Fall field trips at Farrington

Fort-building, hand-made apple cider, hikes, campfires, and nature art....these are the things that our eight Fall field trips were made of!

Between October and December, we hosted a total of 139 youth at Farrington for creative field trips. Visiting partner programs came from Roxbury, Cambridge, Belmont, Framingham, and Somerville, and nearly all are engaged in an ongoing series of afterschool Explore programming at their sites. For two of those visiting groups--the Rafael Hernandez School's After School Program from Roxbury and the Wilson and Brophy Schools from Framingham--it was a special opportunity to welcome them to Farrington for the first time. The field trips proved to be a wonderful way to complement and deepen our relationship with youth and staff involved in Explore. 

Fall on Farrington's property is a unique time for youth to encounter season-specific experiences, and to compare them to those of other seasons, especially for youth that might have previously visited during Summer, Winter, or Spring. For example, the chillier air proved to be the perfect invitation for campfires and s'mores--a first for many youth. Students from Pathways Academy--a school based out of McClean Hospital in Belmont for young people on the autism spectrum--even successfully built their own fires with guidance from Farrington staff.

Additionally, our antique apple press was a big hit and a new addition to our repertoire of activities. For years, Farrington has had an apple cider press that likely dates back to Farrington's days as a working farm. One of our dedicated consultants, Kate Pickle, helped us get it back in working order for use with kids. The press allowed us to engage in interesting hands-on inquiry with students, asking questions like: What's the difference between apple cider and apple juice? How does each part of the press work together? What can we learn about diameter and circumference by cranking the press? Early in the Fall, we were even able to make use of apples growing on apple trees on our property.

Next on the calendar for field trips are visits during February vacation and April vacation, as well as a handful of programs during March, and of course, our ongoing, weekly afterschool partnerships. Stay tuned for more updates!