Farm to Early Care Profile: South Shore YMCA

From Gymnastics Centers, Day Camps, Nature Science Centers, and Centers for the Arts, the South Shore YMCA provides programming for physical, mental, and artistic development. Our Communications Assistant, Brittany Chloe Tope-Ojo, spoke with representatives from the Early Learning Center (ELC) & Family Farm in Hanover, and the Nature Center Preschool at the Natural Science Center in Norwell. We heard wonderful insights from: Jessica Hagen, Director of the Nature Center Preschool which serves about 125 students weekly, aged 2.9-6 years old; Mary Spargo, Director of the Hanover ELC which has seven classrooms, serving almost 100 part- and full-time kids from infancy to preschool age; and Kate Smith, the Director of the Family Farm located behind the Hanover ELC, that runs with help from the children at the center and volunteers.

Production & Procurement 

When it comes to food sourcing, the Nature Center Preschool tries to source organic food for both their morning and afternoon snacks (families provide packed lunches). Because this center is closed during the summer, it is difficult to maintain garden beds, but they are hoping to do more of this in the future!

At the Hanover ELC they run a full-day program sourcing fruit, vegetables, and grains in bulk for their morning and afternoon snacks. While they are not yet sourcing organic food, they do plan to incorporate more of their garden produce into mealtimes. Their program does run throughout the summer and a staff member cares for the garden.

Hanover ELC has a unique set up, wherein students have direct access to the Family Farm. They take advantage of warm weather days, spending much of their spring and summer time outside on the farm. They taste vegetables in their own little garden, enjoy nature walks, and learn how different plants grow. They are unable to cook the produce due to a lack of on-site kitchen, however they use the farm as an opportunity for education and to help members of their community. Last year, kids helped sort, wash, and weigh 2,000 pounds of donated produce. 

Education

While both centers are doing great work with food donation and general care, nutrition and agriculture education is where they really shine. Staff at both centers shared stories about sweet memories they have of taking infants and toddlers outside in buggies, letting them taste the veggies growing in the kids’ garden and getting messy eating cherry tomatoes. Kids that have never seen vegetables growing have the opportunity to get excited about gardening and try new things! A foundational goal of the Family Farm is to introduce children to new foods and help them develop a sense of ownership by growing their own food. 

At the Nature Center Preschool there is full immersion in nature: they learn about native and perennial plants as well as cultivated crops, they read books about nature, and Kate comes and teaches planting lessons about the crops that they grow in their small, raised-bed garden. They also have a chicken coop with laying hens, and the children get hands-on experience tending to them and collecting the eggs!

In both of these models, the kids learn a sense of responsibility for the food they grow, their gardens, and the Earth. They remind each other not to hurt worms, that they are helpers in the garden, and not to walk in garden beds because things are growing in them. It’s rewarding for them and they get to explore the gardens, and the new and fresh fruits and vegetables using all of their senses.

Looking Forward

Kate (Hanover ELC Family Farm)’s goal is to be able to use more of the food  they grow at the farm in on-site meals for the children. Currently they are donating their produce to a food pantry, but would like the kids to enjoy what they’ve had a hand in growing! To this end, she is taking an online course through Edible Schoolyard and working to put a cooking facility in place at the farm. She’s also working to get the kids more involved in food preparation in the garden and incorporating more math & science into her lesson plans. 

Mary (Hanover ELC) is hoping to see more staff (beyond Kate) involved in garden-based education and care. 

Kate & Jess (Nature Center Preschool) are planning to host family nights at the Kids’ Garden at the Natural Science center where families can come and see what their children have been growing, harvesting, and eating! 

Advice for others

If you are considering implementing farm to school activities at your center, do it! Not all children have had the opportunity to see where their food comes from and how it grows. The staff at the South Shore Y believe early exposure to food & nutrition education is important and provides a foundation for healthy eating throughout a child’s life. Learning about growing food, getting outside, experiencing animal care is all beneficial to children’s education and development.