The Farm Collaborative

Visiting groups join us year round, with 1,075 participants total. We welcomed 934 participants from 22 classes, two homeschool groups, 2 Sister Cities groups (from Argentina and France), and groups from Aspen Camp for the Deaf, Solstice Wellness Retreat, and New Mexico School for the Deaf at the FarmPark. Due to the construction of our Farm Center, we were able to accommodate fewer groups onsite this spring. Instead, our Education Director visited 141 students in their classrooms to complete a natural art project and discuss the importance of worms and composting with a worm bin.

Summer Camp Programs. Research demonstrates that growing food is one of the most powerful ways to reconnect children to nature and to get people outside. The flagship summer program, Earth Keepers, saw capacity attendance in the reporting year with 330 participants for six hours/day, five days per week for 10 weeks. Programs were sold out 10 out of 10 weeks. We reached over 2,000 student days this summer.Farmer In Training: After piloting new tween/teen programs in 2023, we launched our new Farmer In Training (FIT) program (for ages 13-17) summer of 2024 to provide agricultural education and training. Through this program the participants learned to plant and harvest, learned to properly wash and pack the produce for the farmer's market, and learned how to set up and maintain an irrigation system. In addition to these skills, they have learned how to work on a team. The success of this program is evident in the skills and confidence gained by participants, setting them on a path towards success in agriculture and skills that will serve them in their future careers. Four participants were accepted as paid participants and two accepted on a volunteer exchange agreement.

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