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Classroom Setup

Setup can be as simple as straw bales in a semicircle on grass or in a barn, or as posts buried in the ground with 2’ x 10’ planks bolted to them. Create themed props to use at the front of the class.

Parking

Buses are heavy and need a solid base on which to park. Make sure that the parking area is high and dry and there is room for buses to enter, turn around and exit easily. Ensure laneways and parking areas have a solid base and/or are well graveled or paved.

Continuing Education

The North American Farmers Direct Marketing Conference is a good source of information for on-farm entertainment and school tours. Check out their website at http://www. nafdma.com/

This manual concentrates on the basics of organizing school tours. But other approaches will also work. Pick one that you are comfortable with, or create your own. You are only limited by your imagination!

Helpful Websites

Farm and wild animals, insects, water, forests, gardening,

pumpkins – Green Acres Outdoor Education Centre , Markham, ON: http://www.outdooreducation.ca/

Strawberries, cooking, seasonal themes, bees – Springridge Farm , Milton, ON: http://www. springridgefarm.com

Dairy cattle – Cagles Dairy , Canton, GA: http://www.caglesfamilyfarm.com/

Farm animals, forest, strawberries, pumpkins – Forsythe Family Farms , Markham, ON: http://www. forsythefamilyfarms.ca/

Horses, pumpkins, soil leadership –

Rounds Ranch , Elmvale, ON www.roundsranch.com/

Hamburger theme, pumpkins –

Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm , Wheatland, CA: http://www.webpumpkins.com/ bishops_pumpkins_hamburger_farm. htm

Summer camps, school tours –

Cherry-Crest Farm , PA: http://www. cherrycrestfarm.com/feldtrips.asp

Cattle theme – Fort Worth Cowboy Hall of Fame, TX: http://www. texascowboyhalloffame.com/kids.asp

Write-up comparing “core curriculum” and their tour – James C.

Richardson Farms , Dunnville, ON: http://www.richardsonsfarm.com/ Click on “School Tours,” and then click on link “How does our program meet curriculum expectations?”

Adams Family Farm , VT: http://www. adamsfamilyfarm.com/index.html

Young’s Jersey Dairy , Yellow Springs, OH. Very diverse operation that includes school tours: http://www. youngsdairy.com/tours/index.html

A nice basic school tour webpage –

Strom’s , Guelph, ON: http://www. strom.ca/todo/tours/index.htm

Farm Tours

There are many farms that offer school and other kinds of tours. Usually, farms design a tour around their feature product(s). Below are a few farm websites that feature a crop or animal focused farm tour. Do search the web for other examples. You will fnd many different ideas and approaches for hosting tours.

Apples, pumpkins, bees, plants –

Carrigan Farms , Mooresville, NC: http://www.carriganfarms.com/school. htm