and Community Nutrition Programs has also developed a five module learning resource, titled “Exploring Maryland Food” in partnership with the University of Maryland Extension SNAP-Ed Program and the Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation. Geared towards elementary school students, the modules include a teachers guide, activities, and videos.
According to the 2022-23 U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm to School Census, more than 85 percent of Maryland school authorities participated in the Farm to School program. When looking at participation in schools, 971 schools and 585,877 students are participating and learning more about local foods in their area. Many school food authorities also serve local food weekly with milk, fruit, and vegetables leading the efforts.
More details about Maryland’s school meals programs can be found on the Maryland State Department of Education’s website. More information on Maryland Homegrown School Lunch Week can be found on the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s website. For questions or concerns, please contact Maryland Department of Agriculture Farm to School Program Director Karen Fedor at karen.fedor@maryland.gov or (410) 841-5773.
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Maryland Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks
“Maryland students are becoming more and more familiar with food delivery and less familiar with how the food they eat is grown. Farm to School and Homegrown School Lunch Week is vital for educating students about Maryland’s leading industry and fostering an understanding of nutrition. It is crucial to teach our future leaders about the significance of farming and the benefits of sourcing local foods.”
Maryland State Superintendent Dr. Carey Wright
“Maryland Homegrown School Lunch Week is a powerful reminder of the value of fresh, locally-sourced food in our schools. By connecting students to Maryland-grown produce, we provide nutritious meals, support local farmers, and help children understand where their food comes from. We also celebrate the dedication of our school nutrition professionals, whose work ensures every child receives healthy, balanced meals each day.”
Caroline County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Derek L. Simmons
“Caroline County Public Schools and our Food Services team recognize the importance of providing fresh, locally grown food that promotes student health while supporting our local farmers. Our students and staff are fortunate to be part of a community rooted in a strong agricultural tradition and nurtured by our farming community.”
University of Maryland Extension – Caroline County Agriculture Agent Travis Ford
“The University of Maryland Extension is proud to have partnered with Caroline County Public Schools to bring Homegrown School Lunch Week and Ag Education Day together. This event focuses on introducing agriculture to all Caroline County 8th graders. Students will have the opportunity to sample local ag products while spending the day learning about agriculture and ag careers. Agriculture is a vital part of everyone’s daily life and this event helps educate the next generation to support agriculture.”
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