Field Trips for Schools and Scouts
Our Farm is a rich community resource for schools and youth groups, offering an array of experiences that enhance classroom-based learning and cultivate personal growth. Experiences include tours customized for different age groups; preschool field trips; elementary school science programs; middle and high school volunteering; and camping, community service, and badge-earning opportunities for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.
Tours for Students and Scouts
Explore our fields, greenhouses, and woodlands. Witness our pollinators at work. Greet baby goats in spring. Taste raw sugar-maple sap in winter. Our tours change with the seasons, are tailored to the needs and interests of children at various stages, and meet Massachusetts Curriculum Framework standards.
Programs
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75 minutes
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$10/student
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Teachers/chaperones come free (4 teacher/chaperone maximum, not including 1:1 support staff)
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Minimum group size: 15
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Different theme each month
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75 minutes
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$10/student
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Teachers/chaperones come free (4 teacher/chaperone maximum, not including 1:1 support staff)
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Minimum group size: 15
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up to 3 hours
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$10/student
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Teachers/chaperones come free (4 teacher/chaperone maximum, not including 1:1 support staff)
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Minimum group size: 15 maximum group size: 40)
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60 minutes
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$100 for up to 10 scouts
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$10 for each additional scout
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Chaperones come free (2 chaperones maximum per 10 scouts)
All groups are welcome to use our picnic tables, take a self-guided tour of our nature trail, and visit our animals before or after farm programming.
Programs for Preschoolers
The Wee Farmers is an exciting, interactive field trip experience for children ages 2-5. Led by a knowledgeable farm educator and held completely outdoors, each field trip includes seasonal nature exploration, active movement and play, and story time. programs vary seasonally and include subjects like Turkey Time, Sheeps and Sweaters, and Roots and Stems
- 75 minutes
- $150 for up to 15 children; $200 for up to 20 children
- Teachers/chaperones come free (4 teacher/chaperone maximum, not including 1:1 support staff)
- Groups are welcome to stay after their program for a snack or more time to walk around the farm and/or the adjoining conservation land.
K-5 Science Programs
Observe the physical adaptations that help chickens survive. Examine what makes soil healthy. Try your hand at spinning wool. Our Living Laboratory programs bring academic subjects to life and cultivate students’ appreciation for the larger ecological community. Programs are aligned with the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework and can be adapted to meet the needs of students at any grade level.
Close to the Ground (Grades K-5)
Investigate the connection between our food and the environment.
Egg to Chicken (Grades K-2)
Get close to our chickens and learn about their amazing adaptations.
Forest Biomes (Grades K-5)
Explore our forest ecosystem and discover how landscapes change over time.
Plant and Animal Interdependence (Grades K-5)
Learn how food webs help our plants and animals survive, grow, and reproduce.
Pollinator Power (Grades 3-5)
Investigate what makes the farm a perfect sanctuary for pollinators.
Sheep Shearing (Grades K-2) (Seasonal)
Observe sheep shearing and try your hand at carding, spinning, and weaving.
Soil and Plants (Grades K-5)
Examine soil health and biodiversity at the farm and within our deciduous forest.
Rocks to Soil (Grades 2-5)
Discover how geology builds a farm and contributes to the health of plants, animals, and people.
Bugs on the Farm (Grades K-3)
Discover all the different roles insects play on the Farm.
Details
75 minutes
$10/student
Teachers/chaperones come free (4 teacher/chaperone maximum, not including 1:1 support staff)
Extend the fun and save: Book two programs back to back for $16/student!
Minimum group size: 15 students
2-4 classrooms can participate in one time slot (dependent on subject and class size)
Schools are welcome to use our picnic tables and take a self-guided tour of our nature trail or animals before or after farm programming.
Middle and High School Programs
Give and Learn as a Volunteer
Middle and high school students and staff can participate in meaningful, collaborative work on our Farm as volunteers, gaining firsthand knowledge of the tremendous labor and talent that goes into plant and livestock production. Students connect academic subjects to agricultural science in action—all while giving back to their community.
Volunteer Activities
Seasonal and specific to the day, farm chores may include weeding, mulching, feeding pigs, harvesting tomatoes, filling compost bags, or mucking sheep, goat, turkey, and chicken areas.
Learning While Doing
Our knowledgeable, highly trained, and safety-conscious farm educators infuse chores with lessons on healthy eating, sustainability, ecological cycles, agricultural science, and other relevant topics.
Giving Back
Student volunteers support farm production and cultivate a healthy habitat for plants, animals, and people—ensuring continued community access to nutritious food and nourishing natural spaces.
Details
Up to 3 hours, weekdays
September-October and late April-early June
$10/student
Teachers/chaperones come free (4 teacher/chaperone maximum, not including 1:1 support staff)
Minimum group size: 15 students
Schools are welcome to eat lunch and take a self-guided tour of our nature trail and animals after volunteering.
Scout Programs
Our Farm provides a singular setting for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of all ages to learn about the natural environment, and to build knowledge and skills that reflect the values and mission of their Scouting programs. For more than a decade, we’ve hosted Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts for tours, volunteer experiences, campouts, badge programs, and personal service projects.
Opportunities for All Scouts
Farm Tours
Greet our animals, see what’s growing, and learn about sustainable farming during this informative interactive tour.
- 60 minutes
- All ages
- Year round
- $100 for up to 10 scouts
- $10 for each additional scout
- Chaperones come free (two-chaperone max per 10 scouts)
Farm Chores
Engage in meaningful farm work by helping to feed and water our animals, tend to our flowers, and harvest our vegetables.
- 90 minutes
- All ages
- Year round
- $120 for up to 10 scouts
- $12 for each additional scout
- Chaperones come free (two-chaperone max per 10 scouts)
Maple Sugaring Tours (Seasonal)
Learn the history of sugaring, visit our tapped sugar maples, and (weather permitting) see our sap boiling down into syrup.
- 60 minutes
- All ages
- Mid-February through mid-March (weather depending)
- $100 for up to 10 scouts
- $10 per each additional scout
- Chaperones come free (two-chaperone max per 10 scouts)
Overnight Camping
Enjoy an overnight adventure in our woods, and help tend to our animals in the morning.
- All ages
- Sept-Nov and April-June (Friday or Saturday night)
- $25 per scout
- Chaperones come free (two-chaperone max per 10 scouts)
- Space for up to six four-person tents
Girl Scouts
From Daisies to Seniors, Girl Scouts of all ages have a full range of opportunities to complete their journey and badge programs on our Farm. We can customize programs to fit the needs of your troop, and we happily work with Girl Scouts pursuing their Bronze, Silver, and Gold awards.
Girl Scout Badges/Journeys/Awards at NCOF
Boy Scouts
Through the study of topics such as organic farming, soil ecology, composting, farm animals, maple sugaring, and eating local, Boy Scouts have the chance to earn a variety of badges through our Farm. We can tailor programming to satisfy badge requirements, and we love to create fun and successful service projects in collaboration with aspiring Eagle Scouts.