Every fall we take our 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students on an all-day field trip. Destinations have varied as much as the weather at this time of year. We decided to try somewhere new this year, which landed us at D’Acres Farm in Dorchester. We headed out on a big yellow bus during morning session on Wednesday, October 14.

D’Acres Farm is an organic self-sustaining education center. The people running the farm value knowing from where their food originates and so employ many ‘best practices’ for everything from land clearing to harvest. The wood splitter, for example, is powered by vegetable oil.

We enjoyed a tour of the farm, hearing about all they do. We saw the farm’s sap house which was built in the 1940’s, several flocks of hens, fruit trees, many vegetable gardens, the farm’s team of oxen, several pigs, and many composting piles in various stages of decomposition. We visited the farm’s greenhouse, the root cellar, and learned about the composting toilet system.

We were able to do some service work projects for the farm, too. Our small groups loaded firewood into a truck and trailer, unloaded the wood at a different location, raked leaves and loaded them into a trailer for mulching and composting, and shucked beans. Our students proved to be committed enthusiastic workers!

A welcome break from the wind and cool temperatures was had when we sat in the house’s great room to enjoy our carry-in/carry-out lunches, while several people worked in the beautiful open kitchen packing cabbage for sauerkraut. 

Our day away from the classroom ended with play in a mown field and a group photo. Memories of the day will be as varied as our students’ personalities. We can be sure though that everyone’s horizons were broadened by the experience.