TANGO Member Showcase - October 2024
Auerfarm
Engage. Learn. Enjoy.
Auerfarm provides opportunities for people of all ages to engage in and learn about agriculture, nature, and the environment. From our formal education programs and farm-to-table dinners, to hiking our trails, Auerfarm has something for everyone.
Auerfarm believes in the power of farm-based education. Through hands-on experiential learning, young minds can explore, imagine, create, and wonder in a natural environment.
By connecting to the place, students can learn about science, agriculture, and themselves. When a young mind first learns that the farm is a living classroom, they engage all their senses as they touch the soil, smell fresh herbs, hear animal sounds, see crops growing, and taste farm-fresh produce.
This multi-sensory approach deepens their connection to the environment and enhances memory retention. As they actively participate in farm activities like planting seeds, caring for animals, and harvesting crops, students develop a sense of responsibility and accomplishment.
Through agricultural science, they discover the life cycles of plants and animals, understand ecosystems, and explore concepts like photosynthesis and pollination in a real-world context. Farm experiences also encourage critical thinking and creative problem-solving as students navigate real-world situations.
Working together on farm tasks helps children build cooperation skills, empathy, and self-confidence. By linking farm-based activities to educational standards, Auerfarm reinforces classroom learning in subjects like science, math, and social studies, while also allowing students to experience the changing seasons and understand natural cycles.
Children also learn about the journey of food from farm to table, fostering an appreciation for local agriculture and healthy eating habits. Farm experiences can even connect students to agricultural traditions and local history, enhancing their sense of place and community. By immersing young minds in the rich, multifaceted environment of a working farm, Auerfarm creates transformative educational experiences that nurture curiosity, respect for nature, and a lifelong love of learning.
Auerfarm Program Sampler
This fall we are highlighting three programs: Project MOO, Growing Opportunities, and Farm-to-table dinners culinary programming.
Project MOO
Amidst the vibrant sounds of goats, chickens, and donkeys at Auerfarm, a group of young children from Hartford has discovered solace in the tranquil embrace of nature. In contrast to the noise and violence of the city, the 120-acre Auerfarm in Bloomfield serves as a peaceful sanctuary for these children to learn and play.
Project Moo is more than a program; it’s a sanctuary of growth and resilience. Every Saturday for 30 weeks, kids aged 9 to 14 gather at Auerfarm, immersing themselves in the 4-H curriculum and participating in 4-H events. Project MOO strengthens participants, self-confidence, resilience, empathy, and knowledge.
Project Moo is a program of the Justice Education Center, Inc, in collaboration with Auerfarm and the Community Renewal Team.
Building culinary skills; Auerfarm Growing Opportunities Summer Program
The summer Growing Opportunities program is a workforce development initiative at Auerfarm that engages students aged 18 to 22 from the area’s public schools. These students have a range of developmental or intellectual disabilities and are transitioning from high school to the workforce or independent living. The transition program meets the individual needs of students, which may include independence, self-care, and other daily living skills, including workforce development. This is where Auerfarm comes in. At Auerfarm, students learn skills in agriculture, facilities management, and culinary arts. The summer program includes working at Auerfarm as well as taking trips to local businesses for on-the-job training in stores that are likely to hire people with disabilities, including ReStore and Fitzgerald’s. However, perhaps the most indelible part of the program is preparing lunch every day with Chef Kristiann.
“I taught them how to cook in a way that they should know for themselves, with the idea that some of them might have opportunities to work in commercial kitchens,” said Chef Kristiann.
Auerfarm’s Farm-to-Table Dinner Series
Join us for an intimate evening at our Farm-to-Table Dinner Series, where every bite is a celebration of local flavors and fresh ingredients!
Indulge in a multi-course culinary experience crafted by the talented Chef Kristiann all while surrounded by the stunning beauty of Auerfarm.
Reserve your spot today for a night of community, conversation, and exceptional cuisine under the stars! 2025 dates coming soon.
Services We Provide
Community Programs we provide for Schools & Districts Educational partners include Wintonbury Early Childhood Magnet School, Laurel Elementary School, Carmen Arace Middle School, Annie Fisher Montessori, Farmington Valley Transition Academy, West Hartford Transition Program, and Options Employment & Educational Services. All Auerfarm education programs (School Field Trips (including virtual field trips), Farm to School, Farm Explorers, 4-H Clubs, Growing Opportunities (high school students with special needs), Auer Camp (summer day camp) and seasonal after-school Enrichment Camp, Family Fun.
Auerfarm programs and events are linked to the Connecticut Early Learning Development Standards (CT ELDS) and the Next Generation Service Standards (NGSS), thus ensuring their applicability across a range of academic standards. Auerfarm educators include certified teachers, curriculum specialists, and farmers with experience in social and emotional learning, agriscience, and nature.
Community Programs we provide for Students & Families:
Family Programs bring adults and children together to investigate what is happening in Auerfarm’s gardens and greenhouses, barns, forests, wetlands and fields. They learn experientially through stories, songs, science, art, cooking, gardening and animal care. Auerfarm educational student programs include: School field trips (including virtual field trips), Farm to School, Farm Explorers, 4-H Clubs, Growing Opportunities (high school students with special needs), Auer Camp (summer day camp) and seasonal after-school and morning Enrichment Camp, Family Fun events. Annual family and community events include: Fall Festival, Blueberry Jam, Party in Plaid, Santa on the Farm and Pancake Breakfast.
Community Programs we provide for Adult Learners:
The farm is committed to engaging diverse learners of all ages in learning about agriculture, science, and the environment. Our programs make full use of Auerfarm’s resources – animals, community gardens, trails, streams, and innovative classroom spaces – to provide hands-on learning experiences that we believe communicate knowledge more effectively than traditional instructional models.
Auerfarm welcomes you to engage, learn, and enjoy!
How has TANGO Impacted your Organization:
Throughout the years and during the pandemic, TANGO continued to advocate for nonprofits and promote the purposeful work we all do. The internal and external resources offered are insightful resources that help assist our small (but mighty) staff and connect us with strategic business vendors. These TANGO resources not only help to hone our professional development skills, but help us implement our strategic plan, all while adapting and growing in an ever-changing non-profit, education, and STEM world. Thank you, TANGO.
There are many opportunities to partner with Auerfarm. We have opportunities for you, your family, and your business. Auerfarm has openings for volunteer, education collaborations, corporate sponsor partnerships, etc.
Please visit www.auerfarm.org for more information to partner with Auerfarm and/or reach out to Executive Director, Erica Fearn at .
Contact Us Today!
Auerfarm
158 Auer Farm Road
Bloomfield, CT 06002
www.auerfarm.org
860.242.7144