Better Farm’s Sustainability Education Program
is a hands-on immersive in sustainability initiatives.
Check back soon for 2025 dates!
About the program
Better Farm's Sustainability Education Program is a weekend-long course rooted in an experiential, immersive farm experience. Students will participate in daily farming operations, as well as targeted units "Grow," "Build," "Survive," "Play" and "Steward."
College students may additionally receive course credit for completion of Better Farm's Sustainability Education Program (pursuant to clearance from your school).
Individuals are immersed in farm life and Redwood’s local culture. Be prepared to take on solo work as well as group efforts; ranging from everyday tasks to unusual, exciting projects.
Amenities: Reading materials, WiFi, linens, towels, parking, laundry access, bicycles, on-site library, sauna, and of course recommendations to local attractions and must-attend events if you'd like to check out everything the Thousand Islands has to offer!
Meals: Students will be served dinner Friday, all meals Saturday, breakfast and lunch Sunday. All meals are vegan except for farm-fresh eggs at breakfast (optional) and honey available for tea and coffee. Farm-to-table, organic ingredients are utilized wherever possible.
What to expect: If you join us for a day pass on Saturday, be here by 9. Everyone else should arrive Friday and be ready to get totally immersed in farm culture.
You'll hear birds, chickens and owls chirping, catch the Milky Way (if it's a clear night), eat yummy food, and be guided every step of the way.
Don't worry about your experience level. It doesn't matter if you grew up on a farm or have never left the city. We're here to shepherd you through the whole thing top to bottom. That means everyone from educators looking for fun classroom projects and students hungry for a different way to learn to suburban soccer moms and YOLO/FOMO enthusiasts will find something special at Better Farm.
Ultimately, that's our mission: to provide you with a "better" experience that unveils your potential to provide, survive, play, and improve the world around you.
Lodging: If you register for the weekend with lodging included, you'll have your pick of lofts, cabins and private bedrooms. You're also welcome to park your RV or tent here for the weekend. We work on a first-come, first-served basis for lodging, so if you have a preference please email us at info@betterfarm.org with special requests or to see what we have available.
Schedule
Friday
7 p.m. Welcome Dinner
9 p.m. Bonfire/free time
Saturday
9 a.m. Breakfast
10 a.m.-6 p.m. activities with mid-day lunch break
GROW
Instead of a traditional working farm with acres upon acres of one or a few different crops, Better Farm has gardens demonstrating different styles of growing. These gardens illustrate the need for a diversity of crops instead of the monoculture farms you're used to. Better Farm equips students with a variety of solutions to real-world agricultural issues, including small spaces, temperamental soils, pests, and climate change. Each growing area is different so students coming from all over the world will learn practical tools that can be applied back home, no matter the setting.
BUILD
Learn basic tool safety and use, alternative building methods, woodworking, construction, upcycling, and assembling concepts for closed-loop systems like rainwater catchment, sauna, barn or cabin construction, greenhouse maintenance, or tiny home creation.
STEWARD
Living in tandem with the earth means working the land and caring for livestock in ways that make sense. For this unit, you'll learn how to properly plant trees for everything from edible forests to habitat restoration, start and maintain a beehive, care for chickens, tend to alpacas, horses, pigs and other animals, build bathouses or insect motels, and manage the land in a responsible way. In the late summer, that might mean chopping wood, locating standing dead trees, and caring for equine health. In the spring, you'll learn about invasive plant species and witness alpaca shearing. In the summer, you'll maintain healthy tree growth, visit with newborn animals, and repair livestock fencing.
PLAY
Whether tightrope walking, juggling, running, catching a game of horseshoes or bocce, kayaking, bicycling, or jumping in a lake, we'll take time you might otherwise spend catching up on Netflix or surfing the 'net and replace it with recess. Adapted to all skill levels, body types and backgrounds, just be ready to have fun. Participants are welcome to use this time to explore the area on their own, as well.
7 p.m. Family-style dinner (for weekend-long participants only)
8 p.m. Free time for bonfires, sing-alongs, reading, stargazing, night swimming, or going out on the town.
Sunday
9 a.m. Breakfast
10 a.m.
SURVIVE
Living off the land is tantamount to understanding the bounty in your own backyard. For this unit, you'll forage for edible wild plants, make firestarter kits, learn to recognize spots for shelters, and read the land. Whether you want to be an urban survivalist or ready for the zombie apocalypse, we have you covered.
12:30 Light lunch and goodbyes
SPECIFICATIONS
Program Length – 2 Nights, 3 Days
Program Term – 2025 dates coming soon!
Costs: $475 with lodging, $350 without, $200 for Saturday day pass only.
Small-Scale Organic Farming
Greenhouses/4-Season Farming
Compost
Beekeeping
Alternative Building and Energy
Animal Husbandry
Rainwater Collection
Greywater Filtration
Aquaponics, Hydroponics
Community Outreach
Homesteading
Water Quality Studies
Outdoor Survival
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Kayaking
Swimming
Hiking
Drive-In Movies
Bowling
Camping
Fishing
Boating
Bicycling
Cancellation/Refund Policy
Because of the personalized nature of our small program and limited space, all registration fees are non-refundable. If space allows, we may be able to give credit for future use of the program. Check in at info@betterfarm.org.
