July 7, 2015 | Volume 4, Issue 17

Feature

Farm to preschool resources

Chilren's garden at Colorado Springs Family Development Center

Farm to preschool in action

The Colorado Springs Family Development Center is a daycare located on the University of Colorado campus. The center operates CACFP and implements a number of farm to preschool initiatives, including a garden and nutrition education activities. The children handle all aspects of the garden, including planting, weeding, harvesting, and of course, eating the “fruits” of their labor. The center director, Ida Bauer, said that the children love working in the garden and are more willing to try new foods as a result of their connection to the soil. Bauer also noted that getting kids into the garden helps children foster emotional and social development through play, and connects them to the earth and to the food they eat. See more of the garden here (pdf).  

Notes from the Field

Spotlight on Summer: Madison, WI

Describing local green beans

In Madison, WI, a large urban school district and a strong nonprofit partner are working to not only source fresh, local foods for summer meals, but also to educate and engage kids at summer sites. For the second summer in a row, Madison Metropolitan School District’s Summer Food Service Program and REAP Food Group’s Farm to School Program are serving up local produce to kids and teens across the city at 43 summer meal sites. This summer, locally-grown veggies sourced and processed through the WI Innovation Kitchens are in abundance. Kids are enjoying local cucumbers, green beans, snap peas, radishes, summer squash, and kohlrabi. What’s more, REAP staff and volunteers visit the summer meal sites to ensure that kids know about their food and where it comes from. Kids have the opportunity to share thoughts through this descriptive tasting board, which captures students’ feedback to encourage thoughtfulness and make sure that the items and recipes are approved. We love how this variety of fresh, local foods are served alongside educational conversations and engagement!

Tell us how you bring the farm to your summer meals program! Send us your anecdote and we’ll select model programs to feature in our communications throughout the summer.

Local Food, Local Places initiative applications

"Local food is not only a business opportunity for agriculture, it can also be a development tool that allows communities to maximize the impact of what is grown and made locally. Local food projects can help grow local food economies and drive downtown and neighborhood revitalization..." wrote Tom Vilsack, USDA’s Secretary of Agriculture, in a recent blog.

Local Foods, Local Places is a federal initiative that helps communities integrate local food systems into their economic development plans, including farm to school activities. Communities participating in the program are implementing projects such as: creating year-round, downtown markets featuring foods from local farmers; building centrally located community kitchens or food hubs to aggregate and market local foods; assisting schoolchildren to grow their own food and making healthy local food accessible to families; and developing community gardens in walkable, bike-able, transit-accessible places.

Local Foods, Local Places is preparing for a second year of projects. Applications are due by September 15, 2015.

Learn more at http://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool or contact us at [log in to unmask].

Not yet subscribed to the Farm to School E-letter? Join us by clicking here.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).