EUREKA camper planting tomatoes in May

On the Farm

The orchards and fields of the Western Colorado Research Center lend themselves to use as an outdoor classroom for hands-on learning in food production, life sciences, healthy eating, and civic service. We host schools and organizations in the spring, when students plant in our greenhouse and fields. In the summer and fall students harvest and taste fresh fruits and vegetables. The produce is donated to area food banks and given to their school cafeteria in partnership with SD51 Nutrition Services. We also partner with the EUREKA Science Museum to provide day camps in agriculture and cooking.

In the classroom

We can provide more context to the field trip by visiting your classroom prior to or after your visit to the farm.  We have been guest speakers regarding food, agriculture/school gardens, and nutrition. We have partnered with many schools in providing real-life application of students’ problem-based learning (PBL) projects.  Contact us for more information.

Why Spring?

Spring field trips to WCRC typically take place throughout May and late April, during our planting season. Students will have the opportunity to plant vegetable seedlings in the fields and learn about topics like plant science, agriculture, or pollinators. We aim to bring all students back for a fall field trip to harvest what they planted!

For more info about spring field trips, check out this flyer

Spring field trips work best when students revisit in the fall! For information about dual spring/fall field trips, check out this flyer

Why Fall?

Harvest season at WCRC takes place from July to October. Fall field trips usually happen in August, September, and October. Students will have the opportunity to harvest seasonal vegetables and fruits that will donated either to food banks or to their own school cafeterias! Students can then head to our teaching kitchen to try different ways of preparing vegetables and fruits. We can also incorporate lessons about healthy eating/nutrition, local food, or civic service.

For more info about fall field trips, check out this flyer

Fall field trips work best with students who have already visited in the spring! For information about dual spring/fall field trips, check out this flyer

School’s Out?

The Community Alliance engages Mesa County youth through several means other than just farm-to-school.  These have included:

• Pre-K visits (best during harvest season – July-October)
• Riverside Education Center after school programs
• EUREKA! Summer camps
• Other youth organizations
• Do your service projects with us!

Contact us to discuss how we can design a visit that’s right for your group.