Bowers School Farm has been connecting students to land, animals, and food systems since 1967—right inside the Bloomfield Hills Schools. In this episode, Learning Expedition Leader Megan Isabelle walks us through how a district-owned, 93-acre working farm becomes a living classroom from preschool to high school.

You’ll hear how Bowers integrates farm experiences directly with curriculum across all age groups - from chick hatching in first grade to hands-on vet and ag science for teens - plus how community programs and even a ropes course build confidence, curiosity, and real-world skills on the farm.

You’ll hear:
🐣 Life cycles in real time: Chick hatching in classrooms, then a full-day “where do they go?” farm visit
🌱 Plants & production: Greenhouse/hoop house tours, succession planting, and selling harvest in the Farm Store
👧 Early childhood on the farm: “You, Me & the Barns” and “Pasture Pals” for toddlers/preschoolers with caregivers
🚌 K–5 to career pathways: Regular elementary trips, DK monthly visits, and high-school vet/ag classes on site
🤝 4-H & FFA in action: Volunteering, animal care, and sharing learning with the community
🐴 Animal interactions with intention: From grooming ponies to safe, respectful handling as training progresses
🥕 Taste the difference: A carrot-pulling moment that turns farm-to-snack into an “aha!” for kids (and parents)
🧗 Adventure education on a farm: Ropes course teamwork, confidence, and comfort-zone growth that transfer to class
🧭 Program design tips: Meet students where they are, follow their curiosity, and pivot to keep engagement high

🖥️ Learn more: 
Bowers School Farm — schoolfarm.org
Facebook: @BowersSchoolFarm
Instagram: @BowersSchoolFarm

Farm Educator’s Roadmap®
Website: farmeducatorsroadmap.com
Free guide: farmeducatorsroadmap.com/fivesimplesteps
Instagram: @farmeducatorsroadmap
Facebook: @farmeducatorsroadmap 
Private FB Group: Farm Educator’s Roadmap Community

Treworgy Family Orchards in Maine could have ended before it began. When the family planted their very first 15 acres of apple trees, every single one was destroyed by pests. Instead of giving up, they started over — row by row — and grew into a thriving 400-acre farm and community hub.

In this episode, Education Director Ginny Nute shares how she went from leading field trips to building farm camps and year-round programs that connect thousands of kids and adults to farming and nature. The orchard's story is full of resilience, creativity, and inspiration for anyone dreaming of bringing people onto their farm.

You’ll hear:
🍎 How Treworgy Orchards rebuilt after losing every apple tree — and why resilience is still at the heart of the farm.
👩‍🌾 Ginny’s journey from camp counselor to Education Director.
🎒 A peek into farm camp life — from goat chores to jam making to Friday parades.
🐐 Why goat cuddling became one of their most popular programs.
💡 Practical advice for starting your own programs — even if it’s just inviting five people to follow you around the farm.

Learn more about Treworgy Family Orchards:
https://treworgyorchards.com

🌱 Stay connected with the Farm Educator’s Roadmap:
🖥️ Website: www.farmeducatorsroadmap.com
📋 Free Guide: 5 Simple Steps to Growing an In-Demand Farm Education Program
📸 Instagram
👍 Facebook
Private FB Group: The Farm Educator’s Roadmap Community

Anne Akers has woven together a life of fiber, education, and agritourism at Two Dachshund Farm, the 17-acre haven she and her husband Rodney have been building as they celebrate 50 years together. From alpacas and angora goats to llamas and sheep, every animal has a role in their farm-to-yarn story.

In this conversation, Anne shares how a former teacher and librarian became a fiber farmer and program designer—balancing real-world logistics (fencing, predators, money-paced building) with hands-on wonder for visitors of all ages.

You’ll hear:
🧶 How “farm to yarn” works—shearing cycles, sorting firsts/seconds/thirds, and the small-mill bottleneck
✂️ Why Anne DIY-shears her angora goats 
🧸 The farm-made pieces that fly off shelves 
🤝 Building community with local makers—low-commission consignment 
🚌 Structuring tours that work: public first-weekend tours, private groups, school field trips 
🕸️ “Nature as artist”: using bird nests and spider webs to spark fiber-arts storytelling
🌱 Anne's tips for what to do when you're just starting out

Learn more about Two Dachshund Farm:
🌐 Two Dachshund Farm: www.twodachshundfarm.com
👍 Facebook
📸 Instagram

Stay connected with Farm Educator’s Roadmap
🌐 www.farmeducatorsroadmap.com
📥 Free guide: farmeducatorsroadmap.com/fivesimplesteps
📸 Instagram
👍 Facebook
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What happens when you start farming at 65 for the first time? For Sandy Pond, it became a journey of healing, creativity, and connection. At Sacred Connections at Back Roads Farm in Vermont, Sandy blends organic farming, wellness practices, and art into a one-of-a-kind experience. From CSA shares and herbal remedies to yoga, massage, pottery, and camping under the stars, Sandy shows us what it looks like to truly listen to the land.

✨ In this episode:
🌱 Starting a farm later in life & letting the land co-design
 🎨 Creating sacred space with gardens, art & healing modalities 
🥖 Letting products evolve by showing up & listening
🏕️ Why farm stays help visitors slow down & reconnect

🔗 Connect with Sandy: sacredconnections.earth
🙂Follow her on Facebook: backroadsvt

🌾 Stay connected with Farm Educator’s Roadmap:
📸 Instagram: @farmeducatorsroadmap
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👩‍🌾 Private Group for farm educators: Join
🌐 Website: farmeducatorsroadmap.com
📖 Free Guide: 5 Simple Steps to Growing an In-Demand Farm Education Program

This week I’m joined by Leslie Forsythe of Forsythe Family Farms in Ontario, Canada. For more than 30 years, Leslie has been blending agritourism, direct marketing, and hands-on programs that help thousands of kids (and their parents!) connect to the land. From pumpkin tours and toddler programs to CSA and even digital lessons, her farm has become a true destination for learning.

👉 In this episode, you’ll hear about:

If you’ve wondered how to make farm education engaging, sustainable, and fun, this conversation is packed with inspiration.

🔗 Learn more: forsythefamilyfarms.com

Connect with Farm Educator’s Roadmap
📲 Instagram: @farmeducatorsroadmap
👍 Facebook: Farm Educator’s Roadmap
👥 Private FB Group: Farm Educator’s Roadmap Community
🌐 Website: www.farmeducatorsroadmap.com
📘 Free Guide: 5 Simple Steps to Growing an In-Demand Farm Education Program

Not every farmer runs a formal education program—but every farmer has the power to educate. In this episode, I talk with Melisa Oliva, co-founder of Ananda Gardens in Montpelier, Vermont. Alongside her husband, she started the farm in 2015 with a vision to go beyond organic produce—building a farm that cultivates wellness, education, and connection.

🌿 What we cover in this episode:

Ananda Gardens shows us that production farms can be powerful education hubs simply by connecting people to their food and modeling wellness in everyday ways.

📍 Learn more about Melisa’s work at www.anandagardens.com.

🔗 Stay Connected
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Grab the free guide: 5 Simple Steps to Growing an In-Demand Farm Education Program

Imagine waking up in a historic Vermont farmhouse, the smell of fresh pancakes in the air, and the sound of cows being milked just steps away. For over 40 years, Beth Kennett and her family have welcomed guests from around the world to Liberty Hill Farm — a working dairy and Vermont’s first certified Green Agritourism Enterprise.

Beth isn’t just a gracious host. She’s a Governor-appointed member of the Connecticut River Joint Commission, a driving force behind conservation initiatives like the White River Partnership, and a recognized leader in rural economic development. Her work has been featured in Gourmet, The New York Times, Travel + Leisure, and even Good Morning America.

In this episode, Beth shares the inspiring story of how economic necessity led to opening their doors in 1984, long before “agritourism” was even a word. You’ll hear how she’s blended dairy farming, environmental stewardship, and warm hospitality into a model that sustains the farm, educates visitors, and strengthens rural communities.

We talk about:
🐄 The early days of hosting guests — and how cows, not pancakes, became the real draw.
🌱 Innovative sustainability practices, from recycling heat from cow’s milk to growing dual-purpose cover crops.
👩‍👩‍👦‍👦 How agritourism became a multi-generational family endeavor 
📊 Debunking the myth of “low-skilled” farm work with high-tech dairy tools like cow Fitbits and in-vitro breeding.
🍳 The role of farm-fresh meals in connecting guests to their food — and to the farmers who produce it.
💡 Beth’s advice for starting an agritourism business, including why family buy-in and community ambassadors matter most.

Whether you dream of starting your own farm stay or just love stories about meaningful connections between people, food, and the land, this conversation will inspire you.

Connect with Liberty Hill Farm:
🌐 Website: www.libertyhillfarm.com

Follow the Farm Educator’s Roadmap podcast:
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🌐 Website: www.farmeducatorsroadmap.com
📘 Free Guide: 5 Simple Steps to Growing an In-Demand Farm Education Program

🌻 Episode: Coverdale Farm – Where Conservation Meets Hands-On Education

In this episode of the Farm Educator’s Roadmap, I’m chatting with Mindy Brown, Program Manager at Coverdale Farm Preserve in Greenville, Delaware — a stunning 377-acre property where a working farm, thriving education programs, and dedicated conservation work all come together. 🌾💚

Mindy shares her journey from preschool teacher to farm educator and takes us behind the scenes of Coverdale’s programs — from toddler “grown-up and me” classes to teen farm apprenticeships, cooking camps, community events, and even their popular “Chicken Tenders” program where families raise baby chicks at home. 🐥

We’ll talk about how they weave education into every corner of the farm, the role their farm market plays in connecting people to their food, and how their regenerative practices show visitors that farming can improve the land. 🌱

Whether you’re just starting to dream up your first farm program or you’ve been teaching for years, this conversation is packed with ideas you can adapt for your own work.

🌟 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
🐓 Everyday farm work as education – why you don’t have to create extra work to create learning experiences
🌻 Programs for every age – from toddlers to adults
🥗 Using your farm market as a teaching space
🌍 Regenerative farming & conservation in action
💡 Building community that keeps coming back year after year

🔗 Links & Resources
🌾 Coverdale Farm Preserve: www.delawarenaturesociety.org
📘 The Farm Educator’s Roadmap Facebook Page: facebook.com/farmeducatorsroadmap
📷 The Farm Educator’s Roadmap Instagram: instagram.com/farmeducatorsroadmap
🤝 Join the Private Facebook Group: Join Here
🎁 Free Guide – 5 Simple Steps to Growing an In-Demand Farm Education Program: Download Here

In this episode of the Farm Educator’s Roadmap, Christa Hein sits down with Andrea Parent-Tibbetts of Clover Brooke Farm in New York’s Hudson Valley—a one-woman powerhouse running a regenerative fiber farm, an agritourism hub, and a growing online brand.

Andrea shares her inspiring journey from school administrator to full-time farm entrepreneur, walking us through her farm’s transformation from overgrown pastures to a thriving educational and experiential destination. You’ll hear how she built a business from llama hikes and goat walks, created buzzworthy events like "llama yoga" and a llama kissing booth for Match.com, and reached over 3,200 visitors and 225+ virtual guests—including appearances on The Today Show and USA Today.

This conversation is packed with actionable insight for anyone starting or growing a farm education program, including tips on animal training, Airbnb experiences, creating curriculum, and building a strong social media presence. If you’ve ever dreamed of turning your land and love for animals into a mission-driven, income-generating venture, Andrea’s story will both motivate and guide you.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Resources & Links
🌐 Clover Brooke Farm: www.cloverbrookefarm.com
📸 Follow Clover Brooke Farm on Instagram & Facebook
🎧 Learn more about Airbnb Experiences: www.airbnb.com/experiences
🧠 Learn more about Pet Partners Therapy Certification: www.petpartners.org

Links from the show
→ 🎙️ Follow the podcast: Farm Educator's Roadmap on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and more 
→ 📲 Follow us on Instagram: @farmeducatorsroadmap
→ 👍 Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/farmeducatorsroadmap
→ 🌱 Join the private Facebook group: Farm Educator’s Roadmap Community
→ 📥 Download the free guide: 5 Simple Steps to Growing an In-Demand Farm Education Program
→ 💻 Visit us online: www.farmeducatorsroadmap.com

Lauren Cain of Find Hope Farm in Pataskala, Ohio, didn’t set out to run a 100-goat operation—but her love of animals (and a couple empty barns) led her there. In this episode, Lauren shares how her background in animal welfare science and veterinary medicine informs every aspect of her farm business—from soap-making and herd shares to targeted grazing and goat yoga.

We talk about the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare, and her favorite technique for staying ahead of problems: coffee management (yes, really). Lauren brings a grounded, practical voice to animal care—one that’s full of humor, humility, and hard-won insight.

If you’ve got animals on your farm—or you plan to—this episode will give you thoughtful, accessible ways to make sure their lives (and yours) are as good as they can be.

🌱 In this episode:
* How Lauren accidentally grew a herd of 100+ goats
* What the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare mean for farm educators * Why “coffee management” is her #1 animal care strategy
* How she educates raw milk clients through mandatory tours
* The business of goat yoga, soap, birthday parties & brush clearing
* Why observation is the most underrated tool on the farm
* The science behind how animals express preferences

🔗 Links & Resources:
* Find Hope Farm – www.findhopefarm.com
* Goats on the Go – Columbus East – Facebook
* Follow Find Hope Farm on Facebook – facebook.com/findhopefarm

🎁 Free Guide: 5 Simple Steps to Growing an In-Demand Farm Education Program → farmeducatorsroadmap.com/5simplesteps

📣 Stay Connected:
Follow the Farm Educator’s Roadmap on social:
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