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Field Trip Ideas


Al Dente

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I wasn't sure where to put this, so here goes... [Rocks-- feel free to delete this in a few days]

My wife will be teaching summer school to her middle school class and the theme for the summer is environmentalism. She's looking for ideas on where she could take her students on a field trip. One idea was to take them on a tour of an organic farm somewhere nearby. It can't be located any further than an hour away from Georgetown.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Al

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I wasn't sure where to put this, so here goes... [Rocks-- feel free to delete this in a few days]

My wife will be teaching summer school to her middle school class and the theme for the summer is environmentalism. She's looking for ideas on where she could take her students on a field trip. One idea was to take them on a tour of an organic farm somewhere nearby. It can't be located any further than an hour away from Georgetown.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Al

Check out Tree and Leaf CSA. They're pretty close in (Louden County) and nice people. If you want, I can talk to them Saturday morning -- or introduce you -- at Mt. Pleasant.

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It's really going to be a stretch to get from Georgetown to Waterford in an hour, even during the middle of the day - heck, I live in Loudoun County and I can't get to Waterford in half an hour, even allowing for no traffic and a liberal interpretation of the speed limit.

You might be better off seeing if there's a farm in Montgomery County doing something similar (I know some livestock breeders, but I don't know that they're necessarily doing organic.)

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Here is a list of Maryland Dept. of Agriculture Certified Organic Operations. Virginia has a similar index of certified organic growers. This link takes you to a list of grass-fed livestock farms in Virginia.

One of the very best environmental programs for school kids is through the Smithsonian's Environmental Research Center which is about 30 miles east of DC on the Rhode River.

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What about visiting the fish monger at your store to talk about the effect of polution on fish? Or a trip down to the Main Market?

There are also farmer's markets during the day in Bethesda and at USDA that they could visit.

Or try to meet with whomever is in charge of composting at the Zoo?

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Does anyone here belong to the local convivium of Slow Food?

I've heard they have a version of Alice Waters' Edible Schoolyard. Considering it's the height of the growing season, they might do something with kids in the summer.

Farmers' markets do attract the types of folk who are earnest about and active in environmental issues. Your wife would probably receive tons of wonderful tips by visiting several of the different local markets if she has the chance. You'd think being in Washington, D.C. would be an advantage in finding people at non-profits or federal agencies who are keen on talking to impressionable young children long before they are old enough to buy cars, groceries or air conditioners. I still remember that elementary school trip to the nuclear power plant.

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How about the National Wildlife Visitor Center at the USFWS Patuxent Research Refuge, just south of Laurel?

Probably too narrow a topic to warrant a field trip, but another curriculum idea: the Maryland chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation has been assembling a loanable classroom kit on the history of the American chestnut tree, the import and rise of the blight, and efforts to restore the species. Hard to imagine that between the last ice age and little over a century ago, this was the dominant tree species in northeastern forests and a major wildlife food source, and now it's quite rare.

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If she wants to go the retail route, make it even easier and go to the Ben & Jerry's on M Street. They are famous for their environmental consciousness. (But frankly, I think hillvalley's idea of studying zoo composting is the real winner!)

When you think about it, Ben & Jerry’s simply would not be Ben & Jerry’s if it weren’t for the family farms supplying the high quality dairy ingredients we depend on. And dairy farming depends in part on crop cultivation methods using nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which in excess amounts can have an adverse environmental impact on nearby lakes and streams. Our awareness of the issue and our shared responsibility for environmental stewardship spurred our involvement in a unique project to help Vermont dairy farmers find sustainable solutions for reducing nitrogen and phosphorus run-off from their farms. Launched in 2000, the Vermont Dairy Farm Sustainability Project was a collaborative effort involving Ben & Jerry’s staff, area farmers, farm suppliers, milk processors, university extension services and dairy product manufacturers, all focused on improving nutrient management methods to safeguard water quality.
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Bull Run Farm (a CSA) is out in Haymarket/The Plains. It's less than an hour away and Leigh (the farmer) is quite a character [others on the board can verify this] and story-teller. He might be willing to give a tour and would definitely have something to say about sprawl and other issues that have been impacting the environment in his area lately. Would depend on his delivery schedule but may be worth a call.

The USDA farmers market (12th and Independence) on Fridays (10am-2pm) might be a good one - could probably get someone from USDA to talk to the group as they usually have a booth.

Not farm-related, but environmental and close - Huntley Meadows Park is a little gem just outside the Beltway off Route 1. It's a nice example of preservation in the midst of development.

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I'm sure there's someone at Whole Foods who would talk about it, too. Not as appealing as a farm, or Eve, or whatever, but accessible, with plenty of room, etc.

I'm looking into this as a possibility since I work there.

Some great ideas so far folks. Thanks!

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I'm looking into this as a possibility since I work there.

Some great ideas so far folks. Thanks!

actually, i didn't see this before, and if you work at whole foods i guess you should be allowed to take your wife's students on an insider tour of the store, which probably would be interesting to them, and ignore the marketing angle entirely -- even though from my perespective marketing is where whole foods excels. however, i wouldn't skip a visit to a farm if one is available and close enough.

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This can't get too complicated as the students all have learning disabilities.

Ahem-having a learning disability does not mean that they cannot learn, it just means they need to be taught differently than a traditional school. Knowing they type of students she has, there is no reason why she couldn't do the marketing and enviromentalism, it just needs to be tailored to their learning styles, which she does with every lesson anyway. Someone has to have compare and contrast goals in their IEP :unsure: They could compare the two companies.

Another idea just popped in my head.....aren't all Whole Food stores using solar energy now? She could spend the whole summer session just doing solar energy, including field trips to different WF stores to see the different setups. She's got science, math, and English right there.

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I'm still on the "take the kids to a farm" program. Take 'em someplace where they can run around a bit with out getting in anybody's way or breaking anything. All the indoor lectures in the world aren't going to be as effective, or cool, as actually seeing stuff growing, especially if they're city kids. And, sheesh, they're already stuck in summer school, let 'em get outdoors.

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I'm still on the "take the kids to a farm" program. Take 'em someplace where they can run around a bit with out getting in anybody's way or breaking anything. All the indoor lectures in the world aren't going to be as effective, or cool, as actually seeing stuff growing, especially if they're city kids. And, sheesh, they're already stuck in summer school, let 'em get outdoors.

I don't think that Homestead Farm in Poolesville is organic, but they host school groups during the Fall, so probably would be amenable to a group of kids visiting in the summer. They have pick-your-own fruit orchards and berries, vegetables, and a "petting zoo" where the kids can feed sheep, goats, pigs and chickens. Less than an hour from downtown DC in Montgomery County.

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Does anyone here belong to the local convivium of Slow Food?

I've heard they have a version of Alice Waters' Edible Schoolyard. Considering it's the height of the growing season, they might do something with kids in the summer.

I don't belong to Slow Food but my friend heads the Youth Garden at the National Arboretum, which I think is the Edible Schoolyard-like project you're referring to. It's a wonderful program and they work really hard to make it fun for the kids.

"Fresh air, warm sunshine, rich soil, good friends and a freshly tilled garden plot…for the first time ever, Kayla, a third grader from Northeast Washington scoops out a handful of earth and plants a tomato seedling.

For more than three decades, the Washington Youth Garden at the U.S. National Arboretum has given the District of Columbia's children a unique, hands-on

educational experience. The year-round program is a window into many unimagined and otherwise unattainable worlds for city, grade school children. It not only "grows green dreams," but nurtures and nourishes a new generation of gardeners."

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Another idea just popped in my head.....aren't all Whole Food stores using solar energy now? She could spend the whole summer session just doing solar energy, including field trips to different WF stores to see the different setups. She's got science, math, and English right there.

I believe they invested in solar and/or wind generated energy to earn credits toward the power consumption of each of their stores. No way that they have solar setups at each location.

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I believe they invested in solar and/or wind generated energy to earn credits toward the power consumption of each of their stores. No way that they have solar setups at each location.

mdt has it right-- and it's wind credits.

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