Fall 2007 Program Schedule
Click here to download the program schedule.
Farm-School Partnerships
Each year TUF works with one or more K-8 schools in a school-wide partnership. Through the partnerships, students at various grade levels enjoy different experiences at The Farm. Past projects have included fifth graders growing herbs and salad greens as a hands-on complement to their plant science unit in class. An eighth grade class spent half of the school year in a goat-breeding project where they learned about genetics, animal husbandry, natural selection vs. breeding, etc. Another fifth grade class learned about farming by developing an egg production business from chick to eggs. They even created their own egg carton label and sold eggs at the local farmer’s market.
Embracing Horses
TUF’s signature program, Embracing Horses is an extremely popular program in which children ages 5 through 18 learn to care for and ride horses. A skills-based program, children progress through a variety of levels of riding and horsemanship. The program includes opportunities for kids to ride once a week as well as opportunities for youngsters who are interested in becoming accomplished equestriennes and in competing at local, regional, or even national levels. Embracing Horses has a great track record for launching girls, especially, into science-related fields of study. Yearly, about 360 kids participate in the program.
4H
Boasting one of the largest 4-H clubs in the state, TUF makes it possible for city kids to participate in traditional livestock projects. More than 300 kids each year have the opportunity to work with horses, cows, goats, sheep, pigs, rabbits, chickens, turkeys, etc. in projects that heretofore were only possible for children whose families owned livestock and had a place to keep them. TUF is a national model for urban 4-H.
Storybook Farm
Storybook Farm is an emerging literacy program for preschool aged children. Each month preschoolers visit TUF where they hear a farm story and then participate in a real-life experience with the farm animals and in the garden. Each classroom visits the farm seven to eight times over the program year. After each visit, the teacher receives a copy of the book that was read and a packet of follow-up activities to be used in the classroom between visits. More than 1000 youngsters have participated in this popular program.
Fieldtrips
TUF provides a standard fieldtrip experience, a fieldtrip plus experience (includes a pony ride), and a customized fieldtrip experience. The standard fieldtrip includes an hour tour of The Farm where visitors meet all the farm animals and, depending on the season, taste their way through the garden. During the tour, the kids will be able to pet chickens, goats, sheep, horses, cows, etc. They may help collect the eggs, may be asked to help roundup the baby goats, or help give Skipper (Denver’s biggest pig) her morning shower.
Customized fieldtrips are available as well. TUF staff will work with teachers, leaders of youth group organizations, etc. to develop a fieldtrip that will emphasize specific content or experiences. For example, TUF has provided customized fieldtrips to complement school curriculum on topics such as pioneers in early Colorado and natural selection versus breeding for specific genetic characteristics. We have also provided experiences to help Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts achieve certain badges (eg. Horsemanship and fiber arts).
Birthday Parties
What could be more fun than riding a pony on your birthday – having nine of your best friends ride ponies too! The Urban Farm features a two hour party that includes a one hour farm tour, hay ride, and pony ride. Kids will play with friendly goats, look for eggs in the chicken coop, hold a very soft rabbit, and, maybe, even glimpse Denver’s biggest pig. The Farm’s garden or party room (depending on the weather) provides a fun space where the birthday celebrant can open presents, eat cake and play games. This party is most appropriate for youngsters 4 to 9 years of age. Farm-themed party favors are available for an additional cost. Party cost is $175. For more information, contact Tennie at 303-307-9332 or send email to birthdayparties@theurbanfarm.org.
Children’s Garden
The Children’s Garden is designed to give kids an understanding of how plants grow and where food comes from. The gardens teach, inspire, and delight children. Children of all ages learn first hand about weather, water dynamics, bird habitats and organic insect control. More than 1500 children taste their way through the garden during TUF’s growing season.
Education Partner at NWSS
TUF is an educational partner to the National Western Stock Show. Each weekday morning during Stock Show, staff and children from The Urban Farm put on a show in the Beef Palace featuring livestock. Students in 4 – 6th grade from schools around the state participate in a multi-media interactive presentation about farm animals. In 2007, TUF hosted a game show “Fabulous Farm Animals – Fact or Fiction?” in which school teams were selected from the audience to compete on behalf of their class. The winning team at the end of the show won a fieldtrip for 30 of their classmates to visit all the farm animals at TUF. An expert panel comprised of youth from our 4H program provided the correct answers. Animals from TUF provided “special effects” and an opportunity for the audience to have a hands-on opportunity after the show. Catch us in 2008 at the Beef Palace!
AWEsome Adventure
The AWEsome Adventure is a project funded by the David and Laura Merage Foundation and hosted by Pine Cliff Ranch in Sedalia, Colorado. So named to reflect the focus on agriculture, wildlife, and the environment, the project makes it possible for TUF Kids to expand their farm experience to a real-life, working cattle ranch. Pine Cliff Ranch is a several thousand acre ranch owned by the foundation and is a conservation easement.
For three weeks during the summer, groups of city kids learn about watersheds, growing hay, and cattle ranching. They even learn to separate cattle into specific groups and to brand and tag these huge animals. During the week the kids learn about water rights and wetland conservation, explore the ranch’s beautiful rock formations, and encounter wildlife from snakes, golden eagle, elk, deer, coyote, even bear. The week-long adventure concludes with a prairie camping experience in teepees and two days of trailriding on The Farm’s school horses. The kids and horses love the great expanses and awesome terrain.
For information about participating in TUF programs contact info@theurbanfarm.org or call 303-307-9332.
Impact
Since TUF began, the vast majority of kids continue to return year after year. National studies on the factors that inoculate children and youth against the pressures of the 21st century show that connectedness to a positive social group, relationships with caring adults who have expectations of youngsters, exposure to role models who demonstrate goal setting and planning toward successful acquisition of those goals are critical resilience factors. The Farm offers these connections and relationships in a myriad of ways that are the natural byproducts of children and adults working, learning, and growing together. Documented results of TUF’s programs have shown that our participants:
- Demonstrate increased knowledge and skills in the areas of plant and animal science
- Understand the multi-cultural influences on Colorado’s continuing agriculturally-based economy and be able to track their own personal linkages to farming, ranching, and agriculture
- Integrate their educational experiences at The Urban Farm with their school
- Exhibit increased positive, non-aggressive, cooperative behaviors which incorporate acceptable conflict resolution approaches
- Exhibit a strong work ethic and a sense of pride in the products they produce
Of course, if you talk to the kids and their parents about the lessons learned, they would give a more personalized accounting of how the Farm affects them. The sense of community and belonging is something that almost everyone remarks on. Kids always talk about the relationships with the animals as being crucial. Many talk about the deep caring relationships they develop with the staff. One young man shared that the adults at TUF are like second moms – “you kick our butts when our moms aren’t around!” We think that was a compliment.
We have found that TUF provides a launching pad for our kids into science fields. The Farm has been particularly successful at directing girls and youth of color into science-related fields – biology, natural resources, veterinary science, zoology, etc.
Finally, the relationships that the kids develop with each other are long-lasting and powerful. Those friendships transcend racial, cultural, and socioeconomic barriers. Even as kids grow up and leave the relative safety of home and TUF, the Farm remains as a touchstone for them as they go to college, move away, join the military, and start families of their own.
