Farm to Child
Farm to Child enriches the connection communities have with fresh, healthy food by changing food purchasing and education practices in early care and education settings. The three core elements of Farm to Child are:
Local Food Purchasing
Local foods are purchased, promoted, and served.
Gardening
Children engage in hands-on learning through local gardens.
Education
Children and staff participate in education activities related to agriculture, food, health, and nutrition.
Farm to Child Success Stories
We're proud of our work in communities throughout Colorado and invite you to watch these 30-second previews of our Farm to Child Success Stories (available in English and Spanish with subtitles). Want to learn more? Visit the Farm to Child YouTube Channel to access the full videos.
Farm to Child YouTube Channel
Visit the Farm to Child YouTube Channel for all the latest videos.
Resources
Local food purchasing
Purchasing local foods not only supports the community and local economy, but provides centers and homes with fresh, nutritious, and seasonally produced foods. Farm to Child empowers children and their families to make informed food choices while strengthening the local economy and contributing to vibrant communities.
Farm to Child research is beginning to show positive results for children and their families. Meals in centers that focus on serving local food are more nutritious than non-local meal service, especially in fruits and vegetables.
A CSA share is an investment in a local farm at the beginning of the growing season. This investment ensures that our local farmers have funding to begin the season with full fields. As a shareholder, you will receive up to 13 weeks of produce. Each week's shares will consist of the produce that is ready for harvest during that season. Children in care will have the opportunity to try seasonal local produce.
Find a CSA in Colorado:
- FarmShare. (website)
- Colorado Department of Agriculture. (website)
- 2023 Colorado Farm Fresh Directory. (PDF)
- Colorado Produce Calendar. (PDF)
- CSA guide. (Google doc)
- FarmShare. (FarmShare website)
- Colorado Department of Agriculture. (website)
- Colorado Proud. (Colorado Department of Agriculture website)
- Recipe ideas with Colorado produce. (Google sheet)
- Choosing the right local food path. (PDF)
- Local food purchasing guide from the NC State Extension Office.
- Local procurement guide. (USDA website)
- Receipt templates. (Google drive folder)
- Colorado Local Food Program Guidebook. (Local Food Program website)
Gardening
The benefits of green spaces in early childhood care centers are endless. Gardens create positive learning environments, increase children's willingness to try new fruits and vegetables, and serves as a valuable tool for engaging students in a number of academic subjects. Gardens empower everyone, even little ones, to contribute to the process of growing food from seed to harvest.
Did you know that CACFP funds can be used to purchase items to grow a garden? Contact your Nutrition Consultant or see USDA CACFP Procedure Memo 11-2015 for more information.
CHOP was a three-year program for child care providers, funded by a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Team Nutrition Training grant. CHOP’s goal was to get kids in care eating more seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables and/or on-site garden produce. The CHOP grant ended in September 2018, but the resources are still informative, fun, and full of great ideas.
CHOP on Colorado Public Radio: To Keep Kids from Dodging Veggies Colorado Wants to Hook 'em Young.
For providers
Archived CHOP Newsletters are available upon request. Please email requests for access to emily.bash@state.co.us.
2019 Archived Newsletters
- October: Let's talk about Squash and Snow!
- September CHOP Newsletter
- August: CHOP Newsletter
- July: CHOP & LiveWell Colorado Present: Quickbite Videos
- July: CHOP Newsletter, Quick Bite Video Release!
- June: CHOP Newsletter 2019
- May: CHOP Newsletter
- April: CHOP Newsletter
- March: CHOP Newsletter
For parents
Archived CHOP Newsletters are available upon request. Please email requests for access to emily.bash@state.co.us.
2018 Archived Newsletters
- September is the last month of the Grant! Let's wrap it up with some fun family time.
- August: Let's learn about Peaches and Tomatoes!
- July: CHOP Family Newsletter
- June: CHOP Grant Family Newsletter, June is all about Carrots!
- May: CHOP Family Newsletter
- April: Welcome to the CHOP Parent Newsletter
Assessing the Safety of your Garden After a Fire.
Planning your garden with Master Gardener Julie Pfankuch.
Serving vegetables on the CACFP.
Webinar on serving vegetables on the CACFP.
Funding opportunities for gardens.
Colorado State University - Colorado Master Gardeners.
Starting a Sustainable Garden for Child Care Centers and Homes.
Colorado Farm to Child Collaborative
Colorado's Farm to Child initiative envisions a state where fresh produce and other nutritious foods from local farms are an essential component of strong and just local and regional food systems.
New member orientation
Learn about the Farm to Child Collaborative and how to get involved in this recorded New Member Orientation video.
Developed in 2021, the Colorado Farm to Child Roadmap included over 150 listening sessions around the state with diverse groups and audiences. This living document contains five strategic initiatives to advance Farm to Child in Colorado.
The Farm to Child Collaborative convened twice in September 2023. These convenings included both in-person and virtual feedback platforms to provide updates to the Farm to Child Roadmap. These recommendations and proposed activities can be found in the Roadmap 2.0.
Join the Farm to Child Collaborative to gain insight and share your ECE experiences with a growing group of individuals working to enhance Farm to Child efforts in Colorado.
The state contact list contains information for individuals who can assist in varying areas of Farm to Child. From your local health inspector to CSU Master Gardeners or a Family Friend and Neighbor Support Organization near you, this list is your first stop in getting your Farm to Child program questions answered.
Education
Not only is Farm to Child a wonderful way for children to learn about the environment and how food grows, but it also teaches self-reliance, the importance of community, and hands-on STEM concepts. Learning about growth and renewal builds optimism and positivity.
Farm to Child has shown a positive impact in the following areas:
- Child engagement and development.
- Academic achievement.
- Family, educator, and staff engagement.
- Colorado Farm to Child Guide.
- Farm to Child self-assessment English.
- Farm to Child self-assessment Spanish.
- CACFP training calendar.
- CACFP training newsletter archive.
- Grow it, try it, Like it!
- Harvest for Healthy Kids.
- Seeds to Success.
- Pint-Size Produce.
- National Farm to School Network.
- Growing Minds.
- 2023 Farm to Child Month newsletters:
- 2022 Farm to Child Month newsletters:
- 2021 Farm to Child Month newsletters.
Quick Bite Videos, English and Spanish. (Google Drive folder)
- Knife Skills Training, English. (mp4)
- Knife Skills Training, Spanish. 9mp4)
Course materials
- The cost of disposables, English. (PDF)
- The cost of disposables, Spanish. (PDF)
- How to properly use disposable gloves, English. (PDF)
- How to properly use disposable gloves, Spanish. (PDF)
- How to properly wash your hands poster, English. (PDF)
- How to properly wash your hands poster, Spanish. (PDF)
- How to properly temp food, English. (PDF)
- How to properly temp food, Spanish. (PDF)
- Temperature mini-poster, English. (PDF)
- Temperature mini-poster, Spanish. (PDF)
- Good receiving practices, English. (PDF)
- Good receiving practices, Spanish. (PDF)
- Proper refrigeration storage, English. (PDF)
- Proper refrigeration storage, Spanish. (PDF)
- Internal cooking temperatures, English. (PDF)
- Internal cooking temperatures, Spanish. (PDF)
- Contaminants, English. (PDF)
- Contaminants, Spanish.(PDF)
- Mise en place, English. (PDF)
- Mise en place, Spanish. (PDF)
- Recipe conversion tips, English. (PDF)
- Recipe conversion tips, Spanish. (PDF)
- Recipe reading handout, English. (PDF)
- Recipe reading handout, Spanish. (PDF)
- Blank whiteboard, English. (PDF)
- Blank whiteboard, Spanish. (PDF)
- Time management, English. (PDF)
- Time management, Spanish. (PDF)
20 on Tuesdays
These short 20-minute educational opportunities will increase knowledge on Farm to Child components and help ECE professionals understand the tools, resources, and skills needed to start a Farm to Child program at their site.
Colorado Data
In the spring of 2023, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment released the Statewide Farm to Child survey. This survey examined the participation of different types of child care sites in Colorado, as well as the perceived benefits and challenges associated with the core activities of gardening, local food purchasing, and nutrition and agriculture education.
- Infographic
View the 2023 Colorado Farm to Child Statewide Survey infographic for a quick look at key takeaways from the survey results.
- Data Landscape Webinar
These slides presented at a webinar examine the 2023 survey results, includes key takeaway information, and discusses how organizations and child care centers can apply this data to future work.
- Participation Maps, 2018 and 2023
Each map showcases participation in Farm to Child core components of gardening, local food purchasing, and nutrition and agriculture education. These maps do not show all child care sites in Colorado; rather, they showcase those who participated in the survey in 2018 and 2023, where they were located, and what components were implemented.
- Using Farm to Child Data in Grant Writing
This grant writing resource provides guidelines for including the 2023 data in grant applications, based on the type of site you operate and whether you participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). This resource connects the 2023 data to other data resources that help to highlight the need and impact of Farm to Child in your community.
Grant Resources
Grants are an important and crucial part of funding the Farm to Child program in Colorado. Writing a grant application takes time, skill, and knowledge of individual grant requirements. The resources on the right work to increase access to funding opportunities, improve grant writing skills, and provide resources on how to apply data to showcase the need for your program.
- Grant Writing Resource
This resource showcases numerous partners' and organizations’ resources, webinars, and tools to assist you on your grant writing journey.
- Grant Opportunities
There are many ways to creatively fund food systems projects that support Farm to Child. Visit the Funding and Resource List often as new and exciting opportunities are added throughout the year.
- Using Farm to Child Data in Grant Writing
This grant writing resource provides guidelines for including the 2023 data in grant applications, based on the type of site you operate and whether you participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). This resource connects the 2023 data to other data resources that help to highlight the need and impact of Farm to Child in your community.