FARM TOURS: Information for Educators
Farm visits provide the perfect opportunity for students to use all of their senses to learn: the more they can touch, taste, see, smell and hear what they are learning about the more deeply they will understand and remember their experience.
The following are some simple rules and guidlelines to help you and your group enjoy your visit to The Educational Farm at Joppa Hill as much as possible.
Schedule:
Tours are available on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, between 9 am and 1 pm. Please call 472-4724 in advance to make reservations for your class.
Number of students:
Please be sure to bring plenty of chaperones for your class. We can show you all sorts of things, Gardens, Animals, and where many of our food and clothing products may come from. There are also many trails on the property that meander through both field and forest, with many observable ecosystems.
Special Interests
We are happy to work with you and your class's special interests. A different theme than what we normally offer could be something as simple as "life cycles", "animal care", "where does our food and fiber come from", "seasons on the farm" or your own individual class's theme. Please let us know if you have any special interests.
Preparation and Follow-up activities
It is useful to us to know how you prepared for your visit to the farm, and how you will be following up on the experience. We recommend that the group prepare questions to ask us when you visit, and/or read a book about farming and discuss what they think they might see and do.
How about observing any changes on the bus trip to the farm from school? How did the landscape change, was there a different smell, were there different sounds? Will the students be completing a writing or other classroom activity after their visit?
We can help provide access to the information they may be looking for if we know in advance what they may be searching to know or find. The more students are asked to think about their visit before and after they go, the more they will learn and remember.
Safety Considerations
As a precaution, please make sure to bring any medications a student may need. If any student is known to be allergic to bee stings, have that student put in a group with a teacher, who should have their medication. Make sure the group has a first aid kit, though we do have a fully stocked first aid kit in the barn.
Food and Water
Groups should bring their own food and water for lunch and snacks. Please bring along a large garbage bag, that helps us cut down on waste. There is a handwashing station available.
Bathrooms
A large, handicap-accessible Port-a-potty is available.
Weather
Make sure you know what to expect for weather so that the students are prepared with hats, sunscreens, sweaters, raingear, boots, etc. Rain does not cancel your trip as the barn is very large.
Dress
Please make sure all trip leaders and students are dressed appropriately for a farm environment. No sandals, dresses, open toed shoes please. Boots are the best option for footwear.
Bug Spray
There are not usually many mosquitos at the farm (our barn swallows help with that!) but there are flies and occasionally bees and hornets. "Off" and other poisonous insect repellants are useless against these insects and are actually harmful to our animals and birds, especially if the children are petting and touching the animals. We request that you use a natural insect repellant.
Rules at the Farm
Please, chaprones must supervise their own groups. Our farm staff is here to teach, not manage your group. No running, yelling or roughhousing, and all animals must be treated with respect.
Please do not feed our animals unless the farm guide has given your group something specific for them to eat. Like animals at a zoo, many of our furry and featherey friends are on special diets.
Like many places, the Educational Farm is a "carry in-carry out" facility. Please keep any trash that you create in your own backpack. The garden is very fragile, please take care when walking in the rows and garden beds. Thank you!!
