On March 24, 2026, Dara Bloom received three awards from NC State's Academy of Outstanding Faculty in Extension and Engagement (AOFEE) and the Office of Outreach & Engagement during the Engaged University Awards celebration at the University Club.
Imagine a plate of vibrant, local fruits and vegetables served to a curious three-year-old. That’s the core of Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE), which connects children aged 0-5 with gardening, cooking, and fresh, local food. Research consistently shows these programs boost meal quality and encourage kids to try new foods—but there’s a [...]
Farm to ECE Institute participants celebrating NC Crunch! The North Carolina Crunch promotes healthy eating and supports farm to school, farm to early care and education (ECE), and other local food initiatives throughout the state. Join us October 22, 2025 or anytime this month by crunching into a locally grown fruit or vegetable! Learn more [...]
For the past ten years, Wake County Partnership for Children (WCPC) has been a dedicated leader in connecting local food and nutrition education through its impactful Farm to Early Care and Education (Farm to ECE) initiative. Since launching the program a decade ago, WCPC has worked tirelessly to build a stronger, healthier foundation for [...]
Earlier this month, representatives from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, along with partners working in early childhood education (ECE), community gardening, and local food systems in Detroit, Michigan, visited North Carolina to learn more about successful Farm to ECE initiatives that integrate local food purchasing. Organized by Shironda Brown and Dr. Dara Bloom of the [...]
Following the success of the inaugural Farm to ECE Institute and thanks to the continued support of PNC Bank, the NC Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE) Initiative will host its second Farm to ECE Institute for Farm to ECE administrators and teachers, technical assistance providers, farmers and Extension agents. The Institute will take place Oct. 21, 2023, at the Rocky Mount Event Center.
Thanks to a generous charitable contribution from PNC Bank, the NC Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE) Initiative will host its first Farm to ECE “2.0” Institute for past Farm to ECE Collaborative participants, farmers and Extension agents. This Institute will take place Sept. 10, 2022, at the NC County Extension office in Guilford County.
Read the North Carolina Digital Story on Every Child Thrives, "Building Community-Based, Equitable Food Systems in North Carolina Through Farm to Early Care and Education," about the work, successes and innovation of the Farm to Early Care and Education (Farm to ECE) initiative. This CEFS initiative works to link early care and education centers to local farmers [...]
We know that caregivers want to offer more fresh vegetables and fruits when it is feasible. We also know how challenging it can be to calculate how many pounds of vegetables or fruits to purchase for children in day care settings. It can also be difficult to know how much to serve participants of different age groups.
In collaboration with the Children’s Environmental Health Branch in the Division of Public Health, NC Department of Health and Human Services, the NC Farm to Preschool Network has released “Serving Local Foods in North Carolina Child Care Centers – Guidance on Food Preparation and Gardening.”
