farm tours

today was a lot of hands-on fun. we went to three different farms with very different models and got to learn about their farming methods and also just ask them questions.

first up (didn't have my phone on me!) was at Westminster Center School in Westminster, VT (Windham County) which has a 25+ farm program at their school. they have about an acre farm in their school yard that now grows all things from corn, potatoes, kale, tomatoes, etc. each grade plants one of the crops at the end of the school year, and then the next fall will harvest the crop they planted. it was a pretty amazing sounding program, unfortunately, their school population is under 200 (!!! crazy to believe, but it is vt...haha). so not sure how this would translate to an urban setting, but farm to school programs are cropping up. this program does provide the snack for the kids but it is certainly not at the scale that can really be used for the kitchen (although the kids get to make marinara sauce and make pizza or pickle cucumbers, which is pretty awesome skills to learn). they also incorporate science and math into their farming program. the man who helped develop the program is a farmer, paul harlow, who runs a store and farm down the street. the squash pic is from his store (such amazing local stuff, and the cafe food looked delicious)

The original way maple syrup was packaged and sold

our next stop was to Stonewall Farm, an educational farm in Keene. they are much more diversified and a much larger operation b/c they do a lot of educational programs with kids. they have everything from a dairy barn (where they also pasteurize milk, make yogurt and ice cream), farmstand, barley growing, and nature trails. they have goats, cows, horses, alpacas, sheep and chickens. but man, i would never be able to be a farmer with live animals (pee yu!)

they also host weddings and do a lot of experimental farming. they have a garden dome (not efficient) run on solar panels and trapped heat. they developed a freezer out of a/c units and also are testing growing barley for cow feed instead of corn (the farm is all organic).

Stonewall farm's pumpkin ice cream

the last stop was further south in Fitzwilliam, NH- Tracie's Farm. a female farmer! she mainly focuses on vegetables (13 acres of farm) with some flowers and other goods. but she is mainly a CSA supported farmer (3 seasons- spring, summer and fall). she was the first to talk about how difficult the job of a farmer is, although her farm is completely worked by hand and is also organic.

kale!

i know growing up i have very little experience with farms and animals. i just saw today how celery grows! i can't imagine how amazing farm to school programs would be to teach not only where food comes from but the nutritional benefits. pumped for the year (and may have to add a farm rotation to my schedule). it's almost friday! i'm failing miserably at this recipe for our potluck tmrw...maybe i'll share the disaster w/ you guys later...maybe not. but tmrw is the last day of orientation!