Our Farm to School efforts focus on procuring local food for school cafeterias, supporting the local agricultural community, and educating students about healthy, homegrown foods. We actively partner with local farmers to source products like bison, corn, apples, and hydroponic lettuce, and even use meat from local high school agriculture classes.

Every summer, Food Services staff process thousands of pounds of local produce to use in our cafeterias during the school year.

The Chesapeake Blue Catfish is on the lunch menu in all schools. This recipe is not only delicious and nutritious, it benefits the Chesapeake Bay environment by ridding it of an invasive species. This was the start of our Bay to Tray Program which provides locally sourced fresh fish and seafood in our cafeterias. 

These year-long initiatives are highlighted and celebrated during the state's Farm to School and Homegrown School Lunch Week events.

All schools and our Culinary Center have composting programs, aiming to reduce food waste and promote environmental sustainability through a deeper understanding of waste management and reduction. This initiative aligns with the district's commitment to environmental stewardship.

Our partnerships with New Grounds Composting, Kinohi Poultry, and local pig farmers contribute to our composting success. In addition, at lunch we use reusable food trays and cups for beverages, which include our infused water and bulk milk. Incorporating bulk milk into our district prevents 200,000 milk cartons from ending up in a landfill each school year.

Learn more about composting in schools by visiting Reducing Organic Waste in Schools (ROWS).

Our school system is compliant with House Bill 264, Solid Waste Management – Organics Recycling and Waste Division – Food Residuals, passed by the Maryland General Assembly in 2021. This law requires large food waste generators, including schools, to divert food waste from trash disposal systems. Instead, these food residuals must be diverted for use in composting, anaerobic digestion (clean energy production), or agricultural use.

Caroline provides free meals for children 18 and under throughout the summer at school Summer Camp locations and through delivery into specific neighborhoods. Details are shared through all communication channels each spring.

Every school in Caroline enjoys at least one Tower Garden. Students develop a deeper appreciation for the food they eat and the impact it has on their well-being when they actively participate in the growing process and harvesting of fresh and nutritious produce. As they witness the growth of leafy greens like spinach and kale, various herbs (mint infused water, homemade ranch with dill, etc.), and fruits, they will be inspired to make healthier choices and develop lifelong habits that promote wellness.

Our seed starters are sourced locally. Students and Green Club members help harvest from the Tower Garden, and the produce is then used in school menus. Each school finds unique ways to use the garden — for example, as inspiration in Art classes, a calming sensory experience, or as ingredients in Culinary programs. Learn more about the benefits of Tower Gardens.

The Backpack Program provides over 900 bags to students per school year now. The program is sustained by Food for Learning funding, and the time and talent of individual volunteers, businesses, and community groups who support the program director and cafeteria staff. Since the beginning, our offerings have improved as we learned to package fresh produce and create nutritious frozen meals. 

For more information and to request services, please complete a Backpack Program form.

In March 2025, Chef Larry Ogden, Caroline Career and Technology Center’s Food and Beverage Management teacher, Chef David Murray with the Culinary Arts Center, and Shore Gourmet Manager Chef Jen Sipala conducted a workshop for Lockerman Middle School (LMS) students. The workshop explored career pathways in the Food and Beverage Management and Agriculture Programs, and introduced students to Career and Technology Education (CTE) opportunities offered in high school.

During the nine-sessions workshop, students learned all aspects of a food service operation from the ‘front of the house,’ meaning all areas and staff that customers interact with that create the dining experience, to the ‘back of the house,’ the areas and staff that customers typically don't see which focuses on operational aspects.

More details in News Release

In 2022, we partnered with Shore Gourmet and local community and state entities to launch ShoGo Mobile, a farmer’s market on wheels. Even in a farming community, access to fresh fruits and vegetables for some families can be extremely limited. ShoGo Mobile rolls into Caroline communities on a scheduled basis providing low income residents with equitable access to fresh produce, and prepared meals and groceries. The market also serves senior and community centers, offers the use of SNAP as a payment option, and can act as a food distribution point for crisis response situations. Other organizations now depend on ShoGo Mobile for outreach related to wellness checks, vaccinations, diabetes testing, exercise, and general information. 

Maryland State Department of Education Non-Discrimination Statement

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) does not discriminate based on age, ancestry, color, creed, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, mental or physical disability, national origin, race, religious affiliation, belief or opinion, sex, or sexual orientation in matters affecting employment or in providing access to its programs and activities; MSDE also provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.

For Inquiries related to MSDE’s Non-Discrimination policy, please contact:

Agency Equity Officer
Office of Equity Assurance and Compliance
Office of the Deputy State Superintendent of Operations
Maryland State Department of Education
200 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201-2595

oeac.msde@maryland.gov
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Use Relay

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement 

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1. mail:
   U.S. Department of Agriculture
   Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
   1400 Independence Avenue, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or

2. fax:
   (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

3. email:
   Program.Intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Updated 5.18.23