…) with our Groundhog in the Garden Coloring Sheet (illustrated by Asheville-based artist Kathleen Littlefield). Groundhog Facts: Groundhogs go by many names, including woodchuck and whistlepig. They belong to the family of large ground squirrels known as marmots. Their range includes the eastern US, Canada, and into Alaska. Groundhogs are one of the few species that enter true hibernation in the winter. Groundhogs dig burrows underground wher…
…n the opportunity to grow their own vegetables, learn about farms in their community and have first-hand experience preparing fresh local food. The more connections and positive experiences children have with fresh healthy food, the more likely they are to eat it. This is the philosophy (and the experience) of ASAP’s Growing Minds program. School gardens, farm field trips, and cooking with young children are three of the strategies we enlist to bu…
…, and vegetable seeds can be purchased online from our friends at Asheville-based Sow True Seed, or order heirloom seeds from the farmers at Long Family Farms & Gallery in Murphy, NC. Listen to an episode of ASAP’s Growing Local to learn more about Saving Seeds and Sustaining Cherokee Traditions at Long Family Farm. Each spring and fall, Growing Minds also offers a limited selection of free seeds for school gardens located in our 60-county Appalac…
…rm to Preschool: Aligning Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale (ECERS-R) and Infant/Toddler Rating Scale (ITERS-R) with Farm to Preschool. The toolkit in English and Spanish can be downloaded for free here. “I Tried Local…” A Toolkit for Engaging Kids with Local Food and Farms is designed for use in ECE through second grade classrooms. The curriculum is divided into 10 units based on foods grown in North Carolina: blueberries, broccoli, carr…
…arm Tour. This year, 31 farms are participating in counties across WNC: Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, McDowell, and Yancey. The tour runs 1-6 pm Saturday and Sunday, and one pass admits an entire carload of family and friends into all farms both days. Farms will serve up samples of their farm-fresh products, talk about what it takes to grow food and raise livestock, open their barns and pastures so that children can interact with their an…
…on farm life and includes illustrations of farm animals and landscapes. Recommended for ages 4-8. Watch a read aloud on Youtube. Snowy Valentine By David Peterson Step out into a snowy Valentine’s Day with Jasper the bunny as he searches the forest valley for a special gift for his loved one. Will he find inspiration from other residents of the forest? Recommended for ages 4-8. Watch a read aloud on Youtube. Find more books Visit the Growing M…
…d children’s books? Visit the Growing Minds’ farm to school literature database to browse our recommendations. Type “butterflies” or “insects” into the search bar to find books that align with this week’s theme. Type “diversity” into the search bar to find books that feature characters from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, many of which are written by authors of color. Local Food Recipe: Summer squashes (like zucchini) are Growing Mind…
…special menu to support the Growing Minds program. Reservations can be made at posanarestaurant.com or by calling 828-505-3969….
…Reddit! Reddit! Reddit! Books: The Wide-Mouthed Frog Today’s first book recommendation is The Wide-Mouthed Frog by Keith Faulkner. In this story, a curious frog who loves to eat flies investigates the eating habits of other creatures in the swamp–until he comes upon a big green one with lots of teeth who finds wide-mouthed frogs simply delicious. Watch a librarian-led read aloud of this pop-up book on YouTube. It’s Mine! Our next book is It’s…
…A great singalong, complete with a CD or access audio singalong and video animation online at barefootbooks.com/drivetractor. Learn about farming through the seasons. Sung by SteveSongs….