Educational Programs

garlic harvest with Belovs
Photo by Will Cleland

Jinny arranging flowers with girls
Photo by Will Cleland

A diversified organic farm with vegetable gardens, berry patches and fruit trees, open fields, woods, and streams is an ideal setting for learning about the natural world around us. Meet some of the creatures who share our planet, discover how food is grown, and learn to care for our world while eating, sleeping, working, and playing out-of-doors with others.

The talented staff at Four Springs Farm is happy to assist you in developing a custom program that meets the needs of your family or group while camping here on the farm. Below are two sample programs for youngsters to get your planning started and some helpful General Information

Sample Program #1: Custom Farm-tastic Week

Four days and three nights

Vacation with a group of families on a working organic vegetable farm. Crops will be growing in the garden, the greenhouse may have young seedlings growing, and poultry will be out on pasture. Learn about the fields, farm, and woods environment, help around the farm, discover the mysteries of your “special spot” on the farm, and enjoy getting to know other folks. Four Springs' farmers, guest naturalists, and neighboring farmers fill the days with fun educational programs and the evenings with relaxing activities.

Program Notes

Day One
- Arrival, orientation, finding individual “special spots” around the farm
- Dinner at individual campsites
- Evening Activity ideas
  - Things That Fly
  - Bugs and Butterflies
Day Two
- Farm chores, followed by breadkfast at individual sites
- Activity Hour ideas
  - Exploration of the Gardens and the Creatures that Live There
  - Geology and Rocks
- Break for snack, followed by a short work project
- Visit to “special spots”
- Lunch at individual campsites
- Afternoon Activity choices
  - Stream exploration and woods walk
  - Bethel Granite Quarry visit
  - Bread baking
  - Individual projects
- Meal preparation and dinner together at the picnic pavilion, with invited guests from the neighborhood and time to share perspectives
- Early to bed
Day Three
- Dawn Walk ideas
  - Watching the Water Flow
  - Who Else is Up at this Hour?
- Farm chores, followed by breakfast at individual sites
- Activity Hour, hands-on in the garden suggestions
  - Seed to Seed Discovery
  - Soil to Salad Discovery
- Break for snack before helping with CSA distribution
- Visit to “special spots”
- Lunch and free time to explore around Vermont
- Evening Campfire
Day Four
- Farm chores, followed by breakfast together at the picnic pavilion
- Short activity period and mid-morning visit to “special spots”
- Pack up gear
- Farewell Circle and departure around mid-day

Sample Program #2: Three Seasons Program

Two days and nights, three times during the season

Three Hens
Photo by Geoff Hansen

This type of special three-visit program could be designed to bring families to the farm in three seasons — spring, summer, and fall — for exciting programs designed to entertain, educate, and energize kids and parents alike. The program schedule might be similar to the sample outlined in the Farm-tastic Week. Participants arrive in the afternoon on the first day and stay through the middle of the third day. Time is spent playing in the fields and the forest, observing the changing of the seasons in the garden, and at the “special spot” each participant chooses their first day on the farm and returns to each visit. Four Springs' farmers and guest naturalists fill the days with fun educational programs and the evenings with relaxing activities.

Program Notes

Spring
- Orientation and selection of individual “special spots”
- Art on the Farm featuring an early morning nature walk
- Science Activity ideas
  - Seed to Seed, an exploration of plant life cycles
  - Geology and Rocks, a brief study of soils, land features and rocks
- Afternoon Outing ideas
  - Fat Rooster Farm Visit to meet several kinds of baby animals
  - Food Focus: Rhubarb or Salads
Summer
- Fireflies and hosting of an evening guest naturalist
- Campfire Program with music and song
- Science Activity ideas
  - The Water Cycle, from springs to the sea and earth to sky and back
  - Insects and Animals, an opportunity for conscious awareness of other living creatures on the farm
- Afternoon Outing ideas
  - A swimming trip
  - Visit to a local organic dairy farm and cheese making operation
  - Food Focus: Baking or Milk and Eggs
Fall
- Star Gazing and observation of the season's changes around us
- Farewell Harvest Banquet and the hosting of a second guest naturalist
- Science Activity ideas
  - It's About Eating: the harvest, storing and eating of vegetables
  - Birds, from songbirds to raptors
- Afternoon Outing ideas
  - Free choice trips around Vermont
  - Visit Redrock Christmas Tree Farm
- Food Focus: Salsa or Soup

General Information

Be prepared for cool nights and wet places. Biting bugs are very few, but the sun can be strong, so sunscreen and hats are recommended.

Pack camping gear, tents, work clothes, rain gear, hats, boots and toiletries.

Also bring cameras, binoculars, compasses, field guides, musical instruments, kites, journals, books, and sketch pads.

Supervision of Children • Our programs are designed for adults and children grouped together. Adults need to accompany children of all ages to all activities, including farm chores. Childcare is not provided.

Meals • The farm does not serve meals but they can help you in several ways: You can eat individually at the camp sites or together making use of our picnic pavilion which includes a counter, sink, tables and large fire pit. You can purchase vegetables, fruit, eggs, baked goods, jams and chicken from the farm (even pick you own with one of the farmers). You may also arrange for WildBerry Catering to assist you with meal preparation.

Pets • Since this is a working farm pets are not permitted.

Cost of Programs • Program costs are calculated by family or group based on use of our cabin that sleeps five. Meals can either be planned by the guests or catered by WildBerry Catering at the farm. Since each program is custom designed the costs will vary according to the amount of planned activities and the length of stay.

Program Planning • A minimum of two months prior to your visit is recommended to organize customize programs. Reserve early to ensure campground availability.

Questions • Contact Jinny at (802) 763-7296 or by e-mail at fourspringsfarm@gmail.com.

All of us are happy to work with you to set up a fun-filled program that perfectly suits your group's needs, and will provide you with just the right amount of scheduled activities, free time, work, and play. Those at Four Springs Farm want you to go home at least a little wiser and with plenty of great memories to cherish!

“When children find their first carrot under the ground or collect a warm egg from under a chicken, they move one step closer to understanding where their food comes from.”

Jinny Hardy Cleland, host