People’s Organic Food Co-op is offering sponsorships for elementary and middle school children to tour and experience hands-on learning at the Wild Willow Farm and Educational Center. Are you a teacher interested in an inspiring farm field trip? If so, this opportunity is not to be missed! The Wild Willow Farm, located near Imperial Beach, offers a variety of educational topics—from composting to farm insects to water conservation—and helps students take an active part in growing food.
Field trips typically last 2 to 3 hours, depending on your needs. Students are typically split into groups and rotate through 3 to 4 activities, which include planting, weeding, watering, bed-building, composting, mulching, etc. The farm directors choose tasks and activities that are age-appropriate. A few of the field trip activities include: Sustainability Scavenger Hunts, where students learn what sustainability means in the context of farming; Brown Bag Botany, where students learn the edible plant parts (roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruit, seeds) and how the foods that they are familiar with fit into those categories; Homes for Seeds, a hands-on lesson that introduces students to seed needs including nutrients, structure, moisture, warmth, and light; Recycling with Worms, where students observe worm bins and hold worms; and Farm Insects: Friend and Foe, where farmers discuss beneficial insects that pollinate, eat pests, and help the farm.
By applying for a sponsorship through People’s, a $5 per student charge will be waived. For more information on the Wild Willow Farm and Educational Center, please visit the farm’s website. For sponsorship applications, please contact Member Services at People’s Co-op, located on the Co-op’s second floor.
