Farmette at Denver JDS

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And the earth brought forth grass, seed yielding herbs of all kinds, and tree bearing fruit, in which its seed is found, according to its kind; and God saw that it was good.
— Genesis 1:12

 

Learn. Grow. Regenerate.
The Farmette at Denver Jewish Day School

The Farmette, a parent-driven initiative at Denver Jewish Day School, uses farming to reach beyond the school’s traditional boundaries. In addition to growing food, it offers a space for teachers to integrate various disciplines and bring meaning to the standard curricula for science, history/social science, mathematics, English, and language arts. By opening its doors to the broader community through partnerships, volunteer, educational, and employment opportunities, it creates a resilient network of individuals.

For more information about The Farmette or to be added to our email list, please contact Farmette Manager, Alix Kivlin at farmette@denverdjs.org.

Our Mission

The Farmette at Denver JDS strives to cultivate a love of learning experiential opportunities to grow food in a healthy manner. The Farmette is a regenerative system, growing food for school lunches, resale, and donation.

Our goal is to:

● Encourage awareness of the earth and ecological processes through active exploration of environmental questions, problem-solving, and hands-on experience
● Provide students who struggle in the classroom with an alternative platform for successful learning
● Support and enhance the development of 21st century life skills
● Strengthen school pride and identity
● Serve as a center of community education

Why a Farmette?

Children today are spending more time indoors and less time outside than ever before. “The mind cannot forget what the hands have learned,” (Anatomy in Clay). Spaces like the Farmette at Denver JDS get students outside and away from screens. It is a space that connects students to the earth while providing opportunities for applied learning to increase memory retention.

Academic Achievement

● Outdoor education supports student inquiry and connection to the natural world. It engages them in the process of forming meaningful questions. (Habib & Doherty, 2007)
● Students involved in outdoor education generally take pleasure in learning and show positive attitudes toward education. (Canaris, 1995; Dirks & Orvis, 2005)
● Students with school garden programs incorporated into their science curriculum score significantly higher on science achievement tests than students who are taught by traditional classroom methods. (Klemmer, Waliczek & Zajicek, 2005)
● Outdoor education addresses different learning styles and intelligences: students who struggle in the classroom are often leaders in the garden. (Waters, 2008)
● A farmette makes subjects like math and science tangible by inspiring active exploration and encouraging inquiry. Students use their sense, reasoning, and communication skills to find answers to questions.

Physical Health

● Children familiar with growing their own food tend to eat more fruit and vegetables (Bell & Dyment, 2008) and are more inclined to continue healthy eating habits through adulthood (Morris & Zidenberg-Cherr, 2002).

Social and Emotional Health

● The Farmette is a safe space for students. Studies have shown that large numbers of students report a feeling of calm, safety, happiness, and relaxation in such an environment (Habib & Doherty, 2007).
● Children who work in a farmette are more likely to accept people different from themselves (Dyment & Bell, 2006).
● Students participating in an outdoor education/farming program demonstrated increased self-understanding, interpersonal skills and cooperation when compared to students who did not participate in such a program (Robinson & Zajicek, 2005).