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.