Youth Field Trips to the Farm

We offer year-round field trips for youth of all ages and abilities to learn about regenerative agriculture hands-on, with curriculum opportunities linking the farm to state and national education standards in STEAM, the arts, nutrition, and more.
Visitors will work with our farmers and accomplish real farm tasks.
From planting seeds and harvesting, mulching and building soil, to making compost and tending the chickens, your field trip will be centered around the seasons and rhythm of the farm, which means hands-on field trip activities are based on the season as well as farm needs.

Schedule A Field Trip to the Farm

Please read the FAQs below for more information, and if you still have questions you can email Ashley at ashley@kcfarmschool.org.

  • We offer field trip year-round, usually during specific days of the week. During the spring season, we offer field trips on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Friday mornings. The day of week may change based on the season and farm needs. If you’re interested in a different day and/or time, you can email us to check our availability.

  • Most of our field trips are scheduled for 1.5 hours. That’s enough time for us to welcome visitors and introduce ourselves, provide a tour of our farm and do some hands-on activities based on the lesson/topic you choose (we have several available, you can suggest your own, or not choose one at all and we’ll introduce you to what happens on a farm in whatever season we’re in.)

    If you’d like to bring a larger group to our farm (30+ students), then we have a 2-hour slot that follows a similar format, but provides more transition time for larger groups.

    While our field trips do not include time for eating lunch, you can let us know if you’d like to bring a sack-lunch and eat at our place before or after your field trip. We just ask that you are responsible for managing your own food, drinks and waste.

    If you are interested in a longer experience and/or with a different format or focus, we are open to collaborating! Please email us and we will set up a time to chat with you about it.

  • Field trips, like all our programs, food and events are offered as pay what you’re able donations because we want to ensure that cost does not limit a person’s opportunity to get on-farm, hands-on at KC Farm School.

    Here are some recommended donation amounts based on field trip size:

    • $50 donation for a field trip with 30 students or less

    • $75 donation for a field trip with more than 30 students

  • There’s a few things you should do to prepare for your visit:

    • You must fill out the Group Field Trip Waiver Form before bringing your group on farm. If you are a homeschool group please have each family fill out the waiver form.

    • We encourage you to download and review the field trip lesson topic sheet you chose for your field trip, which has background information about the field trip topic as well as classroom activities you can do before and/or after your field trip with us. Please note: on-farm activities for your field trip may be different than what is noted in the lesson topic sheet based on time, weather, season and/or staff needs. If there is a particular on-farm activity you’d like to request for your field trip, please include that in the comments of the booking form.

    • Dress for the weather and in clothes you are OK with getting dirty. Closed-toe shoes are required. Layers and hats are recommended.

    • Please bring reusable water bottles. Other food and beverages are discouraged unless arrangements have been made to eat a meal on-farm.

    • Please don't bring landfill bound waste and single-use plastics on-farm. If you’re bringing food to share, be mindful of packaging and try not to bring disposable cups, plates, utensils etc- we have serveware we can share with you, just let us know.

    • We have bees on the farm. If anyone has a bee allergy (or any life-threatening allergy), please bring the appropriate medicine/epipen.

    • A gender-neutral restroom, first-aid kit and potable water are available on-farm.

    • If your expected number of attendees changes significantly after you have registered, please contact us so that we know how many people to expect on-farm.

  • Since so much of our work is done outside, changing weather and the seasons will impact what activities we can and can’t do while at the farm.

    We rarely cancel an event due to weather conditions, but instead we may need to alter the format of the field trip or activities based on weather and staff needs. In the event of forecasted inclement weather, we will notify you within 24 hours of the event to reschedule.

    If you need to cancel or reschedule, please contact us least 72 hours prior to your visit if possible. You can notify us by emailing or calling our office.

    • KC Farm School is located 4223 Gibbs Road, Kansas City, KS. 66106.

    • If arriving by bus, drop off and pick up is along Gibbs Road at the entrance to the farm (please be sure your bus driver knows this).

    • If arriving by vehicle or needing to park a bus or van, please park at Common Ground (across the street from the farm), located 2443 South 42nd Street, Kansas City, KS. 66106. Look for a parking sign and a large gated entrance between Gibbs and Dodson.

    • Once parked, carefully walk across the street at the crosswalk and onto Gibbs Road Farm. Follow the signage, and we'll meet you by the chicken coop.

Field Trip Lesson Topics & Plans

Click the image below to access our field trip lesson plans, which include pre- and post- field trip activities you can do in your classrooms aligned with state and national education standards.

A Few Notes: On-farm activities for your field trip may be different than what is noted in the lesson topic sheet based on time, weather, season and/or staff needs.

The list of lessons above is not exhaustive and curriculum is being developed continually by our awesome Education Committee.

If you would like your field trip to address a certain topic, reach out and we can collaborate!


 

FREE Resources for Educators

GROW COMMON GROUND CHALLENGE

Are you looking for a flexible real-world project for any and all age and ability groups?

Join the GROW COMMON GROUND CHALLENGE and design the future of our farm!

Link to a very detailed challenge option (best for ages 12+)

Link to a more open challenge option (all ages)

Email ashley@kcfarmschool.org to request more information. We can’t wait to see what you dream up!

 

Urban Prairie Ribbons

Does your school want to plant their own garden or wildlife habitat? Well, we can help!

Urban prairie ribbons are long, narrow strips of native prairie vegetation, These living landscapes are much more than visually appealing additions to urban and rural spaces; they play a pivotal role in creating a sustainable future. In the Midwest is a critical step toward enhancing habitat resilience, biodiversity, and human health in the face of climate change.

Linked here is a full document about prairie ribbons and step-by-step guide to planting and maintaining one at your school!

Want some help or guidance? Email lydia@kcfarmschool.org to request more information.

 

Can’t make it to the farm?

Check out our YouTube channel to learn from our friends from anywhere in the world!

A Healthy Environment and Life Playlist

Featuring local farmers, environmental scientists, composting experts, native plant experts, alpacas, seed-saving, beekeepers and more! Videos are from the 2020 “Let’s Grow: It Starts Here” Conference and our 2020 virtual farm camp for youth called “Farmin’ in the City.

Cooking and Nutrition Playlist

Featuring KC area farmers, Grandma Rebecca and local and national speakers discussing seeds, food and social change. Videos are from the 2020 “Let’s Grow: It Starts Here” Conference and our 2020 virtual farm camp for youth called “Farmin’ in the City.

Wellness, Hope and Sustainability Playlist

Featuring yoga with Calley, painting with Melissa as well as local and national speakers focused on equity and hope. Videos are from the 2020 “Let’s Grow: It Starts Here” Conference and our 2020 virtual farm camp for youth called “Farmin’ in the City.

Featuring videos made to support lessons plans created through a SARE grant. This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under agreement number 2020-38640-31522 through the North Central Region SARE program under project number YENC21-169. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.


Our generous funders including the USDA, the Shumaker Family Foundation and individual donors continue to help make our youth programming using the Pay What You’re Able model possible.

Donate to support youth programming