Plant, Grow, Share: Registration open for a free Farm to ECE Workshop Series
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EmailEarly care and education (ECE) providers are encouraged to register for this free, virtual workshop series held by the Michigan Farm to ECE Network on August 11-14.
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The Michigan Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE) Network is hosting a free, virtual workshop series for Michigan ECE providers this August. Plant, Grow, Share: A Farm to ECE Workshop Series will be held online August 11–14. Over the course of four engaging sessions, providers will learn and share practical ways to introduce children to gardening, nutrition, and local food systems.
Farm to ECE is one approach to addressing health and education inequities by increasing access to healthy, local foods and high-quality education opportunities for children and communities. Many Michigan childcare providers are already using Farm to ECE practices in their classrooms. This workshop series will uplift, amplify, and build upon their work, and will provide learning opportunities for providers at any Farm to ECE implementation stage. Plant, Grow, Share: A Farm to ECE Workshop Series will offer learning sessions on all three core elements of Farm to ECE: local food sourcing, gardens and food, and nutrition and agriculture.
Workshop schedule and topics include:
Day 1: August 11 – TASTE & TEACH:
Nutrition & Agricultural Education
Incorporate agriculture into curriculum with taste tests, farm books, sensory play, and more.
Day 2: August 12 – DIG, PLANT, GROW:
Gardening with Kids
Learn how to create hands-on garden experiences that inspire curiosity and connection to nature.
Day 3: August 13 – FRESH FINDS FOR LITTLE MINDS:
Local Food Procurement
Discover how to source and serve local foods in a childcare setting—easily and affordably.
Day 4: August 14 – CULTIVATE, COACH & CELEBRATE:
Coaching, Stipends & Mini-Grants
Explore peer coaching opportunities, how to use your stipend, and apply for mini grants to support your farm to ECE goals.
Each session takes place from 10am-12pm ET. All workshop sessions are free, but registration is required. Registration is available here.
Planning for this series is led by the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan, with support from Michigan Farm to ECE Network collaborators at Michigan State University Extension, Michigan Department of Education, Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities, and MSU Center for Regional Food Systems.
Workshop attendees can receive a $100 stipend for participation in at least three of the four sessions, and with attendance, will be eligible to apply for Farm to ECE mini grants. Opportunities to receive mentorship, and information on how to sign up for a paid Farm to ECE peer coaching position, will be the focus of the final workshop on August 14. Credits through MiRegistry will also be available to attendees.
For more information on the workshop series, reach out to Brooke Bianchini at bbianchini@nkfm.org or use the Michigan Farm to ECE Network inquiry form linked here.
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.
- Learn more at mifarmtoecenetwork.org
