East Hill Farm School provides middle school students with a hands-on farm experience.
The Inn at East Hill Farm is located in Troy, New Hampshire. The Farm School program is designed to “give students the opportunity to work directly with animals, to gain an appreciation of where their food comes from, and to spend time in the natural world,” says farm school director Jennifer Adams. The multi-day experience for middle school students runs on weekdays during the school year.
Teachers can sign up their classes and work with the farmers to build a program that best suits the class as a whole. Each program is seasonal and realistic, allowing students to help with fieldwork that is appropriate to that time of year. Upon arrival, students participate in an orientation, meet the farmers, and get to work on the farm. Farm work includes animal husbandry, cleaning, milking, sensory care, and more.
East Hill Farm raises cows, goats, pigs, horses, chickens, and more, so students will have the opportunity to see how farmers take care of animals, and lend a hand. Students can also go on field trips to local gardens.
Healthy meals utilizing locally sourced food are provided throughout the stay. “We like to have kids that are disconnected with where their food comes from learn about it,” Adams says.
Other activities include workshops such as sheep shearing, felting, forestry, pond ecology, a mushroom walk, butter and cheese making, hiking, and free time to use East Hill’s amenities such as the pools. East Hill Farm offers a lot of outdoors time where students learn about nature and the woods while disconnected from their devices.
“We hope to help students gain an appreciation for nature,” Adams says.
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Main image: At East Hill Farm School, kids can participate in activities ranging from felting to cheesemaking and collecting eggs.
Courtesy The Inn at East Hill Farm
