Earthdance

EarthDance adult education includes Spring Training for Gardeners, a quick-start five week program for individuals interested in learning backyard and community gardening. In 2024, the program served 86 participants. The education offerings also include two full season paid apprenticeships, and five paid summer apprenticeship options for individuals pursuing a career in agriculture. In addition, 1,152 attendees participated in other workshops and farm tours. EarthDance also fosters an active volunteer corps, with 345 volunteers contributing more than 2,500 hours of service on the farm in 2024.

Farm to School: EarthDance partners with the Ferguson?Florissant School District to connect more than 10,000 students, families and staff to farm-to-school programming for ages K?12. This initiative includes garden-based professional development for district teachers, an agri-culinary internship program that gives high school students culinary and farming skills, service-learning opportunities for young people on the farm, and support for school district gardens by the Farm to School educator at EarthDance. In 2024, EarthDance served more than 1,000 students and 18 district teachers through farm tours, field trips, nutrition and cooking lessons for students, and garden-based professional development for district staff. Two school district gardens were supported during our Plant it Forward event with activities such as mulching, weeding, bed building, deer fencing and planting in 2024.

Participation in the Pay What You Can Farm Stand grew in 2024. Community members from the greater St. Louis area utilized the Pay What You Can Farm Stand 802 times, up 8% over 2023. $14,759 worth of organic produce was distributed at the Farm Stand. $4,879 in discounts off the retail value of the produce was provided, up 48% from 2023. 58% of shoppers were residents of North St. Louis County, and roughly one in four shoppers lived in Ferguson.