Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE)
Growing with MO Harvest of the Season is a Missouri Farm to ECE program offering resources and training for all types of early care and education settings. The goal is to educate children and the adults in their lives about local foods, especially fresh fruits and vegetables. The program highlights the seasonal availability of Missouri fruits and vegetables.
The Growing with MO (GWM) Toolkit highlights the following Farm to ECE strategies:
- Integrating Farm to ECE in the Classroom
- Field trips
- Gardening with young children
- Taste-tests
Missouri Crunch Participants enjoy local apples, popcorn and watermelon!
How will you Crunch in 2024?
Spotlight
Missouri Speciality Crop Reimbursement
The Missouri Grown program is providing up to $1,000 reimbursement to Missouri schools and licensed and license-exempt early care and education (ECE) providers to cover the purchase of consumable specialty crops from a Missouri farmer between April 1, 2022, and September 28, 2024.
Visit the Missouri Department of Agriculture, Promoting Specialty Crops in Missouri Schools and Early Care and Education (ECE) Programs web page for all the details.
Listen to Lexi Jose from MDA describe the reimbursement program in this Specialty Crop Webinar.
