WHATCOM COUNTY, WA — Each year the education committee of Whatcom Family Farmers hosts a field trip experience for Whatcom County third graders to learn where their food comes from and meet the farmers who grow it. The Whatcom Farm Circle (WFC) field trip has become so popular that available spots fill quickly, and many students are turned away. As the program continues, WFC leaders are always looking for new ways to reach more students in the community.
This year, the 8th Annual Whatcom Farm Circle is scheduled for October 31-November 2 at the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds. The event will include information about Whatcom County’s top food crops including raspberries, dairy, and potatoes, as well as highlighting technology, wildlife, and water conservation on farms.
A new addition to this year’s WFC is a hands-on activity exploring the commodities of Washington State in the Farming for Life Experience at the Peoples Bank Farm Pavilion.
Another addition to this year’s WFC is a FREE Whatcom-focused agriculture curriculum that can be used as a follow-up, supplement for the event, or stand-alone learning module. The WFC organizers, consisting of farmers, non-profit partners, and other agriculture volunteers, have addressed the WFC waitlist of schools by developing this curriculum as a method of reaching these waitlisted students.
This curriculum, now available on the Whatcom Family Farmers website, was created by professional agriculture educators and is intended to serve as a tool for third grade teachers to explore Whatcom agriculture with their students in even more depth. In addition to aligning with WFC goals, it meets several state science, social studies, and language standards for the third grade level.
Whatcom Farm Circle is proud to launch this first set of FREE Whatcom Ag Curriculum featuring raspberries and dairy. We are grateful to our sponsors for their support and welcome any additional feedback on the curriculum, as well as suggestions for future materials beyond the Whatcom Farm Circle Experience. Anyone wishing to sponsor the curriculum database or provide suggestions or feedback, please contact the WFF Education Coordinator at ellies@whatcomfamilyfarmers.org
Thank you to our Curriculum Sponsors
