Thursday mornings are CSA drop-off time at Laura Butler’s home-based childcare program, and it’s all hands on deck. Kids, Laura, and farmer Christine Bourque are unloading bags from the big red farm truck and checking out all the food to use throughout the following days.
Laura became a community supported agriculture (CSA) member of Blue Heron Farm two years ago, after receiving a Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets grant. Laura organized a group of her Milton neighbors to join the CSA, too, so Christine could make weekly deliveries from Grand Isle to right across the street from Laura’s home. “I was surprised how easy it was to build the relationship,” says Laura of accessing the CSA. “Christine is all about building relationships, and as a care provider, that is what I do, too.”
“I was surprised how easy it was to build the relationship. Christine is all about building relationships, and as a care provider, that is what I do, too.” –Laura Butler
“Christine sends recipes every week to use with the CSA,” Laura shares, “which has been so helpful with things like salad turnips. I didn’t know what a salad turnip was or that you could eat it raw! We’re all learning about food, and I know the kids are eating things they wouldn’t otherwise.”
The kids Laura cares for dive into spinach pesto for lunch, will joyfully bite into apple-sized tomatoes, and love squash muffins. “Christine loves to interact with the kids, and makes them feel included,'' Laura explains. “And that makes them want to try the food more. And since Christine brings extras, I can share with the families so the parents are trying new foods, too.”
Laura attributes the kids’ openness to new foods to both Christine’s caring nature and involving the kids in daily food preparation. “I teach kids how to help me prepare food, they even use plastic knives at a young age,'' she says. “Helping in the kitchen is a great skill for kids, it’s just a matter of supervision. It's fun, they get to taste everything.”
1 Minute of Joy: Imagination Island Unboxes Their Local CSA
Even though the grant funding concluded after the first year, Laura has continued her CSA because both Christine and the food have become such an important component of her early education program. And as Christine shared in Blue Heron’s CSA newsletter, the impact goes both ways: “I had a wonderful visit with one of our CSA members, Laura, and her daycare today, and I have to say it was a highlight of my day. Those little kids are so sweet and so helpful unloading my big red truck, and under three years old. Thank you Laura for sharing your daycare with me and the farm today. Your sunshine and help make my cup overflow with joy. One of the big reasons why we farm is because of the great people in our community—big and small.”
Read more stories from the This Farm Feeds Vermont Kids Project: Alburgh Community Education Center and Darby Farm and Milton Family Community Center.
