“The mission of our Farm program is to help children become informed citizens, environmental stewards, educated consumers, social change-makers and community leaders. We believe that when you have people who are aware of and educated in the sources of their food, fiber, water and energy, they become powerful advocates and critics of the people and businesses that grow, produce, and supply these basic human needs.”

JOHN MCDANIEL, FORMER MCS FARM DIRECTOR (JULY 2016 - june 2024)

5

Lower School Farm Trips PER STUDENT STARTING IN GRADES 2-4

12

UPPER School Farm Trips PER STUDENT GRADES 5-8

200

ACRES OF PASTURE, GARDENS, AND HAY FIELDS

140

SOLAR PANELS

500

STUDENTS VISIT THE FARM EVERY YEAR

14

SHEEP

12

COWS

6

PIGS RAISED EVERY YEAR

60

LAYING HENS

One of the most significant parts of Manhattan Country School’s academic experience takes place at our Farm in the Catskill Mountains. Together with their classroom teachers, MCS students first go to the Farm in the spring of their 7-8s year. They spend three days and two nights on their first visit, with trips increasing in length and frequency as children get older. With each trip, students are able to connect what they are learning in the classroom to their studies at the Farm.

Farm Curriculum

Nature

Nature studies at the MCS Farm immerse children in the natural world of forest, field and stream. Students explore at their own pace in an environment that quickly becomes familiar, but always holds surprises. Students hike through the woods, fields, and trails, tracking wildlife and learning how animals and plants respond to the cycle of seasons. Through deep exposure to the Catskill Mountain environment, children gain a perspective that helps develop their sense of environmental stewardship and informs their future choices and decisions.

Fiber Arts

In Fiber Arts Class students design and create projects using the wool from our own flock of sheep. Carding, spinning, dyeing and weaving are the basic steps in our “lamb to loom” program. Needle felting, rug hooking, knitting, basketry, Kumihimo Japanese braiding, and “Backstrap Weaving” from Central and South America are all areas explored. These meditative practices bring out not only rich artistic talents, but also inspire conversation among students on varied topics.

Farm Work and Barn Chores

Farm Work Class follows the rhythm of the seasons. In the spring and the fall students are engaged in planting, weeding and harvesting food. Winter involves students learning about animal husbandry, the process of making maple syrup and the energy needs and systems of the Farm.


Farm Work Classes include a focus on renewable energy, taking advantage of the Farm’s 140 solar panels that produce 24,000 kilowatts of electricity. Students also work to supply firewood to heat Farm buildings and the outdoor wood-fired pizza oven. Ultimately, the content of our Farm Work Class is to provide an authentic farm-based experience which resonates with our kids and informs their future decisions.


Barn chores are an essential piece of the MCS Farm program. All students share the responsibilities of operating and caring for the Farm. Students milk cows, gather fresh-laid eggs, clean out animal stalls and provide fresh feed for all of the Farm animals. While barn chores are taught and guided by Farm teachers in the younger years, older students soon become capable managers of Farm chores themselves.

cooking

Cooking class lives in the heart of the farmhouse, the kitchen. Students prepare meals and snacks using ingredients almost exclusively grown or raised at the MCS Farm. Basic culinary skills and nutrition, food science and systems, and an understanding of collaborative efforts between our Farm and our table are hallmarks of this program.

Farm Graduation Requirements

Through their years at the Farm, students add to their skills and knowledge in each area of the Farm curriculum: farming, nature, textiles, and cooking. Their studies build sequentially from year to year, culminating in graduation requirements that are fulfilled during students’ seventh and eighth grade years.


To graduate from MCS, students must:

  • Milk a cow and manage barn chores

  • Bake with yeast

  • Prepare a meal for the whole class

  • Produce an original textile

  • Participate in a mock town meeting on a current environmental issue