Our Farm
At the Learning Farm, children and families reconnect to the outdoors and discover your connection to local, sustainable food production, and shared community meals.
Our mission is to give children the various tools, support, motivation, care, and rewards necessary to become responsible, knowledgeable, and caring community members.
We do this by fostering a better understanding of where food comes from by connecting kids and families to your rightful place in the production, distribution, and consumption of sustainably farmed and fished locally-produced food.
We want you to grow, harvest, cook, and share the great bounty of what grows abundantly nearby to where you live and to do so in a mindful and caring way.
The Learning Farm is a tech-forward agriculture and life science learning organization that supports a deeper understanding of and care for food systems and nature for all children all around the Earth.
The Learning Farm is a place where children and families can immerse yourselves in the study of living things, agriculture, and food, as well as have opportunity to brainstorm and discuss practical solutions to the challenges facing our localities and the planet with regard to how we grow food.
This is where you learn where food comes from: how it’s grown, how the land and plants can be cultivated for optimal nutrition, land and crop sustainability, how fruits and vegetables are harvested and distributed, gleaned and sustainably farmed, how our juice and other farm products are created and put on the market, and most fun of all, how delicious the foods you prepare in the culinary portion of the program are when served to your families and friends.
This is where children and families get your hands dirty and explore, and then after lunch, put on lab coats and learn about the chromatography of beverages and the science behind composting. Here, visitors and students learn the meaning and value of bio-diversity: how animals -- sheep, alpacas, goats, rabbits, birds – interact beneficially with orchards, wildlands, woodlands; and how row crops – vines, root veggies, fruit trees – do well right next to bush fruit and berries; and how insects and other beneficials – microbes, mycorrhizae, spongi – are our friends, all going in together to support a healthy and vibrant natural agricultural world and great food.
Come join us on the farm!
Check out our visit options!
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Your tour of the Learning Farm will allow you to immerse yourself in the rich history and vibrant agriculture of our farm. Discover how we blend culturally and spiritually engaged, biodynamic, and ecologically diverse farming methods with sustainable practices to cultivate healthy, delicious produce.
During the tour, you'll learn about the origins of our farm which traces its roots to generations of African, African American, Afro-Indigenous Caribbean, and Native European community agriculture. We share the values that drive our commitment to environmental stewardship and community engagement. Explore our fields, gardens, orchard, vineyard, forest, and farm animal habitats, where we grow a variety of produce using organic and regenerative techniques.
As you walk through the farm, our knowledgeable educators will share insights into our farming processes, from seedling to harvest. You'll see firsthand how we prioritize soil health, water conservation, regeneration, alternative economics, and biodiversity to create a thriving ecosystem that supports both our crops and local wildlife.
Connect with the land, the farmers, and your fellow tour participants as we celebrate the beauty and bounty of sustainable agriculture.
Join us on this educational and inspiring journey through the heart of our farm, where every plant and animal tells a story of love, growth, resilience, and sustainability.
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Your free time on the farm offers a range of life-changing activities and experiences.
You can take Nature Walks and stroll to explore the farm's surroundings, observe unique flora and fauna, and enjoy the peaceful rural countryside of Ithaca.
You can pack a picnic basket with farm-fresh produce and enjoy a relaxing meal outdoors. There are several picnic areas with scenic views.
Please sign up for a farm tour to visit our farm animals. We offer opportunities for animal feeding, grooming, and enclosure upkeep.
You can play outdoor games like frisbee, cornhole, soccer, and/or volleyball in designated farm recreational areas.
You can capture the beauty of the farm's landscapes, crops, and wildlife through photography. We have many scenic spots perfect for photography enthusiasts.
Birding! Bring your binoculars or borrow a pair of ours to see some of the hundreds of bird species who stop by along their seasonal migratory journeys.
Unwind and relax in designated areas such as hammocks, outdoor seating areas, and creek relaxation areas.
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Farm Visits are a unique opportunity to dip your toes into farm life and get a taste of the work and care of the land, forest, animals, and humans that go into the production of food and farm life. Hands-on activities, immersion into the care of animals, and knowledge-building in farm and forest ecosystems, self-expression, and art-making are just a few of the things you’ll experience when you visit the farm.
What activities can you do on the farm?
Bunny brushing
Muck out and layer fresh hay in chicken, alpaca, sheep, goat, rabbit, or duck enclosures
Collect chicken eggs
Play and explore deep hollow creek
Forest bathing
Forest ecosystems scavenger hunt
Plant trees, berry bushes, or grape vines
Weed raised beds outside and inside the hoop house
Rest and snack in the garden
Read aloud or quietly to yourself with books from the barn library
Arts & crafts in barn classroom
Campfire and marshmallow/ s’mores roasting in Adirondack chair fireside circles
Farm Tour
Nap in garden hammock
Soccer game
Free play
Flower picking
Nature art
Hickory nut gathering
Poetry under the willow
Animal petting