By Caroline Croland
Farm field trips. Taste tastes. School gardens.
If your child has experienced in-depth farm to school experiences in Georgia, there is a good chance that they have Erin Croom to thank. Croom has spent her career studying, advocating for, and implanting farm to school programs.
Courtesy of Small Bites Adventure Club. Photo credit: Kate Blohm.
“The day Erin Croom walked into the Georgia Organics office in the fall of 2006 was the day farm to school launched in Georgia,” says Alice Rolls, President and CEO of Georgia Organics. “She brought her Vermont farm to school experiences down South, and even though initially we didn't have money to pay her, her entrepreneurial spirit attracted allies and supporters in no time. Since then, literally millions of children have been positively touched by Erin's leadership and dedication to healthy foods, farms and families.”
Croom was the Farm to School Director at Georgia Organics from 2008-2016 and has since founded Small Bites Adventure Club, a monthly subscription Taste Test Box for educators that help children discover their love for fruits and vegetables by giving them an opportunity to actively participate in the preparation of meals.
Her work at Georgia Organics laid the ground work for our nationally recognized Farm to School and Farm to ECE programs.
Courtesy of Small Bites Adventure Club. Photo credit: Kate Blohm.
“I'm so proud of the work being done. The science supports it. And every dollar invested in young children around health and academics is paid back. I love seeing how Georgia has come out as a leader and how other States have used what we've created. I love getting calls from Hawaii and Alabama and North Carolina; other States that call and ask, ‘How did you do this, and can we replicate it?’ Croom says.
I sat down with Erin over zoom to talk about her Farm to School journey.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, and what drew you into your work in nutrition education/Farm to School?
Absolutely! I'm a huge Farm to School fan and co-founder of Small Bites Adventure Club. I was born and raised in Mississippi. After graduating from college, I began an apprenticeship on one of the first organic farms in Alabama and immediately fell in love. I loved the hard work, I loved just the magic of growing good food, but more importantly, I really loved the community that the farm created through the volunteers that came out and the CSAs we delivered to families.
One of my responsibilities was to organize school field trips as a value-added program for the farm. I loved observing children on the farm discovering that food comes from plants and the magic of that interaction between kids, food, and agriculture. I knew that there was something powerful there and that I wanted to dedicate my life to this work.
I attended the University of Vermont to pursue a master's degree where I could focus my research on Farm to School programs. (I froze my toes off.) At the time, Vermont had one of the very first formal programs in the country, and I had the opportunity to evaluate the program and observe their leaders.
So when I moved to Georgia, my very first meeting was with Alice Rolls! (This was when the GO office was based out of a tiny office in the YMCA) I brought every research paper and book I had on the subject and told her I’d love to start a program in Georgia. After a couple of years of volunteering and grant writing, we finally got the program off the ground!
You were the Farm to School Director at Georgia Organics from 2008 to 2016, can you talk about that experience? How did Farm to School education across Georgia grow or shift during that time?
I love how farm to school went from being fringe to a more mainstream movement in the last decade.
I absolutely loved working as the Farm to School Director. It was such a big part of my life, and I will always think of Georgia Organics and the entire Farm to School community as my extended family.
When we began this work, many people thought Farm to School would never work, and could only be successful in places like Vermont and California. But that never deterred me-- I just knew if people understood it, they would get behind it. And they did!
We started really small with a pilot program in two schools. The teachers and parents were very generous with their time, and I know we made a lot of mistakes. But we did a lot of things right, too. We definitely moved from a place of creating programming and just seeing what sticks, to listening to teachers and school nutrition staff to understand their needs and ideas.
The National Farm to School Network used to track all the states with farm to school programs. In the beginning, it was just a handful of states. Today, farm to school is present in all 50 states, tribal territories, and DC. I talk to the leaders in Hawaii, Washington, Alabama frequently for advice and resource sharing. It’s a big family.
Check out our 2020 digital celebration of Golden Radish below!
What was the impact of Farm to School programs on districts that you worked with?
The early days of farm to school coincided with a lot of negative press about school meals. However, we would visit schools, eat lunch and see a very different picture-- salads, local apples, and kale chips. One of the greatest impacts was being able to lend a hand in showcasing their best practices and helping to change the narrative that school districts can and do serve fresh local food, but also that kids really love it.
Harvest of the Month programs were popping up, and school communities really rallied around that. I remember one principal in DeKalb dressed up as broccoli just to get the kids to eat it and it worked!
I believe one of the biggest accomplishments is that farm to school became institutionalized and part of the way schools operate. But we still have so much more to do!
What inspired you to create Small Bites Adventure Club?
Small Bites Adventure Club is a social impact venture and our mission is to help children discover, love and eat their fruits and vegetables. Our product, Taste Test Box, is a turn-key nutrition education tool that we ship to schools, clubs, and preschools.
The CDC reports that 9 out of 10 children don’t eat enough vegetables. We know that poor diet can lead to poor health in later life -- many times causing preventable disease like hypertension, Type II diabetes, and some cancers. So laying the foundation for healthy eating while kids are young is critical.
Courtesy of Small Bites Adventure Club. Photo credit: Kate Blohm.
We created Taste Test Box because teachers were always asking for resources to help them teach students about fruits and vegetables. But, there was nothing on the market that we could just send teachers. Our kits include all the fresh, pre-measured local ingredients to create and taste a simple delicious recipe. Recipes include Summer Salsa Fresca, Power Smoothies, Sweet Potato with Honey Mustard Dip. During Covid-19, our kits are simpler - like Apple Adventure or Turnip the Challenge.
We also are very intentional with our purchases, and at least 50% of the food we purchase is from women and black and brown farmers. It’s important that the children we serve see themselves in the materials we provide, and that we are actively celebrating diversity.
Small Bites Adventure Club is not singularly focused on nutrition, but also on the simple joys and discovery of fruits and vegetables. And we feel like, what's better than the best food on earth- grown with love right here in Georgia!
The premise of farm to school education is that food can be a powerful tool for learning that can also inspire a lifetime of healthy eating habits. Any advice for parents or caregivers on how to get their children engaged around meal prep, taste testing, and healthy eating?
Take kids shopping! Take them to the farm! Let them plant a seed and watch it grow. When I take my kids shopping (even online now), I ask them to find something green, a root, something with leaves. Don’t worry if they don’t eat all of it- exposure is the most important part when they are young. And be a good example. Show them you love to eat your veggies, or at least try them! And whatever you do, don’t force a kid to eat anything. You will never win.
Honestly, my most important teachers are Chef Asata Reid and Jenna Mobley- so my advice is to follow them on Instagram! Or subscribe to our Small Bites boxes. We’ll have home kits available soon and they will be all sorts of fun.
On some level, we all realize that food is more than nutrients and calories. Food is about sharing love and carrying on traditions. One of the activities that we do a lot in our workshops has people close their eyes and think about their favorite food memory. For me, I remember the smell of fresh bread from my next-door neighbor in Mississippi. And I hope that some of my kids’ favorite memories are going to the farmer's market with me or snapping green beans on a hot summer day.
Courtesy of Small Bites Adventure Club.
You can learn more about Small Bites Adventure Club by visiting their website. Be sure to sign up for October Farm to School Month to get fact sheets, recipes, lessons, and activities.
Caroline Croland is the Fundraising Coordinator for Georgia Organics. She can be reached at carolinec@georgiaorganics.org.