Since 2016, the Bethel Farm in Eugene has served as a working educational farm for Bethel School District students and the broader community. Students at nearby Kalapuya High School helped design and build the farm and continue to help operate it. Teachers at Kalapuya integrate agriculture into their lessons, and many students work on the farm during and outside of school.
The Bethel Farm was created to benefit all Bethel students and community members — most visibly through third-grade field trips. These trips were paused during the pandemic but resumed in fall 2021 with a new format and renewed energy.
Students learn about local farming practices, interact with honey bees and chickens, and discover how the farm supports the community through a weekly free farmers market and Bethel Farm Summer Camp.
That fall, Oregon State University Extension’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) team in Lane County partnered with Kalapuya’s agriculture teacher to plan a new round of field trips. The trips were supported by USDA Farm to School funds awarded to Kalapuya High School.
SNAP-Ed educators collaborated with Kalapuya staff to design the experience and train Kalapuya students to help lead the activities. From September to October 2021, they delivered nine field trips for a total of 221 third-grade students. Each trip featured a hands-on cooking activity — students shucked corn, made a pumpkin pie spice blend, learned about popcorn while it popped, and sampled the spice on freshly popped corn. Students took home the spice blend and recipe ideas from OSU Extension’s Food Hero to share with their families.
The program was well received by teachers and students. In spring 2022, a second round of field trips was offered to classes that hadn’t participated in the fall. Students harvested strawberries and made berry-banana smoothies using a bike-powered blender, alongside other farm activities led by Kalapuya students.
The success of the program led to a continued seasonal model. In fall 2022, a simplified popcorn and spice activity was offered during seven field trips. Field trips in 2023 supported 122 third-grade students in the spring and 133 in the fall. In 2024, 116 students attended in spring and 75 in fall.
In total, about 500 third-grade students have visited the Bethel Farm through these field trips. Students learn about local farming practices, interact with honey bees and chickens, and discover how the farm supports the community through a weekly free farmers market and Bethel Farm Summer Camp.
Each student goes home with resources related to their lesson, reinforcing nutrition and wellness education in their families.
Through this collaboration, OSU Extension supports hands-on agricultural and nutrition education for elementary students, encourages healthy eating habits and fosters a deeper connection between youth, food and community.
