Join Maine Harvest of the Month (HOM)! Take the pledge and join dozens of Maine schools and childcare sites to bring healthier, local food to Maine children while supporting Maine farmers and producers! Whether you are brand new or experienced with farm & sea to school, HOM is the perfect way to highlight Maine grown and produced products on your menus year-round!
How it works:
Each month, a Maine-produced food is highlighted as the "Harvest of the Month". Schools are provided toolkits to promote the HOM in their cafeteria, which include beautiful HOM-branded posters, source cards, recipes, fact sheets, and more! Schools serve the HOM at least twice on their menus every month and are encouraged to host HOM-themed events and activities like taste tests. Schools receive training, support, and recognition for their commitment to supporting Maine's local producers and serving children fresh, locally sourced school meals!
Your Pledge:
By pledging to Maine Harvest of the Month, you receive:
- Monthly HOM Toolkits that include:
- Beautiful promotional posters (11"x 17")
- Tray posters (11"x 17")- for posting the day's meal options and HOM items!
- Fact sheets w/recipes (8"x 11")
- Source cards (4"x 6")- to show which farm/producer your HOM item came from!
- & more!
- Program training and ongoing technical support, as needed
- A monthly newsletter
- Recognition in participating in HOM
By pledging to HOM, you are committing to:
- Serve the Harvest of the Month at least twice on your menu every month (local = Maine grown or caught)
- Display HOM toolkit materials provided by the Department of Education's Child Nutrition team
In addition, you are highly encouraged to:
- Conduct educational activities, including taste testing or incorporating HOM into classroom curriculum. (There are many resources on the HOM Resources page)
- Send monthly updates (photos and stories, which may be featured in our newsletters, website, social media)
Pledge to Maine Harvest of the Month today! You have the option to pledge for the school year (September-June), for summer (July-August), or the whole year (September-August)!
Summer 2025 & School Year 2026 Pledge Form
Contact
Katie Knowles
Farm and Sea to School Coordinator
Phone:716
Email: katie.knowles@maine.gov