School Programs | Fairgate Farm

Part of our mission at Fairgate Farm is to provide educational opportunities to our school aged children from first grade – through high school, and beyond.

Fairgate Farm offers formal school tours that include a brief introduction to the planting lifecycle and an in depth look at what we’re currently growing. We will take a peek at our beehives, visit our compost station and see what’s growing in our hydroponic greenhouse. We also offer a more hands-on-experience where we get our hands dirty preparing the soil, planting, weeding, watering and harvesting an incredible variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables. For middle school and high school students groups desiring an even more in-depth experience of organic farming, we are able to tailor sessions and delve into topics such as the following:

What it means to be Organic: We learn about no-till soil management, crop rotation, the importance of heritage seeds, the benefits of companion planting, natural pest control and bee friendly flowers. We also look at the planting life cycle, the importance of soil health and delve more into the science of composting.
Hydroponics and Greenhouse Essentials: Our greenhouses are vitally important to Fairgate’s farming season. Learn how we grow seedlings, keep our lettuce crops growing in the cooler months and how to grow greens without soil.

Each of our educational experiences lasts from 45 minutes to one hour. However, we are more than happy to tailor the time and content to meet the needs and schedule of your group.

We welcome school aged children from first grade through high school. Please contact Farm Manager Pete Novajosky (pnovajosky@charteroakcommunities.org or 203-940-2305) or Outreach Coordinator Heidi Andersen (ngagliardi@charteroakcommunities.org or 475-333-1362) if you would like more information or to schedule an educational event.

We welcome donors and sponsors to help us provide these programs to the community.

“The first time I visited Fairgate Farm was during a community day that Westhill Agriscience Program attended. During this time, we weeded beds in order to prepare for the season. Several months later, I found out about an internship program that I was hired for. This position was one of the most rewarding I have ever had!”

– Catherine Caragine, 2019 Eichler Heart of Gold Scholarship Recipient (pictured above left)