The EduCulture Project

at Global Source Education

Bridging Classroom and Community through
Scholarship, Citizenship, Stewardship, and Sustainability

 

Farm-School Programs
on Bainbridge Island

 

Learning about horsepower at Laughing Crow Farms

To change ideas about what land is for is to change ideas about what anything is for. - Aldo Leopold

The school itself shall be made a genuine form of active community life, instead of place set apart in which to learn lessons. - John Dewey

The EduCulture Project on Bainbridge Island provides local youth lived experiences on local farms that cultivate scholarship, stewardship, citizenship and sustainability. Through a collaboration involving farms, schools, and the community, this initiative has been enhancing classroom curricula, nurturing school gardens, and enriching school lunches, while preserving local sustainable agriculture, and growing future generations of Bainbridge farmers.

Based on Suyematsu-Bentryn Farms, the project is transforming the oldest working landscape on Bainbridge Island, and the largest in Kitsap County, into a center of teaching and learning for K-12 and community based education. Global Source is filling an important need in our local community: providing farmers and teachers the organizational, programmatic and curricular support and oversight to cultivate integrated and dedicated farm-school relationships that mutually serve local farms and local K-12 and community based education.

The EduCulture Project offers a menu of learning experiences for K-12 students:

Farm Tour

Take a 45 minute guided walk around the Suyematsu-Bentryn Farms to learn about the history of the land and discover what’s growing and who’s working there today. The tour will incorporate these points of academic interest: Geography and Habitat History and Heritage What grows on the farm Life of Working Farm Hands on farm experience Food and Farm Stewardship

Plant Life Cycles

• Thematic Farm Tour
• Two contact hours of seasonal field experiences tracking the plant life cycle from field to table
• One Farm Basket
• Program prep and curricular planning consultation with EduCulture staff Farm Crop Choices include:
  • Grapes, Garlic, Potatoes, Greens, Corn
    

Farm History and Heritage

• Thematic Farm Tour
• Two contact hours of seasonal farm or field experiences.
• Program prep and curricular planning consultation with EduCulture staff
• Chose any two of the following activities:
  • Experience Traditional Farming Activities
  • Visit to Bainbridge Island Historical Society
  • Marshall Strawberry Adoption Project

Farm to Classroom to Lunchroom

• Thematic Farm Tour
• Two seasonal tasting tables (Dependent on seasonal availability. Advanced notice required)
• Food presentation and class discussion
• Program prep and curricular planning consultation with EduCulture staff
• Curricular topics addressed include:
  • Plant descriptions and life cycle
  • What is my local food system look like?
  • Culinary connections
  • How to be a farm and food steward?

Farm to School Garden

• Thematic Farm Tour
• Two hours of school garden consultation at your school
• One Farm Basket.
• Program prep and curricular planning consultation with EduCulture staff
• Curricular topics addressed include:
  • Determining a garden site and layout
  • Plant selection
  • Garden resource development
  • Building school and community support networks

Outdoor Classroom Program

• Thematic Farm Tour
• Two-one hour seasonal field experiences with habitat & sustainability
• Program prep and curricular planning consultation with EduCulture staff
• Students can study the flora and fauna of the Farm through any of the following:
  • Nature mapping
  • Bird watching
  • Farm as a Watershed
  • Salmon-Safe Farm, Organic & Sustainable Farming
  • Forest, fields and pond
  • Observation and Journaling

Curricular Mix and Match

• Farm Tour
• Two contact hours of seasonal farm or field experiences
• Program prep and curricular planning consultation with EduCulture staff
• Chose from any two of the following activities:
  • Human cultivator
  • Food and farming scavenger hunt
  • Akio Suyematsu Story
  • Farmer Q & A
  • Tasting Table
  • Service learning activity
  • Drawing, writing & reflecting

Additional Resources and Support

• Classroom & School Partnerships
• School Farm Baskets & Tasting Tables
• Integrated Curricular Connections
• Consultation Support & Resources

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More about Suyematsu/Bentryn and Morales Farms

To learn more about these programs, fees, and registration,
please contact Global Source, or call 206-780-5797

EduCulture Partners and Collaborators

Read recent news about Suyematsu/Bentryn and Morales Farms and farm programs

Support our Farm-School Programs Contribute to The EduCulture Project Visit Bainbridge Island Vineyards & Winery and mention you want to support The EduCulture Project. Proceeds from your purchase will benefit local farm-school programs based on Suyematsu-Bentryn Farms. We are grateful to Bainbridge Island Vineyards & Winery for their support! The EduCulture Project is a partner organization with the Bainbridge One Call for All Campaign.

 

EduCulture Project Home

Global Source Education is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
serving elementary and secondary education in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

©1999-2010 Global Source Education