Group Farming
Program Details
We Are Co-Farmers | Our Programs
At Open Farms, we believe that everyone has something meaningful to contribute.
We use the term Co-Farmer to describe the people who participate in, learn through, work alongside, volunteer with, and contribute to our farm community. Rather than defining people by a diagnosis, disability, job title, age, or perceived limitation, our co-farming model focuses on individual strengths, interests, choices, and abilities.
The farm provides a naturally flexible environment where people can participate in meaningful activities at many different levels. One person may help care for an animal, another may plant or harvest vegetables, another may repair or maintain a farm space, and someone else may simply begin by observing and becoming comfortable in the environment. Each contribution is valued as part of the larger work of the farm.
Through hands-on agriculture, animal care, food cultivation, environmental stewardship, and shared community experiences, Open Farms creates opportunities for people to develop skills, build relationships, improve confidence and well-being, and experience the satisfaction of contributing to something larger than themselves.
Our programs are designed around a simple idea: people grow when they are given meaningful opportunities to participate, contribute, learn, and belong.
Group Farming
Open Farms' Group Farming program provides schools, nonprofit organizations, community groups, service organizations, youth programs, and other groups with immersive farm-based learning and engagement experiences.
Rather than simply visiting the farm, participants become temporary Co-Farmers and take part in the activities that sustain it.
Depending on the season, group experiences may include animal husbandry, feeding and caring for livestock, gardening, planting, harvesting, composting, food cultivation, environmental projects, habitat improvement, farm maintenance, and other nature-based activities.
These experiences allow participants to learn by doing.
Agriculture naturally connects many areas of learning. A single farm activity can introduce concepts related to biology, ecology, nutrition, sustainability, mathematics, responsibility, animal behavior, food systems, and environmental stewardship. At the same time, participants practice communication, cooperation, leadership, problem solving, and teamwork.
Group Farming experiences can be adapted based on the age, interests, goals, and abilities of participating groups.
For younger participants, the experience may emphasize discovery, animals, nature, and understanding where food comes from. For students and educational programs, activities can reinforce classroom learning through practical application. For community organizations, the farm can provide an opportunity for service, recreation, skill development, or relationship building.
The shared experience of completing real farm work also creates a natural sense of connection. Participants quickly discover that many farm tasks are easier, safer, and more enjoyable when people work together.
Our goal is for participants to leave with more than photographs of goats.
We want them to leave with a greater understanding of agriculture and the natural world, an appreciation for the work involved in caring for animals and producing food, stronger connections with one another, and the satisfaction of knowing that their efforts contributed to the farm.
And because meaningful learning does not have to feel like a lecture, we make sure there is plenty of room for curiosity, exploration, laughter, muddy shoes, and fun along the way.