Why a Farm Education?

     

Benefits

• Learning - hands-on, project-based, problem-solving, leadership, public speaking

• Basic life skills, growing & preserving food, raising animals, woodworking, sewing, etc.

• Basic knowledge of where food comes from, how food is grown

• Students learn to process, preserve and prepare foods grown

• Ag fair & 4-H projects, students are part of the site-based 4-H club

• Agriculture incorporated into daily lessons

• Agriculture experts share/teach ex: sheep farmers evaluate the program, irrigation experts help with set-up, beekeepers share knowledge

• Items produced, marketed, and sold. annual plant sale, farmers market, jams, etc. 

 

Potential Partners

• Shasta College

• 4-H Youth Development Program 

• UC CalFresh Nutrition Education

• UC Forestry and Natural Resources

• Shasta County Farm Bureau

• The Livestock Conservancy 

• Local ranchers, farmers, nurseries, irrigation companies, apiaries, and garden clubs

 

Curriculum Ideas

• California Agriculture in the Classroom

• Charlotte Mason approach to education

• Junior Master Gardener

• Youth Development Through Veterinary Science

• Thrive Educational Series

• Pre-Harvest Food Safety in 4-H Animal Science

• Classical Education

• 4-H Youth Experiences in Science

• Agri-Science

• Numerous other 4-H Curriculum available

 

Education Center Design Ideas

• Year-round schedule to meet demands of Shasta District Fair and growing seasons

• Invite schools in for field trips “our children teach other children”

• Producing, marketing, selling, public speaking

• Close to Redding to capture students not exposed to agriculture

• Small beginnings