Center for Regional Food Systems

The 2016-2017 Farm to ECE Mini-Webinar Series is a series of 12 webinars covering various topics in Farm to ECE.

This series is designed for early childhood program staff including food service directors, cook staff, administration, teachers, and family day care home providers, and can also be beneficial for those seeking to support farm to ECE efforts. 

This webinar series is hosted by Abby Harper, Farm to School Specialist, MSU Center for Regional Food Systems

Select a webinar from the list below or scroll down to view them all.

• Introduction to Farm to ECE
• Strategies for Introducing New Foods
• Introduction to Local Food Procurement
• Local Food Purchasing pt 1: Purchasing from Farmers
• Local Food Purchasing pt 2: Purchasing from Food Hub
• Local Food Purchasing pt 3: Purchasing from a Broadline Distributor
• Early Childhood Gardens for Experiential Learning
• Seasonal Menu Planning
• Taste Tests with Local Foods
• Creating Culturally Relevant Farm to ECE Programs
• Farm to ECE Lesson Plans
• Engaging Families in Farm to ECE Programs

Introduction to Farm to Early Care and Education

November 28, 2016
This is the first in a 12-part series on Farm to Early Care and Education, which centers around efforts to purchase and utilize local food in early childhood programs. This webinar is an overview of Farm to Early Care and Education program components as well as the benefits to incorporating local foods.

Farm to ECE Webinar Series: Introduction to Farm to Early Care and Education Webinar Slides 

Strategies for Introducing New Foods

November 30, 2016
The second webinar in the series is presented by Julie Alpers. Julie is the chef at Leelanau Children’s Center, which has been a MI Farm to School Grant Program grantee since 2013. Leelanau Children’s Center purchases much of their food from local farms, and this webinar highlights successful strategies they’ve used to introduce children to new local foods.

Farm to ECE Webinar Series: Strategies for Introducing New Foods

Introduction to Local Food Procurement

December 14, 2016
The third webinar in the series focuses on why local procurement is a central component of Farm to ECE. This webinar covers a brief overview of local purchasing options. There is a brief overview of rules and regulations that pertain to local purchasing in early childhood programs. 
Presented by Abby Harper and Melissa Lonsberry, Child and Adult Care Food Program Consultant at the Michigan Department of Education

Farm to ECE Webinar Series: Introduction to Local Food Procurement

Local Food Purchasing pt 1: Purchasing from Farmers

January 11, 2017
The fourth in the Farm to ECE Mini Webinar Series covers the basics of purchasing directly from a farmer for early childhood program. It also covers the process of working with farmers including how to find farmers and strategies for successful relationships. 

Farm to ECE Webinar Series, Local Food Purchasing pt 1: Purchasing from Farmers

Local Food Purchasing pt 2: Purchasing from Food Hub

February 1, 2017
The fifth webinar in the series covers the basics of working with a food hub, which is a business or organization that aggregates and distributes local food. This webinar includes how to find a food hub and the benefits for early childhood programs of sourcing local through a food hub. 

Farm to ECE Webinar Series, Local Food Purchasing pt 2: Purchasing from Food Hub

Local Food Purchasing pt 3: Purchasing from a Broadline Distributor

February 23, 2017
The sixth webinar in the series covers the how-tos of local food purchasing from your broadline distributor in early childhood programs and provide tools for programs to easily increase the amount of food they purchase locally.

Farm to ECE Webinar Series, Local Food Purchasing pt 3: Purchasing from a Broadline Distributor

Early Childhood Gardens for Experiential Learning

March 10, 2017
The seventh webinar in the series covers how Gardens can be a great way to connect children to local food in farm to ECE programs. Kristen Salem from Adventures Learning Center shares her strategies for building gardens into early childhood education and how it's helped support their local food purchasing efforts.
Presented by Kristen Salem, Regional Director of Adventures Learning Center
 

Farm to Early Care and Education Webinar Series: Early Childhood Gardens for Experiential Learning

Seasonal Menu Planning

March 29, 2017
The eighth webinar in the series covers how adapting menus to locally available products is an important part of farm to ECE. In this webinar, Becky Kwasteniet, chef at Baxter Children's Center, shares approaches to developing menus seasonally according to Michigan production.

Farm to Early Care and Education Webinar Series: Seasonal Menu Planning

Taste Tests with Local Foods

April 19, 2017
The ninth webinar in the series covers how purchasing more local foods can bring in foods that are new or unusual to children in early childhood programs. This webinar highlights an approach to taste tests that has helped increase children's willingness to try new foods in one program. 

Farm to Early Care and Education Webinar Series: Taste Tests with Local Foods

Creating Culturally Relevant Farm to ECE Programs

May 10, 2017
The tenth webinar in the series explores how food and culture are linked, and farm to ECE programs can be tools in celebrating cultural diversity. Learn about how Farm to ECE efforts support culturally relevant programs. 
Presented by Abby Harper and Kaitlin Wojciak, Community Food Systems Educator at MSU Extension

 
Farm to Early Care and Education Webinar Series: Creating Culturally Relevant Farm to ECE Programs

Farm to ECE Lesson Plans

May 31, 2017
The eleventh segment in the Farm to ECE webinar series covers opportunities to bring local food into early childhood education. Early childhood provides a natural platform to integrate local food purchasing and classroom education. 

Farm to Early Care and Education Webinar Series: Farm to ECE Lesson Plans 
 

Engaging Families in Farm to ECE Programs

June 14, 2017
The twelfth and final segment in the Farm to ECE Webinar Series focuses on engaging parents in early childhood learning and why it is an important component of programming. Farm to ECE can provide opportunities for deep engagement that supports children and families.
Presented by Angela Lugo-Thomas, Garden Development Specialist at Keep Growing Detroit

Farm to Early Care and Education Webinar Series: Engaging Families in Farm to ECE Programs