Chaperoning Fresh Ideas
Chaperoning Fresh Ideas
Fall is a magical time to visit our farm when the leaves are brightly colored on the trees, apples are plentiful in our orchards, and orange pumpkins dot the landscape for as far as the eye can see. There are plenty of reasons to visit our farm in the fall and our field trips are… Read More »
Fall is a magical time to visit our farm when the leaves are brightly colored on the trees, apples are plentiful in our orchards, and orange pumpkins dot the landscape for as far as the eye can see. There are plenty of reasons to visit our farm in the fall and our field trips are said to be one of our best-kept secrets. Field trips can be enjoyed on our farm at any time of the year and tend to be most popular in the fall when students return to classrooms eager to learn and educators seek exciting new ways to engage students.
Full Spectrum of Learning
Educators and parents alike love reserving excursions with us so that their children have the opportunity to get outside the classroom, explore new environments, and learn how food is grown on our real working farm. Our field trips provide a chance to get up close and personal with farming and experience a full spectrum of learning throughout the tour. First up is the guided tractor-drawn wagon ride around the 374-acre farm where you will plan a stop for picking apples or pumpkins. Nothing matches the thrill of being outdoors in nature in an orchard or pumpkin patch with all the sights and sounds around you to stimulate learning and lifetime memories. Next comes the picking activity where students receive the opportunity to pick pumpkins in the fields while exploring how the fruit grows on a vine in its natural habitat. Or selecting the perfect apple from our dwarf apple trees that are easily within arm’s reach in our expansive orchards. Our tour guides point out interesting facts throughout the process applicable to all learners. Next, you will board the wagon and continue to the outdoor farm classroom where our educators (including our culinary & educational specialists) have a lesson tailored toward the audience. The littlest visitors love a show-and-tell style lesson about seasonal produce. Older students become engaged in topics including pollination, seed to table, and field to fork endeavors.
Our field trips appeal to all ages from the littlest children in preschool, to the college level student, all the way up to corporate and senior groups. The various activities can be customized to your needs and educational expectations. Our field trips are educationally approved to meet your curriculum needs on farming, food, bees, soil, planting, and more with the aid of our farm classroom. Birds flying by, pollinators buzzing about, all while your tour guide highlights special points of interest on our farm making for a perfect day of interactive learning outside the classroom. Older students love the more in-depth programs including learning about healthy soil, sustainable farming, or visiting our high tunnels or greenhouses to see the whole process from seed to soil. 
The Freshest Ideas
No trip to the farm is complete without the scenic view from atop the highest point in Chester Township which happens to be one of the routes on our tractor tour. Learning about friendly farm animals rounds out the day while you visit with them and hear the shrill of laughter as a cow licks a child for the first time. Your last stop on the tour is at your personally reserved tent to enjoy our fresh pressed apple cider and lunch (farm-catered or your own brown bag) before embarking back on your bus back to school.
We also bring our fresh ideas to you with a variety of onsite school visits like a recent trip to the St. Rose of Lima Academy. We were asked to set up a mini farmers market for students to learn about how to make healthy food choices. We brought freshly picked fruits and vegetables that are in season for the children to select their favorites and expand their horizons on the benefits of eating fresh food. As you can see from the smiling faces, the onsite farmers market was a success!
Assistant Farm Production Supervisor, Rebekah Alstede, visited a local school and spent time with the students as part of the NJ Department of Agriculture’s National Farm to School Week on September 25th – 29th, 2023. This program is designed to highlight the importance of local food in the classroom & and cafeteria to advocate healthy lifestyles. The students were able to expand their palates by sampling farm fresh food prepared using seasonal fruits and vegetables from Alstede Farms, including a rainbow salad, sweet corn ribs, and apple bites, along with other seasonal samples. Learn more about the NJDA Farm to School program on their website.
Thanks for learning more about our farm-to-table experiences by reading our weekly blog. Spend some quality time with the people who grow your food by scheduling a field trip or group tour to our farm or your school today.
