C5: Farm-Based Education and Marketing Sow the Seeds of Good Nutrition

Farms serve as natural classrooms for educating children, families and the community about where their food comes from and how it is grown. HealthBarn USA, www.healthbarnusa.com takes that a step further by connecting food to nutrition and health in a time when the U.S. is facing an epidemic of obesity, diabetes and heart disease and sedentary lifestyles among children and adults.

HealthBarn USA is a leader in healthy-lifestyle education for children, ages 3-15 and their families where children learn about nutrition by growing, harvesting and cooking with their own hand-grown produce at its first location at Abma’s Farm and Market in Wyckoff, NJ. The team brings together a select group of experts in the fields of food, nutrition and agriculture. These trained professionals work alongside the children also demonstrating important environmental concepts such as organic farming, sustainability, composting, recycling and animal stewardship. The seasonal programs are offered year-round at the barn and also include summer camp, school and scout field trips, parent workshops; and school assemblies, and 6-week after-school programs in schools.

HealthBarn USA is a for-profit business that independently runs its programs at Abma’s Farm. The educational experience is one aspect of the business relationship. HealthBarn and Abma’s Farm partner through marketing opportunities that have increased the farm’s visibility as a result of national and local media coverage and has increased sales at its farm market and greenhouse.