Michigan Farm to ECE Network

Farm to early care and education (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.

The Michigan Grow More Award is intended to acknowledge early care and education providers and farmers and food producers doing extraordinary work in farm to ECE.

Awardees will receive notification of their efforts as part of October’s Farm to School Month celebrations. Nominate a farm to ECE champion by Friday, September 9.

Submit your nomination

For Early Care and Education 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, with activities taking place in an ECE setting with children birth through age 5:

• 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 local/Michigan crops/products for an early care and education (ECE) site (e.g., farmer with CSA, local chef donating extra produce from garden) and/or working with ECE providers to offer education opportunities on their farms or via virtual field trips.

Nominate a Farm to ECE Champion

To nominate an early care and education provider or a farmer/food producer for a Grow More Award, complete the nomination form. You can preview the nomination form below.

Submit your nomination

About the Michigan Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE) Network

The Michigan Farm to Early Care and Education (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 healthy food,
• increase nutritional awareness and health outcomes, and
• support ECE providers as they work to improve children’s learning environments.

Michigan Grow More Award Nomination Form Preview

Your name and email:

I am nominating:

• Farmer and/or Food Producer
• Early Care and Education Provider

Information about either type of nominee:

• Name of nominee
• Name of farm or ECE site
• Physical address (street, city, zip)
• Email address
• Phone number

For farmers/food producers:  

Please explain how the farmer/food producer is a champion for farm to ECE in Michigan. [text box]

• how they improve access to healthy, affordable, locally produced food;
• how they increase nutritional awareness and health outcomes; and/or
• how they support ECE providers as they work to improve children's learning environments.

For early care and education providers: 

In which of the following areas is the provider a champion for farm to ECE in Michigan (check all that apply): 

• Procurement 
• Gardening 
• Nutrition and agriculture education activities 

Please share how the nominated ECE provider improves access to healthy, affordable, locally produced food; increases nutritional awareness and health outcomes; and/or how they support young children as they work to improve children’s learning environments, including innovative solutions for diverse ECE environments. If the ECE provider is participating in 10 Cents a Meal for Michigan Kids & Farms and/or leveraging CACFP funds for purchasing local foods please share more about how this is being done as part of your nomination. [text box]