Spring is here at Great Kids Farm (it comes early for farmers), and our school-to-farm education specialists are busy working with Baltimore City Public School (BCPS) students both on the farm and in the classroom!
As the new Executive Director at Friends of Great Kids Farm, I have the incredible good fortune to come in at a time of change and opportunity for the Great Kids of Baltimore City. I am so impressed with the work done by James, our Farm Manager, Cat, our CivicWorks intern, Laura M., Laura G., Ben and Anne, our school-to-farm specialists, as well as all of the Baltimore City Public School staff and the work they do to make the programs out here at Great Kids Farm a wonderful and enriching experience for BCPS students.
Our spring second-grade field trips started this week, and the curriculum aligns with and supports the “What Do Plants Need?” unit for BCPS. As part of the field trip, students visit four half-hour learning stations: pollination, plants, compost and farm-a-palooza, featuring a tasting, and a healthy eating discussion. We strive to bring as many children out to the farm as possible, to enrich their learning and provide a unique, hands-on experience. And we strive to cover the cost of transportation to ensure that dollars are never a reason for children not to be able to attend. Friends has been covering transportation costs since we began in 2011, and we continue to do all we can as our programs and our reach grows.
This is an exciting time to be involved at the Farm, and the work we do for the Great Kids of Baltimore City Public Schools couldn’t be more important. If you’ve ever wanted to get involved, make a donation or volunteer, now is the time. We’re growing and meeting the needs of more and more students, and your support will help us meet our goal of reaching as many students as possible. To find out how you can get involved, please call or email me at Nancy@friendsgkf.org or call 443-620-3453.
Happy planting!
Nancy