Farm to ECE

What is Farm to ECE?

Farm to early care and education (farm to ECE) offers increased access to the same three core elements of local food sourcing, school gardens and food and agriculture education to enhance the quality of the educational experience in all types of ECE settings (e.g., preschools, child care centers, family child care homes, Head Start/Early Head Start, programs in K - 12 school districts). Farm to ECE offers benefits that parallel the goals and priorities of the early care and education community including emphasis on experiential learning opportunities, parent and community engagement and life-long health and wellness for children, families and caregivers (National Farm to School Network).

Not only are we connected to locally grown, healthy foods, but our students interact directly with where food comes from – the Jazmine Green Memorial Garden! By utilizing our on-site garden, students are able to plant, care for and harvest their own foods. They engage in taste tests, help prepare recipes, and are taught basic nutrition education which will be a foundation for making healthy food choices as they grow. Not only does the Farm to ECE movement support healthy development, it is fun! When students take part in the process of growing and preparing their own food they are more likely to try and like it!

The Farm to Early Care and Education movement is one that we have embraced to the fullest. In 2017, Little Ones Learning Center, Georgia Organics, The Common Market, Quality Care for Children, and Voices for Georgia’s Children created the Georgia Farm to Early Care and Education Learning Collaborative with funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. This multi-year initiative offers hands-on education in nutrition, cooking, gardening, and promotion of local foods to participating early care providers while disseminating resources for providers across the state.

Farm to ECE in GA Equity in Farm to ECE