Farm Tour Season Begins!

Stanford University, Ann Soldo Elementary kick off tour season.

We are off to a busy week in the Live Earth Farm Discovery Program! We had an amazing time with the “SPOT-lets” (Stanford Pre-Orientation Tour). We had ten wonderful incoming freshmen and two enthusiastic leaders who are sophomores at Stanford stay with us for four nights. The SPOT-lets helped us prepare for the fundraiser and with general needs around the farm by cleaning out the goat pen, moving hay bales, prepping the Discovery Garden, and picking and cleaning apples. But the biggest help they gave us was assisting Jessica and Grace with our first school tour of the season!

Two third-grade classes from Ann Soldo arrived at the lower barn on Monday morning for a tour filled with apple picking, goat milking, scavenger hunting, cider making and relay races. The SPOT-lets helped out at four of the stations, allowing the third graders to get an in-depth appreciation of the farm. Jessica and Grace have implemented a new curriculum which includes nutrition and history of the valley, and so Monday’s third graders were the first to experience it. One of the teachers on the tour filled out a feedback form and wrote that the best thing about the tour was that “the knowledgeable staff at the stations were outgoing and positive with the students.” When the SPOT-lets read that statement, their eyes lit up. It was amazing to see students teaching students.

We are proud to announce that we are able to offer free transportation to eight classes at Ann Soldo this fall! That is almost 250 kids that will get to experience the wonders of the farm thanks to generous donations from members of our community. This Monday’s visit was the first time that classes from Ann Soldo have been able to come to Live Earth Farm. A large proportion of the student body receives free and reduced cost lunches, and many parents work in the agricultural sector. We believe it is important to show these kids what an honorable accomplishment it is to be a farmer, and to help them discover the wonders of their community!