Farm to Preschool Challenge – No Child Without a Garden
As part of our recent report, The Promise of Farm to Preschool in Southwest Colorado, we offered two challenges to encourage everyone to get serious now about Farm to Preschool. This is the second of those challenges, in infographic form – What if we gave every preschool child a chance to learn about growing food in a garden?
Farm to Preschool Challenge – 20% Local Food
As part of our recent report, The Promise of Farm to Preschool in Southwest Colorado, we offered two challenges to encourage everyone to get serious now about Farm to Preschool. This is the first of those challenges, in infographic form – What would it take to provide 20% of preschooler snacks and meals locally?
Our Deb Moses in Print
Deb Moses, our Garden Education Specialist, helps engage childcare providers in edible education and small-scale gardening, including helping them overcome site-specific garden challenges and connecting farmers and their food with childcare centers. She and her husband even constructed a raised bed on wheels to donate to the preschool that their son attends (see photo of that raised bed here).
Deb recently caught the attention of MaryJane’s Farm Magazine (MaryJanesFarm.org) and the Dec/January issue’s “Every Woman Has a Story” section features her and her involvement in Farm to Preschool. The article highlights not only the benefits of Farm to Preschool, but Deb’s views on the subject through the lens of a mother, biologist, and gardener:
It feels great to see kids who are all excited about pulling a carrot out of the ground. It gives me hope, it makes me feel like we can go in this direction of a healthier food system and healthier children. And through this, we can even create a healthier planet.
View a PDF version of the article, or pick up a copy of the magazine at your local newsstand.
Getting Started with Farm to Preschool
The most common questions that arise about Farm to Preschool are “What is it?” quickly followed by “How do we even start?” Luckily there are a ton of great resources available, and we’ve some boots-on-the-ground experience to share with you from our Farm to Preschool Project in SW Colorado.
In short, what is Farm to Preschool?
- The best food, as local as possible, and time in the garden for our youngest children’s health and their future.
- Extending the benefits of K-12 Farm to School programs to our youngest children.
- A movement to make Farm to Preschool an integral part of the overall Farm to School movement.
- Caring enough—as a whole community—for our children to do this right and do it now!
With facts like “up to 80% of children’s nutrition is obtained in the preschool setting” and “Farm to School programs result in children consuming 1 to 1.3 more servings of fruits and vegetables per day,” it is obvious WHY Farm to Preschool is important. Even here in Colorado, often considered the “leanest state in the nation,” there is an obesity crisis for both adults and children. Farm to Preschool projects can help by establishing good eating habits and relationships with food at the most formative age.
Our Getting Started with Farm to Preschool infographic (also below) is a great visual aid when grappling with the question of how to start a program in your area, whether you are a teacher, parent, or community member. To see how we started Farm to Preschool in SW Colorado, see our Special Report, “The Promise of Farm to Preschool in Southwest Colorado,” and find more project information as well as resources and project materials our website.
We invite you to join us in our efforts to spread Farm to Preschool as widely, and quickly, as possible. Our kids deserve it.
