About Farm to Preschool

The goals of a Farm to Preschool program vary by provider, but many programs share common goals. While many goals overlap with those of Farm to School, preschoolers' young age allows for an additional focus on habit formation and preference setting. Goals of a Farm to Preschool program may include:

• Educate children about local farming and food systems
• Influence eating habits and food preferences during formative years
• Improve the quality of foods served in the program
• Improve healthy food access, nutrition and prevent obesity and obesity-related diseases
• Support local farmers and the local community
• Increase market opportunities for small farms
• Improve institution-community relationships

For farmers, preschool/childcare providers/educators, and community organizers, Farm to Preschool programs are an opportunity to work together to achieve the goals of many, while providing access to fresh, nutritious, local and delicious produce.

*NEW TOOL* Farm to Early Education Self-Assessment [PDF English] [PDF Spanish] from the National Farm to School Network (NFSN) and the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN) is designed to help ECE providers and those who work with ECE providers assess their current farm to ECE practices and develop goals and action plans to grow farm to ECE at their site. 

Washington State Farm to School Network's Farm to ECE Community of Practice resources is a robust list of great materials collected by various members of the network.

The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families maintains a list of Nutrition & Physical Activity Resources for early learning programs.

Farm to Preschool: Local Food and Learning in Early Child Care and Education Settings by USDA Farm to School
This fact sheet discusses how Farm to School isn't just for K-12 institutions; an increasing number of early child care and education providers are engaging in farm to preschool activities. The term "farm to preschool" encompasses efforts to serve local or regionally produced foods in early child care and education settings; provide hands-on learning activities such as gardening, farm visits, and culinary activities; and integrate food-related education into the curriculum.

Making Health Easier: Healthy Changes Start in Preschool is an inspirational video how one preschool teacher brings healthy changes to her classroom through various techniques, including farm to preschool components.

Getting Started with Farm to Preschool [PDF] by National Farm to School Network offers steps for instituting farm to early care and education practices in early care and education settings (preschools, Head Start, center-based, programs in K-12 school districts, and family child care programs). 

Webinar: Kick off the Summer with Farm to Head Start and Early Care and Education!
Farm to early care and education (ECE) includes the use of local foods in meals and snacks, gardening opportunities, and food, nutrition, and agriculture learning activities to promote health and wellness and enhance the quality of ECE settings. How can a Farm to Head Start/ECE help your program serve fresh, local food? Learn how it works through presentations from national experts and Head Start program examples brought to you by: USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Head Start, and the National Farm to School Network.

Farm to Head Start Case Studies and Video Series from IATP features dynamic Farm to Early Care activities happening in Head Start programs across Minnesota. Not only do these initiatives introduce young children to healthy local foods, they also inform children’s ideas about where food comes from and helps build connections with their communities.

Many Head Start programs are engaging in "Farm to Head Start" activities including purchasing local food for meals and snacks, bringing students to farms and farmers into the classroom, teaching students how to cook or prepare locally grown food, and even tending to your own gardens. National Head Start Association and National Farm to School Network announced "Celebrate Farm to Head Start Day" last October. Check out "Farm to Head Start" activities around the county at NHSA website.

Does your program or center have a wellness policy? Wellness policies strengthen Farm to Preschool efforts. Working with staff, teachers, parents, and other care providers to create a wellness policy helps get everyone on the same page, whether you are just starting out, or have been doing Farm to Preschool activities for several years. If you already have a wellness policy, consider adding language that specifically focuses on local foods, Farm to Preschool, and school gardens. Find resources here for creating a wellness policy of your own. Also check out two great examples from Hawaii and California.

Food Sources (including gardens) in the Washington State Foundational Quality Standards for Early Learning Programs (new in April 2019)

If buying local food for an early learning center, ensure the sources meet the requirements outlined here. More guidance on the full standards can be found with the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

Other resources include:

Farm to Table Program Materials and Recipes [website] is a new resource with downloadable materials to incorporate Farm to Table activities in the classroom or at home, to assist with purchasing seasonal foods, and to promote Farm to Table with families. Farm to Table is a program of the City of Seattle that provides preschool children and families access to fresh food and learning opportunities that celebrate food cultures and invest in the local food economy.

Local Procurement for Child Care Centers [PDF] by National Farm to School Network provides a range of ways and tips to local sourcing for the meal program. Also available in Spanish: Compras Locales Para Los Centros de Cuidado Infantil

Local Procurement for Family Child Care Providers [PDF] by National Farm to School Network offers advice for those looking to purchase local food in a family child care setting. Also available in Spanish: Compras Locales Para Los Proveedores de Cuidado Familiares

Farm to Early Childhood Program: A Step-by-Step Guide [PDF] by Michigan Farm to School

Local Food for Little Eaters: A Migrant & Seasonal Head Start Guide to Local Food Purchasing [PDF] by Abby Harper, Bryan Brown, and Meagan Shedd at Michigan State University. Local food purchasing is one component of farm to early care and education (ECE), which also includes on-site gardens and food, nutrition, and agriculture education. This guide is designed to help Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS) programs increase the amount of local foods they purchase and use in their early care and education (ECE) programs serving children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers. MSHS programs can use these step-by-step instructions and interactive tools to begin purchasing and using more local foods in their programs. The accompanying Farm to Migrant and Seasonal Head Start in Action offers multiple case studies highlighting successful MSHS programs and offering ideas for implementation strategies. Check out these profiles of MSHS programs nationwide who are purchasing and serving local food.

Farm to Early Care and Education Local Food Purchasing Resources: An extensive compilation of local food purchasing resources particularly for resource providers who are working to support ECE providers and increase awareness of and capacity for local food purchasing, including:

• Fact Sheets and Infographics:  Features purchasing practices and tips for getting started.
• Toolkits, Manuals and Guides:  Clarifies procurement requirements and guidance on how programs can increase the amount of local foods purchased and used for ECE programs.
• Training and Webinars: Offers advice on how to choose the right procurement option for centers and information on federal and state procurement regulations.
• Case Studies and Reports: Examines the growing movement to bring healthy food to children, highlighting best practices and examples from other states and nationally. 

Quick Bites: Culinary Training Videos from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Cooking Up Healthy Options with Plants (CHOP) Program. They are targeted for Early Care providers, however the concepts are transferrable to any kitchen!

CACFP Webinars & Trainings by USDA FNS Team Nutrition
Many webinars are archived here for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and focus on CACFP Meal Pattern Requirements, tactics and techniques for trainers and program operators to equip staff with the knowledge and skills needed to provide high-quality meals and snacks in the CACFP. The Trainers' Circle series will assist State agencies, CACFP sponsoring organizations, and independent centers in planning and implementing quality job skills training for CACFP operators.

Gro More Garden Grants - National Head Start Association
Through the Gro More Garden Grants initiative, National Head Start Association and The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation are working with Head Start programs across the country to teach children, families, and communities how to grow their own fresh produce.

Visit the National Farm to Preschool website for many more resources!

Consideration of social justice issues throughout the development process will ensure that your Farm to Preschool program benefits all children without inadvertently contributing to inequity. Providers may wish to reference the Racial Equity Toolkit during the early stages of development. Produced by the Seattle Race and Social Justice Initiative, these guidelines provide a useful outline for any provider looking to ensure equity.