Promoting Agricultural Literacy for a sustainable food system
Programs (listed alphabetically)
Devil's Gulch Ranch
Sustainable and diversified agricutural ranch that produces wine grapes, fruits & vegetables, animals, and wind power on 65 acres.
Environmental Education Council of Marin
The Marin Food Systems Project aims to rebuild healthy and mutually supportive relationships between Marin County schools, their parent communities and local farms; to reintegrate an understanding that human health is directly linked to the environment; and to create opportunities for students in schools to have hands-on, real world environmental education experiences.
Green Gulch Zen Center
Zen practices for students, visitors, lay people, priests, and monks.
Headlands Institute
Dedicated to providing educational advertures in nature's classroom to inspire a personal connection to the natural world and actions to sustain it.
Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT)
The Farm Field Study Program offers visits to local farms and ranches including organic vegetable farms, dairies, beef and sheep ranches for students and teachers. Marin Agricultural Presentations for Schools and Community Groups creates and presents talks and displays on Marin Agriculture for schools and community organizations.
Marin Art & Garden Center
Promotes awareness of nature and understanding of ecological systems. Through the use of demonstration gardens as educational sites, children and adults explore the importance of habitat, conservation, and stewardship.
Marin Conservation Corps
Develops youth and conserves natural resources for a strong, sustainable community through education, civic engagement, leapdership, and employability.
Marin County Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program (MCSTOPPP)
Educational tools for understanding your local watershed. Free coloring books, activity guides, plant cards, composting guides, diorama, and puppet shows.
Marin Farmers' Markets
School Tours - Meet the farmers and learn how they grow their crops, where they come from, what is in season, and why thes choose to farm. A variety of tours for K-12 are offered at the San Rafael Civic Center Farmers Market on Thursdays, from 9 am to noon. Choose to attend a market orientation, participate in a self-guided farmers market treasure hunt, or take a tour with a market manager.
Farm to Fork, a project of the Marin Agricultural Institute - Farm to Fork sources delicious and local foods from farmers, mostly within an average 150 mile radius, including organic, conventional, no spray, and transitional items for schools and non-profits, in addition to businesses and other institutions. Products include fresh and local fruits and vegetables, breads, sauces, oils, honey, jams, and more. Deliveries are on Monday and Thursday.
Marin Organic School Lunch Program
Helping to transform the school lunch choices for our kids by offering a combination of purchased and lgeaned food from Marin Organic farms to participating school throughout the county.
Regenerative Design Institute of Northern California
An educational organization promoting sustainable technologies and methodologies, drawing on the tools and tecahings of the permaculture design.
Slide Ranch
Offers hands-on weekday and overnight farm workshops primarily attended by school children and community groups in the spring and fall. Organic gardens, goats, sheep, chickens and ducks, along with numerous coastal trails, tide-pools and pocket beaches, provide an ideal outdoor venue for teaching about healthy foods, healthy living, and environmental awareness.
Students and Teachers Restoring a Watershed (STRAW)
Students participate in professional restoration projects on ranches, famrs, school grounds, and other public lands. They also apply and deepen their knowledge of academic subjects through exploring creek ecology and hydrology, bird and aquatic insect studies, water quality monitoring, mapping, native plants, and nature writing and art with the assistance of STRAW staff and partners.
Watershed Week - Annual three-day teacher training institute in August. Approximately 80 to 100 participants gather to study local ecology, to learn hands-on methods of scientific inquiry, to share ideas about integrating environmental fieldwork with classroom curricula, and to prepare for creek restoration activities during the coming year.
Walker Creek Ranch Marin County Outdoor School
Operated by the Marin County Office of Education, this program provides hands-on, field-based activities correlated to core State science standards curriculum. Situated on a 1700-acre former dairy ranch, they offer 4 or 5-day residential programs geared to 5th and 6th grade students. Older and younger age groups are considered, based on availability.
Windrush Farm
To expose students and adults to a farm experience that includes animals, natural fibers, and hands-on learning.