School-to-Farm Programs
Led by our passionate farm educators, our school-to-farm programs connect students to place, season, and sustainable practices through hands-on learning on our 93-acre Vermont farm. We offer field trips for local public schools and curated day and overnight experiences for private schools, outdoor camps, teen programs, and educator trainings.
Situated at the confluence of Dowsville Brook and the Mad River, our outdoor campus includes a sugar bush, regenerative farm and orchard, and trail system that immerse students in the local ecosystem and agricultural practices, and the interconnection between the two.
Designed for students from elementary through high school, our programs range from two hours to a full day—with overnight camping options available for extended experiences. School field trips typically run 1.5–2 hours and can be customized based on learning objectives and curricular needs.
Seasonal learning adventures
Our programs change with the seasons, and each program's activities are wrapped around the seasonal work of the farm:
Winter: Programs happen in the sugar bush, greenhouse, and snowy forests. Participants might tap trees, look for signs of spring, sing songs about hibernation, feed a baby lamb, or cook bread over the fire for tasting maple syrup. Older students compare the sugaring process in New England to the history of slavery embedded in the sugar trade.
Spring: Students witness the renewal and rebirth that defines this season on a working farm, with activities including digging new beds, searching for wildflowers, and harvesting asparagus and spring greens. We also host a community bird box building program.
Summer: Summer programs celebrate the abundance of the growing season, with activities including building butterfly boxes, harvesting for the food bank, creating pollinator gardens, baking treats with fresh berries
Fall: Fall activities celebrate the completion of growing cycles, including making natural decorations for our annual harvest festival, working with wool from the sheep, mulching trees, planting garlic, and threshing wheat and beans.
More about our approach
Inspired by the humane education philosophy, our programs encourage reverence, respect, and responsibility to inspire students to address challenges and make compassionate choices as they grow into adults.
We believe that building relationships with plants, animals, and people through hands-on interaction can significantly enhance students’ lives, boost their confidence, and strengthen their sense of belonging.
We weave story, song, creativity, and team-building games into the curricular-based goals for our programs
Ready to visit the Farm?
We typically welcome groups of 18 to 40, and program fees start at $185 for a two-hour program for 18 students. Programs can incorporate STEM education, healthy eating and wellness practices, environmental stewardship, local history, and sustainable agriculture practices—all tailored to your group's age and curricular goals.
Let us know what you're looking for, and we'll craft a program to meet your needs!
What participants are saying
About Melanie Grubman, program director
A holistic educator with a passion for place-based learning and community building, Melanie has been directing youth and family education programs for nonprofits, schools, synagogues and outdoor programs around the country for 25 years. She has directed LTA programs for nearly a decade, using the land to help people connect to the seasons.
Melanie believes that creating experiences that inspire young people to care for the places where they live will help them grow into the compassionate and empowered leaders of tomorrow. She is deeply committed to protecting the wonder of childhood and the playfulness alive in all ages, creating sensory-rich experiences that build resilience, confidence, and grit. She holds a master's in education and a Waldorf teaching certificate.