Nestled away between the busy Calle Real shopping centers and quiet residential neighborhoods off Cathedral Oaks Road stands Fairview Gardens, Goleta’s very own functioning farm.
Supplying the community with organic, locally grown produce, the farm — officially The Center for Urban Agriculture at Fairview Gardens — is also striving to pass down the importance of healthy living and sustainable farming to the next generation.
The farm’s first summer camp session kicked off in mid-June, and the nine-week program will be in full swing until the last session ends on Aug. 19.
The camp focuses on teaching youths the ins and outs of farming. This includes everything from seeding, planting, composting, harvesting, and making delicious snacks out of the fruits and veggies they grow.
The nonprofit Fairview Garden’s approach to teaching is very hands-on, allowing the kids to learn by doing.
The camp staff also aims to foster children’s curiosity by prompting them with new questions in their response to the original questions. It is this method, they believe, that encourages the kids to keep thinking and allows for growth.
Learning about something new often starts with an open brainstorm to see what the campers already know. From there the staff fills in the blanks and makes the information easy for the kids to understand, like putting the information into a story.
Everything done at camp is seen as a learning opportunity, and curiosity is highly encouraged.
A typical day at the farm includes group play, story telling, art, music, crafts, climbing trees, playing with chickens and other farm animals, and cooking using the food they have harvested.
Although the camp agenda is loosely outlined each morning by the staff, the children have the opportunity to dictate the activities for the day based on what they are interested in. Many times this means playing with ladybugs or learning about a new plant the youths stumbled upon and are curious about.
Part of the farm’s mission to teach sustainability also aims to have the children consider how the way they live their life affects the world around them.
Kelly Ann Campbell, the farm’s director of education, noted that they teach the campers it’s “not just about the health of their bodies, but also about the health of the planet.”
This message extends beyond just sustainable farming, by teaching the youths to think about the bigger picture with every choice they make.
This especially translates into the campers’ own health. Showing the kids the entire process of how they get their food is a unique experience that allows for them to be more aware of what they are putting in their bodies.
Additionally, by incorporating a cooking element to the camp, the children are shown how easy farm-to-table cooking can be. Campers are encouraged to use the lessons they learn at camp and apply them at home, ensuring the whole family is thinking more about their food and its implications for their health and the environment.
By teaching the younger generation how to be conscientious when it comes to sustainability, the farm hopes to positively affect the community as a whole.
Fairview Gardens is located at 598 N. Fairview Ave. It’s summer camp is open to two age groups, ages 4-5 and ages 6-10, with 12 campers per age group per session. Year-round programs are also available for a variety of ages, including toddlers and teenagers.
Click here for a full schedule of the camp, to register, or to learn more about the farm’s summer camps or year-round school program. Click here to make an online donation.
— Noozhawk intern Dani DeVries can be reached at ddevries@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
