Harvest Fun: Winston Prouty ELC's Field Trip to Wild Carrot Farm

At the end of October, students, teachers, and families from Winston Prouty’s Early Learning Center (ELC) had the opportunity to visit Wild Carrot Farm for a field trip. This farm was selected for a visit because the ELC has been enjoying fresh produce weekly from the farm all season thanks to a Farm to School and Early Childhood Community Supported Agriculture grant from Vermont’s Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM). 

The children enjoyed a variety of fresh seasonal produce to snack on each week from June through October. Their teacher, Nora Harrington says, “one highlight was when we made fennel straws. The big stalks are so stiff that you can actually drink water through them and the children thought that was really fun.” The students really love carrots, and they made a carrot and vegetable stew for their harvest meal in November. They also have some popcorn from the farm that is still on the cob and they plan to make popcorn soon.

At the farm, activities included horse-drawn hayrides, visits with farm animals, and an exploration of the farm's greenhouse. Students aged 2-4 described the field trip in their own words, saying, 

  • “I saw horses at the farm!” 

  • “They were brown and black.”

  • “I really liked going on the field ride with the horses.”

  • “And we even gave them carrots!”

  • “There was even a trampoline and a little play structure.”

Teacher Nora shared her favorite part of the field trip, saying, “We picked these GIANT carrots and then we fed them to the horses.  We fed them SO MANY carrots! And I ate some too.”
The field trip was supported by the Winston Prouty Farm to School team and funded by a Strengthening Families grant from the Vermont Department for Children and Families.