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Happy Farm to Kids Month!
October 6th, 2025Molly Turnquist Butala, MPH, RDN, LD, CMP, CCNP, Nutrition Manager
Every year in October, we celebrate Farm to Kids, formerly known as Farm to School & Early Care. Farm to Kids initiatives connect children with nutritious, locally grown foods and support farmers in their communities. This year’s Farm to Kids Month theme is Harvesting Creativity. Let’s celebrate with creative storytelling, books, and art that bring local foods to life and highlight the role of farmers in our communities.
Credit: Dandelions Child Care
Do you have a local food story or art project to share? We’d love to hear about the creative ways you are celebrating local food in your child care program. You can tag us in your social media posts (@providerschoice), share with your Providers Choice Field Representative, or e-mail us directly with your story and pictures.
One easy way to celebrate Farm to Kids Month is the Minnesota Great Apple Crunch. All you need to do is buy locally grown apples in October and have the children in your care crunch into them together. Register your crunch to be counted and share and tag us (@providerschoice) in your photos of the fun using #GreatAppleCrunch and #MNAppleCrunch. Don’t know where to find local apples? Minnesota Grown has a map for that.
Credit: Northfield Montessori
Credit: Allyson Quintana
Credit: Linsey Brinkman
Don’t forget! Minnesota Farm to Early Care Grant applications are due by 4pm on Thursday, October 23rd.
These grants provide up to $1,000 to family child care providers and up to $35,000 to child care centers to purchase Minnesota-grown and -raised foods for CACFP meals and snacks. Check out the MN Dept. of Agriculture Farm to ECE grant webpage for more information.
These grants provide up to $1,000 to family child care providers and up to $35,000 to child care centers to purchase Minnesota-grown and -raised foods for CACFP meals and snacks. Check out the MN Dept. of Agriculture Farm to ECE grant webpage for more information.
Visit the Minnesota Farm to Kids Month website for more ideas on Harvesting Creativity in October!
Questions? Reach out! We love working with providers and are dedicated to supporting you.