A popular farm-to-school program at School Administrative District 6 schools has been sustained for three years by the largesse of a national nonprofit devoted to fighting childhood obesity.

But with the grant underwriting the initiative set to permanently expire at the end of the school year, it remains unclear whether the program, which has established organic gardens at five of the district’s elementary schools, will survive.

The four-year grant, provided by the nonprofit FoodCorps to the local sustainable agriculture advocacy group Rippling Waters, has funded a series of full-time coordinators who have managed the program, which is designed to teach children about healthy eating. As a result of the program, many SAD 6 students and staff have helped to plant seedlings and maintain the gardens throughout the course of the school year. The food produced has been used in the schools’ hot lunch programs.

Last year, under the tutelage of FoodCorps service member Molly Sauvain, the program endured despite the closure of the 12-acre Rippling Waters Organic Farm. Richard Rudolph, the owner of the farm and the founder of the farm-to-school program, put the farm on the market and stopped food production. It has not yet been sold. Although the farm-to-school program was headquartered at the farm, there were enough surplus seedlings, soil, compost and other materials that the program was able to continue.

On Sept. 1, FoodCorps service member Michelle Erhard took over from Sauvain. Although the program will likely be able to subsist in a similar way this year, it faces another severe challenge come July, when Erhard’s year is over. Rippling Waters’ grant from the FoodCorps program, secured in 2010, will expire. Another grant is not expected to be forthcoming. One of Erhard’s key roles, consequently, is to help SAD 6 staff prepare to run the program on their own.

“I’m really building on what has already been established and adding my own personal twist on things,” Erhard said. “I’m making sure that the teachers that are actually in the schools throughout the whole school year feel comfortable actually taking over in the future.”

According to Becky Chan, executive director of Rippling Waters, SAD 6 officials need to focus on the coming transition if the program is to continue. Chan will meet with SAD 6 administrators on Sep. 25 to discuss the issue.

“We won’t be at the same level of involvement,” Chan said. “It’s time for the schools to really take on that level of responsibility. We set this up for the schools. We’re trying to train the teachers to take over some of this themselves. This is for them to take on.”

Board member Elizabeth Perry said, ideally, SAD 6 would hire a food-to-school program coordinator and integrate the program into the curriculum, as well.

“If the local schools would contribute money, if they made it an actual part of their curriculum, it would make a huge difference,” Perry said.

Hiring new staff for the program is not likely, according to Ginny Davis, principal of the Edna Libby and George E. Jack elementary schools, which both have organic gardens established through the program.

“I would doubt very much if the district could justify that because we’ve had to cut back on so many ed tech and teaching positions,” Davis said.

On the other hand, integrating the program into the curriculum is a viable way forward, according to Davis.

“It does tie in with the science curriculum and health and physical education,” she said.

Davis, who strongly supports the farm-to-school program, said some 60 percent of her students participate in the program, and that many teachers are enthusiastically engaged with the gardens.

“It’s challenging to fit in the time and the energy to keep these things going, but it’s definitely a priority,” she said. “Students are having a much better understanding of where these things comes from. You don’t just go to the grocery store or even to a farmers market to get cucumbers or your squash or whatever. They’re seeing how you actually can grow your own food.

“A lot of the students are convincing their folks that they should have small gardens at their home,” she added. “So you’re seeing a carryover that way, which is wonderful.”

Once Erhard departs, Davis said, the biggest challenge will be maintaining the gardens through the summer. Parents and local master gardeners could volunteer, Davis said.

During the year, Davis said, instead of a full-time coordinator, teams of staff and volunteer will likely need to coordinate the program together.

To Erhard, the pressure of handing off the program to SAD 6 staff is not a burden.

“I just really am excited to be able to pass the torch along to the teachers and help empower them,” she said. “I’m really confident that this can carry on after my year.”

Rippling Waters Organic Farm in Steep Falls, which has been for sale for a year, started the farm-to-school program.