Field Trips & Service Learning

Tilth Alliance’s field trips use age-specific curriculum, connect to classroom learning and invite students to use all of their senses while exploring the relationship between healthy soil, plants, animals, people, and communities.

Visit once or plan a series of visits to build upon gardening, farming, and environmental concepts throughout the year! Indicate on your registration form if there are specific learning units you are studying and we will work to create those connections.

We offer several different topics that can be covered during your field trip or service learning day. Browse available topics here.

Field Trips

Students support community food systems at the garden or farm by learning how to grow, harvest and cook food from scratch. Relationships are strengthened when meals and knowledge, actions, and food are shared together. Students will benefit from directly participating in seasonal activities related to food production and land restoration through making compost; studying soil life; planting, tending and harvesting crops; seed saving; and food preparation.

• Pre-K children taste veggies, herbs, and flowers, touch the soft and the prickly, forage in the soil to discover the compost critters that help our food grow, and discover unexpected delights exploring the garden or farm. Field trips for pre-K children are rich in sensory exploration and movement, perfect for ages 2-5 years olds’ curious minds. Field trips are offered at our Children’s Garden (Wallingford) and Rainier Beach Urban Farm & Wetlands (South Seattle). Field trips are 60 minutes long.
• Elementary school groups engage in hands-on science learning while visiting multiple learning stations around the garden or farm. Kids dig in the compost, care for the soil, plant, harvest and taste fresh produce, collect seeds, and other seasonal activities. Students connect to place while they explore, ask questions, and discover connections between food growing and local ecosystems. Experiential lessons encourage environmental stewardship, introduce food justice topics and learn about our local food systems. Field trips are offered at our Children’s Garden (Wallingford) and Rainier Beach Urban Farm & Wetlands (South Seattle). Field trips are 90 minutes long.
• Middle and high school groups delve deeper into field-based science explorations and spend time learning about topics such as sustainable agriculture, food systems, environmental stewardship, food justice, and the local watershed. Youth practice hands-on farming, gardening, and restoration activities, and take a tour of the garden or farm to connect its histories and how those inform what is growing today. At Rainier Beach Urban Farm & Wetlands, field trips topics can also include wetlands restoration and water quality field studies. Field trips are offered at our Children’s Garden (Wallingford) and Rainier Beach Urban Farm & Wetlands (South Seattle) depending on group size and curriculum needs. Field trips are 90 – 120 minutes long.

If you have questions about requesting a field trip, please contact us.

Service Learning

Service learning is a combination of learning and service, where active stewardship promotes engagement, connections to community and the land, and enhances curriculum. Students will work on a project or ongoing farm/garden need while learning important information related to food systems, food justice, organic land management, soil and water preservation, strengthening local ecosystems and environmental stewardship. Hands-on service may include garden and farm work, composting, land and wildlife stewardship, harvesting and packing food for community programs, and more.

Service learning sessions will be determined by Tilth Alliance staff based on curriculum goals and the seasonal needs of the garden or farm. Our service learning trips are best suited for 3rd grade and older, but can be modified to fit the needs of your group.

Sessions range from 90-120 minutes long depending on the age group. Multiple sessions to strengthen learning and build relationships are highly encouraged.

We request that students and adults come prepared to engage meaningfully in the work and ready to learn!