Farm School is designed to give children a front-row seat to a modern farmstead. Excite the senses + enjoy a tour of the land. You'll be greeted by flowers, chickens, vegetables + the honey bee colonies. Learn about pollinators, breeds + lifecycles of chickens, the monarch waystation + various butterflies. Experience a scavenger hunt, self-directed learning opportunities + presentations from the farm team.
2024 Farm School Theme
June 7th | Fun with Frogs + Toads
June 14th | The Adventure of the Pollinators
June 21st | Barnyard Animals
June 28th | Veggie Tales
July 5th | The Adventures of Peter Rabbit
July 12th | Wildflowers Like Us
July 19th | Summer Solstice Celebration
July 26th | It's a Bug's Life
August 2nd | Backyard Birds
August 9th | Come one, Come ALL: Rose Farm Carnival
2024 Farm School Descriptions
June 7th: Fun with Frogs + ToadsJoin us as we kick off summer on Friday, June 7th by learning about frogs + toads. Sessions will begin on the hour at 9, 10 + 11 AM and last for approximately 45 minutes. In this lesson, guests will have the opportunity to learn about the anatomy of both frogs + toads, about the life cycle of frogs and toads, and even have the opportunity to take a look at a living frog/toad. Students will also release tadpoles in the Rose Farm pond.
June 14th: The Adventure of the PollinatorsJoin us on Friday, June 14th to learn about the importance of pollinators + how you can help protect them. Sessions will begin on the hour at 9, 10 + 11 AM and last for approximately 45 minutes. Christine Eckles, from the Blank Park Zoo conservation initiative, "Plant, Grow, Fly" will facilitate hands-on learning stations. Each child will take home supplies needed to make a seed ball + to start a pollinator habitat.
June 21st: Barnyard Animals Join us on Friday, June 21st to learn all about barnyard animals! Sessions will begin on the hour at 9, 10 + 11 AM and last for approximately 45 minutes. We know Old McDonald had a farm, but today guests will learn what it's like to have a farm in the Iowa countryside. Students will have the opportunity to see many special guests - goats, a pony, chickens + rabbits. Our friends from HER Acres, featuring 11-year-old Remi Smith, will share more about caring for barnyard animals, along with fun facts about their habitat + their feeding habits. Students will have the opportunity to have a photo with the animals.
June 28th: Veggie TalesJoin us on Friday, June 28th for veggie tales where Farm School students will learn all about veggies. Sessions will begin on the hour at 9, 10 + 11 AM and last for approximately 45 minutes. Sue Honkamp, the founder & owner of Real Food 4 Kids, will have fresh, locally grown veggies on hand for a fun + interactive lesson. Students will learn why vegetables are good for them, how they grow, and how they can eat all of the different parts of the plant. Students will have the opportunity to practice cutting up their own veggies from the Rose Farm community garden (with kid-safe knives, of course!) and they'll be pretty likely to eat what they cut.
July 5th: The Adventures of Peter RabbitJoin us on Friday, July 5th for the Adventures of Peter Rabbit! Sessions will begin on the hour at 9, 10 + 11 AM and last for approximately 45 minutes. Students will learn all about rabbits, plants, and gardening, guided by the classic children’s book, "The Tale of Peter Rabbit." Students will get to dive deeper into gardening, utilizing the Rose Farm community garden, and they will learn about rabbits through a hands-on activity, a game of Bingo, and a vegetable seed planting activity.
July 12th: Wildflowers Like UsJoin us on Friday, July 12th for a Farm School session about flowers + flower farming. Sessions will begin on the hour at 9, 10 + 11 AM and last for approximately 45 minutes. Students will learn all about our favorite topic - flower gardening. Students will learn the types of flowers grown at our farm, what goes into a flower garden, how to grow them, and the parts of a flower. After learning about flowers, students will have the opportunity to create beautiful floral crowns using Rose Farm florals, with instruction provided by nationally-recognized independent artist b. Robert Moore.
About b. Robert Moore: b. Robert Moore (b. 1983, Des Moines, Iowa), a self-taught multidisciplinary artist delving into the exploration of lived experiences, socio-political events, cultural criticism, and collective identity within the framework of the AfricanAmerican experience. His experimental multimedia practice incorporates a diverse array of materials and everyday objects laden with symbolism and personal history. Drawing inspiration from his childhood, military service, and role as a father, as well as from historical and contemporary liberation movements, Moore's work serves as a nuanced reflection of these influences.
July 19th: Summer Solstice CelebrationJoin us on Friday, July 19th for our Rose Farm summer solstice celebration. Sessions will begin on the hour at 9, 10 + 11 AM and last for approximately 45 minutes. Learn what makes the seasons and discover the difference between a solstice + a equinox. Students will also learn about solstice traditions found around the world. Students will then roll up their sleeves and create a flower art collage using Rose Farm florals, create a sun banner, and taste sun tea.
July 26th: It's a Bug's LifeBuzz on down to the farm on Friday, July 26th to learn all about bugs + bees! Sessions will begin on the hour at 9, 10 + 11 AM and last for approximately 45 minutes. Students will learn about our important friend, the honeybee. Students will learn about the parts of a bee, along with the life cycle of a worker bee and other types of bees. Look inside a honeycomb + and discover the characteristic's flowers need to attract bees. Students will also be learning all about the insects + bugs that are commonly found in gardens. Study their life cycle, food choices, and if they are harmful or helpful to humans. At the end of the session, students will participate in a ladybug release, and they will be encouraged to find different types of bugs and insects around the farm using our scavenger hunt guide.
August 2nd: Backyard BirdsJoin us on Friday, August 2nd to learn about the common types of birds in Iowa, how to identify them, why birds are important, and the varying components of a bird’s life (i.e., size/shape/color of eggs, nest characteristics, etc.). Sessions will begin on the hour at 9, 10 + 11 AM and last for approximately 45 minutes. Special guest, Tyler Harms, executive director of Iowa Young Birders, will be with us to share his vast knowledge. Students will have the ability to explore birds through varying hands-on activities and will learn how to create their own bird feeder at home. At the end of the session, tour the farm and search for the common types of birds shared in the lesson.
August 9th: Come one, Come All: Rose Farm Carnival Come one, come ALL! Join us in celebrating the end of our beloved Farm School series on Friday, August 9th from 9-11 AM. Children will enjoy popcorn, cotton candy, snow cones, crafts, face painting, yard games, live farm animals + storytime. Tickets will go live on our Rose Farm website on July 1st + we kindly ask that you reserve a ticket for each guest attending the carnival. All tickets are complimentary + there is no cost to attend. Rose Farm will release 500 tickets.
Farm School will begin Friday, June 7th, and run each Friday through August 9th on the hour at 9, 10 +11 AM. This event is complimentary. We are passionate about educating our youngest farm guests, and Farm School has been designed to give children the front-row seat to a modern farmstead. Our lessons + stories are geared towards school-age children. However, we welcome guests of all ages as there are sensory experiences beneficial to even the youngest guest. Children will be greeted by flowers, chickens, vegetables + the honey bee colonies. They will learn about pollinators, breeds + lifecycles of chickens, the monarch way-station, and various butterflies from our educator Jeni Warwick.
A scavenger hunt, self-directed learning opportunities + presentations from the farm team will be shared. A story from our friends at the West Des Moines Public Library will be read, and sweet treat offerings will be available got purchase.
All sessions are complimentary, so plan to bring the entire family for a morning or fun + learning at the farm. You are welcome to bring along your lawn chair or a blanket.
Farm School- Fridays @ 9, 10 + 11 AM (complimentary)
June 7, 14, 21, 28
July 5, 12, 19, 26
August 2 + 9
Take your next field trip to Rose Farm. Designed for groups of 15 + children, spend up to two hours at the farm (depending on your group's size). Farm School has been created for children who are 4-12 years of age. Rose Farm will provide a snack for each guest. Groups are welcome to bring a lunch to enjoy on the land. We kindly request chaperones join each group.
2 hours | $10 a guest
100% of our Farm School proceeds benefit Wildwood Hills Ranch at-risk youth.
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