Page 15 - Feast_Vol3

PINT SIZE PRODUCE

Farm to Early Care & Education: raising healthy, local food lovers

By Grace Brogan
Photos by Anita Schuckert & Ihsan Yaseen
Illustration by Olivia Olson Joannides

Under the management of Angela Pfaff, The Kids at Play Center in Stoddard, Wisc., has created raised beds, which the children use to grow vegetables.
Through the Farm to ECE program, they’ve also taught their young students about composting, soil health and land stewardship.

kitchen skills and see how meal planning can be easier, quicker, organizations have developed tools, systems and even small
and more affordable. grants to help early care providers adopt engaging and
Ihsan Yaseen has become a champion of Farm to ECE, too, enriching food and farming activities.
adopting what she can at AlRazi Academy in West Des Moines, a The Parenting Place—a childcare resource organization
childcare center for over 70 children. AlRazi’s program originally with offices in LaCrosse, Sparta and Tomah—works with over
included children bringing their own meals from home, but the 20 early care sites on Farm to ECE. They help these sites with
more Ihsan learned about Farm to ECE, the more she felt it their gardens and access to fresh food from local farms. Amanda
was a great fit. “Most of our families are low income,” she says. Bee, Farm to ECE Coordinator at The Parenting Place shares,
“We noticed many of the kiddos didn’t have the background or “The earlier we can get a variety of fruits and vegetables into the
education to learn about healthy choices.” hands of kids, the better their chances are of growing up with a
As Ihsan has seen the children respond to the activities, she’s healthier eating pattern.”
become more and more passionate about preparing fresh meals In Madison, Rooted works to feed families in need and
for them with food from the garden and local farmers. She’s now provide agricultural experiences including summer camps, field
in the middle of a kitchen upgrade and has a wealth of ideas trips and Farm to ECE activities. They have a plethora of free
about family and community engagement for when it’s complete. Farm to ECE resources on their website, including how to buy,
Because her staff also lacked this experience, everyone prepare and serve local foods, hands-on learning activities, and
has been learning together. “We want to teach the children tips for gardening with young children.
about their environment and where food comes from,” she The work of these resource organizations is helping grow
says. “We want to introduce gardening and local food to Farm to ECE across the state, benefiting both families and
families and the kids.” communities. As more and more childcare sites adopt these
practices, systems are being put in place to monitor program
Digging into Wisconsin performance: are standards and goals being met? And if not,
what assistance is needed? These measures create accountability
so providers can tailor and grow their programs to their
In Wisconsin, a network of partners across the state is community’s needs.
working to reach as many young eaters as possible. With
funding in part from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, these PINT-SIZE PRODUCE continued on page 16
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