farm school?

[bibliophile birds]

Me too! Me too! This city girl would jump at the opportunity to gain some farming skills and hobnob with other SSrs. (Not sure how I'd pay for it, though...Mebbe I could groom your dogs? )

if you can get my girl actually looking/smelling clean, you can hobnob all you want!

Saturday adult classes are a good idea. i'd been considering a modified "work for food" project where people could come out and help with chores/learn some skills and get to take some produce home with them at the end of the day.

 

[me&thegals]

I bet you're already on top of this, but I'll just remind you about getting really great liability insurance. My worker share people only get to use the "safe tools", too. Nothing sharp or engine operated.

Boy--the possibilities for this are nearly endless! I might have to copy this idea. I had a BLAST doing my tomato canning night this past summer, and the women who came out absolutely enjoyed themselves. Imagine the possibilities!

 

[bibliophile birds]

I bet you're already on top of this, but I'll just remind you about getting really great liability insurance. My worker share people only get to use the "safe tools", too. Nothing sharp or engine operated.

Boy--the possibilities for this are nearly endless! I might have to copy this idea. I had a BLAST doing my tomato canning night this past summer, and the women who came out absolutely enjoyed themselves. Imagine the possibilities!

insurance is the thing i'm most concerned about. i know the equestrian school has some sort of coverage, but a lot of that also falls under the whole "posted warning sign: proceed at your own risk" loophole that riding barns have. that's going to be the biggest headache to figure out.

copy away! we should start a whole network of farm schools! take over the world!

 

[freemotion]

I've been watching this thread but not commenting because I don't have children....but I think it is an awesome idea!!!! I bet parents would go for it!

 

[dragonlaurel]

Great idea! What about an after school program? Something fun and helpful to do while the parents are still at work.They could learn cool stuff and help if they want. You'd have more of your day free to do the other stuff you need done.

You could ask their parents to provide a snack but make a meal for them once in a while fresh from the garden. Keep it a special treat and do it when you have a big harvest of something. Let them help make something from it. People apreciate stuff more when it's not "all the time".

 

[Beekissed]

It's a wonderful idea!

I've often thought of how neat it would have to have a B&B with the same concept. Whole families could come and stay for a weekend or a week at a time and do all the regular farm chores, eat real farm food, learn how to grow, process and do farm-type things as a vacation.

I had discussed this with my son and mother, for our future life on bigger acreage. What a neat concept and we would be seasonally booked, I can guarantee it! No, most folks like us wouldn't opt to work on our vacations but city folks who hunger or dream of life in the country would surely come....and come back.

Classes on tractor maintenance, gardening, proper care of hooves, milking, cheese/butter making, flock maintenance, chainsaw sharpening and maintenance and even how to cut down a tree.....why, the possibilities are endless!

I think your farm school could be a wonderful thing but caring for kids all day might run into a few problems and you would have to have some auxillary staff. Still....great concept! Kids would dearly LOVE it, even teens.

 

[Wifezilla]

I think it is a great idea too. I went to a summer day camp for years. The canoeing was my favorite part. We also learned first aid, animal identification (from tracks and droppings), hunter's safety.... it was awesome.

I would pay for a Saturday class with a bunch of adults. If I had the opportunity I would have sent my sons to a farm day camp too.