Farm Camp Minnesota provides students with the opportunity to visit agribusinesses and farms while learning about careers in agriculture through a three step process. First step connects students with a grade-specific, standards-based curriculum to explore the bases of the second step, an on-site farm or agribusiness tour. After the tour, students end their Farm Camp experience with exploring the many different careers available to them in agriculture beyond being farmers. This more than just a field trip experience is customized for grade 5-12 classrooms throughout the state of Minnesota with the opportunity to step foot in an agribusiness or on a farm and make connections with potential careers.
Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s 4th & 5th Grade Ag Day
On May 22, 2024 37 fourth and fifth grade students set out to visit three different locations for the purpose of providing them the opportunity to learn and interact with agriculture. Tour stops included Sleepy Bison Acres, Stone Hearth Farm & Garden and Linden Livestock.
Sleepy Eye Bison Acres
Students had the opportunity to visit this family owned and operated farm to meet bison, pigs and chickens in person. Elizabeth shared about how they raise their livestock on pasture and incorporate no-till, reduced tillage and cover crops into their crop farming.
Stone Hearth Farm & Garden
Stone Hearth Farm & Garden owners Caitlyn and John Wiederhoeft hosted students on their chicken and flower garden farm in Madelia, Minnesota. Students had the opportunity to interact with the chickens, meet the farm mascots Yuki the dog and Momo and Egg the cats as well as learn more about what goes into flower gardening.
Linden Livestock
Students visited the Linden Livestock farm near Hanska, Minnesota. At the farm, they learned about meat goat livestock farming and the creation of other products from goats’ milk including soaps and lotions. Additional experiences at the Linden Livestock farm included, feeding pigs, petting the goats, learning about their garden and how food is grown. [We thank Linden Livestock for welcoming yet another Farm Camp tour.]
Thank you for organizing our class trip for Farm Camp yesterday. The host farmers were GREAT, so generous with their time and knowledge. Our students couldn't stop talking about it all the way home! We heard many 'best field trip ever' comments. Even though we have several students who live on farms, these locations offered a diversified view of our local farming community. This is a wonderful program!
Educator
St. Mary's Catholic School, Sleepy Eye
Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s 4th & 5th Grade Ag Day
After their Farm Camp experience, 78.8% of students could name five agricultural careers in the world (other than farmers); a growth from 47.5% prior to Ag Day! One student was surprised to learn that there are lots of agricultural things that are used in their daily life.