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Schools

The following farm-based education programs are available for schools, families, and  youth groups. Specialized workshops are also available upon request.

Sow to Grow (Spring Session) - This is a three visit program provided to schools. Learning is by doing! Program includes seeding, transplanting, harvesting and salad making. This can be tailored to a one visit activity for other groups. This program is generally for grades 4 - 8.

Seed Saving (Fall & Winter) - This program can be performed on-site or our farm educators can bring the program to your school. Learn how to process harvested seed over the winter or explore the farm and harvest seeds right from the flowers in the fall. This program is generally for grades 4 - 8.

What's the Buzz? All about Bees - Visit our hives and talk with beekeepers and our farmers about the importance of these productive insects. This program is appropriate for ages 7 through adult.

Composting, Tending and Cultivating Healthy Plants - Meet our compost expert and learn why the earthworm is the farmer's best friend and why compost is called "black gold".

Nature Art: Art on the Farm / Painting  - Activities include but are not limited to mosaic making, crafting "bug hotels", making natural dyes for fabric and tee shirts, and pressing herbs, flowers and leaves for cards.

Herbology - Visit our herb garden and learn about herbs and their special properties.

Bugs - Explore the work of insects as they live with our plants. Build a "bug hotel", and explore how they keep the plants healthy.

Adult Education - Enjoy an En Plein Air day of painting or art sketching at the farm and create an art journal of nature observations. (No experience is necessary.)

Other  - Specialized workshops are available upon request.

Schools
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Scout Programs 

Scout Program

Crossroads Farm is a Program Partner with the Girl Scouts of Nassau County and offers the following programs. We also work with the Boy Scouts and can customize programs to fit any Girl Scout or Boy Scout troop needs. 

Programs run for 90 minutes to 2 hours.

JOURNEYS

Customize your troop's journey for all girl scout levels within the It's your Planet - Love It! Series or the It's Your Story - Tell It! Series with Crossroads Farm, a working registered NOFA certified, organic nonprofit farm run by the Nassau Land Trust. Our education staff will work with you to fine tune your goals within the broad topics of environment, food justice, advocacy, healthy eating, or gardening.

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DAISIES

Use Resources Wisely Petal - Your visit will include a walk around the farm with Clover as our guide. Witness the resourcefulness of our resident bees and learn the importance of composting to the farm. Round out your visit by practicing being resourceful with a seasonal farm project. Customized Welcome to the Daisy Flower Garden and Between Earth and Sky Journey programs available upon request.

Make the World a Better Place Petal - Your visit will include a walk around the farm with Rose as our guide. Use our Puppet Theatre, created as a Silver Award Project, to build a skit around making the world a better place using farm themes such as composting, seed saving, and bees as guides.  Seasonal farm activities will round out your experience at the farm. Customized Welcome to the Daisy Flower Garden and Between Earth and Sky Journey programs available upon request.

Outdoor Art Maker Badge - See the colors and hear the sounds of nature while on a walk through Crossroads Farm. While on your walk, learn how we protect nature and "leave no trace". Collect flowers, leaves and other natural materials while on your walk to use in creating your outdoor art masterpiece! Your masterpiece will tell your story of your walk on the farm. 

Eco Learner - Learn how to protect nature at Crossroads Farm. Take a tour of the farm and learn about the different animal habitats, plants and vegetables we have and how to protect them. Help the farm by doing a seasonal activity and finish your visit by making up a trash story about what happens when we litter and acting it out using your puppets and puppet theatre.

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BROWNIES

Eco Friend Badge - Spend time exploring and observing the outdoors all while learning how to protect the environment. We will hike the farm and use our observation skills as we learn how to protect nature and the birds and bugs.  Your hike will include the orchard, vegetable beds, herb garden, teaching gardens, and greenhouse. We will stop at our woodpile and discuss the different sizes and conditions of the wood and which ones are best for our campfire.  We will also build and safely put out a campfire while practicing being kind and learning about the special people who work at the farm. Troops are welcome to bring supplies for s'mores!

Outdoor Adventure - Spend time exploring the outdoors at Crossroads Farm. Play outdoor games and complete friendly challenges before going on a hike around the farm to look for plants to use in your scent diary. Care for the outdoors by helping the farm with a seasonal activity. Customize your badge by working with farm staff to choose appropriate games and/or camp skills activities during your visit.

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JUNIORS

Gardener Badge - Get ready to dig in the dirt and explore the beauty and innerworkings of a garden. Create a bouquet of fresh flowers, participate in a seasonal farm chore, and learn about the decisions to make when planting vegetables, herbs, and flowers so you can create your own garden at home.

Outdoor Art Explorer - Experience art in the outdoors with one of our resident artists at Crossroads Farm. Talk with our artist and learn how she uses nature in her own works before going on a walking tour of the farm to find your own inspiration. While on our walk, listen to the sounds and feel the different textures of the world around you. How do these perspectives impact what we want to create? Create your own work of art using found objects in nature and other art materials. Cameras are optional for a photographer's view of the farm.

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JUNIORS AND CADETTES

"Lettuce" Make A Salad Workshop Series - Join us on three separate occasions to experience the life cycle of a lettuce seed.  On your first visit, you will learn how to soil block and plant a seed, learning how to create the best environment for your seed to grow!  On your second visit, you will transplant your seedlings in the field, and on your last visit, you will harvest your lettuce and other veggies and prepare a celebratory meal to share with your troop and parents!  During this series of visits, the girls will learn about all of the components of the farm that make this lettuce magical.  Bees, compost, and companion planting are just a few of the themes covered.  Seasonal farm activities will round out each visit.

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CADETTES

Art Apprentice Badge -  Have you ever wondered where natural dyes come from?  While at Crossroads Farm use plants, herbs and flowers for inspiration to make your own custom dye using natural powered dyes.  Tie-dye fabrics to create your own personal masterpiece.  Sketch/draw or take photos during the process so you can create a photo journal of your experience. Round out your time by writing a poem inspired by the wonders of nature.

Tree Badge - Dig into the amazing life of trees and what they do for our environment. Identify trees here at the farm, learn about their parts, sketch the trees to start your tree journal. Plant a tree during your visit and learn about what it takes to keep the tree thriving. Discuss the connection between people and trees.

Night Owl Badge - The world is a different place at night. Take the chance to explore the world after dark at Crossroads Farm. Use all the five senses as you explore the bounty of fields using a flashlight and the light of the moon. Examine the night sky while on your walk and see how many star patterns you can find. Wrap up the evening by reciting poetry and/or sharing a night inspired legend as you sit around a campfire. Leaders are welcome to bring ingredients for s'mores.

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SENIORS

Sow What Journey - Learn how our agricultural practices and how our farm feeds and engages our local community here on Long Island. Explore the various parts of the farm, see how it operates, and learn what it means to be a certified organic farm. Participate in the hands-on daily chores that are required to keep a farm working and remain certified organic.  Enjoy a harvest celebration. Plan your Take Action Project in a notebook that you make at the farm.

Locavore Badge - Learn about the benefits of eating locally and why the efforts of locavores are so important at Crossroads Farm. Speak to people who grow and deliver local foods and learn about the benefits and challenges they face. Learn what eating seasonally means and what role transportation plays in the food you eat. Create a simple meal using food you harvest yourself at the farm. While here you can start thinking about your local cooking challenge and what recipe you'll make at home with local ingredients. Learn how to make your own compost is an optional activity.

Saturdays are best to take advantage of the Farmer's Market.

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SENIORS AND AMBASSADORS

Community Service Bar - Work alongside our farm staff as you commit to 20 hours of volunteer work during the course of the Girl Scout year. Dress for the weather and come prepared to get dirty as you engage in the chores required on any particular day. Chores may include planting, weeding, cover cropping, and harvesting.

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SENIORS AND AMBASSADORS

Be a Seed of Change: Highest Award Exploration - What’s really important to you? Get inspired to earn your Gold Award.  Our staff will share their knowledge of the science and practice of farming including ongoing challenges.  Learn about the farms mission to serve as a model for farm renewal, community education and outreach, activism, and environmental awareness.  Leave this informational program with a true understanding of current issues and hone in on an idea for where you feel you can make a difference. Crossroads Farm is the perfect place to discuss an array of topics like buildings, grounds, and equipment, farm-to-table, agriculture, local organic farming, gardening (including pollinators and native species), and outdoor education.

GIRL SCOUT SILVER AWARDS

1) Troop #1426 Self-Guided Walking Tour: Troop #1426 wanted to highlight areas of the farm for visitors who stroll through on their own without the guidance of farm staff.  They created a self-guided walking tour for eleven areas of the farm. At each area, visitors can pull up educational content related to that particular spot using a QR code.  This is a fun way to encourage the community to visit the farm and learn about the different areas as well as get inspiration for home projects. 

This Silver Award was unveiled during the farm’s Opening Day Fundraiser in May, 2022.  

Click the PDF icon below to see a copy of the walking tour. 

2) Troop # 2325 - Puppet Theatre with Puppets: After volunteering as puppeteers at Crossroads Farm's Opening Day in 2021, Troop #2325 saw an opportunity to contribute a more permanent teaching component to the farm's education programs and events.

The girls built a puppet theater and made beautiful puppets to be housed at the farm.  Today, the puppet theatre and its puppets are built in to several girl scouts badges and farm events.  

Their project was unveiled during the Farm's Barnyard Dance Fundraiser in October, 2021. 

Scout Awards

For more information on booking our Education Programs for your school or organization, contact us at delia@nassaulandtrust.org or call Delia, Education Coordinator, at (516) 967-5058

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