Activities on the Farm: Field trip activities vary according to season and are tailored to students’ age group incorporating Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards. Every field trip builds skills in nutrition, environmental literacy& stewardship and farming through hands-on, project based lessons on the working farm.
Spring
In the spring we focus our curriculum on life cycles and ecology. Students learn the plant life cycle through up close examinations of flowers, by planting seeds, harvesting strawberries and by tasting the 6 plant parts. Animal life cycles are introduced through hands-on interaction with, and care for, our baby milking goats and chicks. Other activities in the spring vary by grade level and include: a Fabulous Five Plant Needs Scavenger Hunt, Insect Investigations, Animal Adaptations and NGSS aligned 5E’s lesson, Chickens Sleep Outside
Fall
In the fall we offer “Applemania” in which students learn the history of the apple economy in the Pajaro Valley, how to build a healthy, “mostly plants” plate of food, harvest apples from our trees, then make their own fresh cider with our hand crank crush cider press. In the fall we meet the larger farm animals. our milking cow and ponies to learn their role on the farm.
Other possible activities for your group include plant propagation, farm animal care, composting, organic pest control, direct to consumer business models, as well as an exploration of how and why things are grown organically. We welcome input from teachers on how to integrate field trip activities with their students’ curricula, and so will gladly customize your field trip to suit your needs.
Duration and Group Size: Field trips are typically 3 hours, 2 hours for the tour and 1 hour to eat your pack lunch and have free play. If you are interested in experiencing the delight of eating seasonal and local food, please let us know so we can help you plan and source your picnic menu. We have found that we are best prepared to offer a rich and focused experience to single class groups; however larger groups and trips of longer duration (even camp-outs) can be accommodated by special arrangement.
Scheduling and Cost: Live Earth Farm offers field trips to schools and other groups from March through November. Please consult the Events Calendar for available dates. Our schedule fills up quickly, so if you would like to set one up, contact us early in the season for the best availability. Cost is $12 per student, and our commitment to community outreach allows for reduced rates to a limited number of groups that could not otherwise attend. We will also gladly accept more generous contributions that will go to maintaining this program for future visitors.
In order to reserve your date there is a $50 nonrefundable deposit.
See calendar to begin: check for possible available field trip dates (day that does not already have a program listed), then email our Education Director, Stephanie: education@farmdiscovery.org, 831-728-2032.
A Big Thank You to our Sponsors!
