Michigan Farm to ECE Network 2024 Grow More Award Nomination
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EmailIt's time to nominate champions in farm to early care and education for the Michigan Grow More Award! The Grow More Award is intended to acknowledge early care and education providers and farmers and food producers doing extraordinary work in farm to ECE.
Do you know a Farm to ECE Champion? Nominate them for the Michigan Grow More Award! The Grow More Award is intended to acknowledge early care and education providers and farmers and food producers doing extraordinary work in farm to early care and education (farm to ECE).
Farm to ECE in Michigan includes local food sourcing, nutrition education, and gardening for children ages 0-5 in early care and education settings. Children, families, early care and education providers, and farmers all benefit from farm to ECE.
Nominations are due by Friday, September 1, 2024.
Nominate a Farm to ECE Champion
Awardees will be announced at the October Michigan Farm to ECE Virtual Network Meeting.
The Categories
For Early Care and Education (ECE) Providers
Early care and education providers engaged in farm to ECE efforts include child care centers, family care homes, Head Start and Early Head Start, tribal child care programs, and preschools based in K-12 schools. Nominations (either self-nominations or from others) can include one or all of the following areas:
- Procurement: purchasing or obtaining food grown or produced locally
- Gardening: planting, growing, and harvesting of fruits, vegetables, and edible plants
- Nutrition and Agricultural Education Activities: educational opportunities related to food, nutrition, and agriculture that help children learn about how food grows and where it comes from
For Farmers and Food Producers
A farmer and/or food producer is anyone who is growing or providing one or more varieties of Michigan crops/products to an early care and education (ECE) site (e.g., farmer with CSA, local chef donating extra produce from garden).
About the Michigan Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE) Network
The Michigan Farm to ECE Network collaborates so children ages birth to 5 can grow, choose, and eat nutritious local food in early care and education settings.
Farm to ECE in Michigan includes local food sourcing, nutrition education, and gardening. Children, families, ECE providers, and farmers all benefit from farm to ECE.
The Michigan Farm to ECE Network exists to:
- improve access to nutrient dense food,
- increase nutritional awareness and health outcomes, and
- support ECE providers as they work to improve children’s learning environments.
