Farm-to-School Student Field Trips

Each grade-level field trip is designed to strengthen the connection students have with fresh, healthy food and deepen their understanding of food systems and local agriculture. Below is a short description of each farm-to-school food and nutrition field trip. 

TK/Kinder: School Cafeteria Tour

School Cafeteria/Kitchen

30-minute field trip led by Kitchen Manager & District Chef (1 class per field trip)

Students will tour their school cafeteria to learn how and where school lunches are prepared, understand how school food incorporates the five food groups, and learn how to navigate the salad bar. The tour will end with students helping to prepare a healthy snack with Robla's District Chef, Sergio Corona.

1st grade: Fiery Ginger Farm

West Sacramento, Ca

2-hour field trip led by farmers Shayne and Hope (2 classes per field trip)

Students visiting Fiery Ginger's urban farm site will learn all about sustainable food production while participating in actual farm tasks that include planting and harvesting fresh produce, caring for their chickens, and observing a live beekeeping demonstration. To help strengthen farm-to-school connections, Robla’s Food Services Department will be sourcing lettuce from Fiery Ginger Farm for all school salad bars this year. Students visiting the farm will be able to assist with lettuce seed planting and know that the seeds they plant may end up on their lunch tray at school.

2nd grade: Seed Survivor Mobile Classroom

Mobile Classroom at Robla School District (1 class per session)

Students will participate in a guided plant nutrient lesson before moving inside the Seed Survivor mobile classroom. Inside the mobile classroom, students will explore multi-media and virtual reality games, interactive activities, talking walls, and much more. After visiting Seed Survivor, students leave with an understanding that plants need water, light, healthy soil and nutrients to survive. They also learn about where their food comes from and the importance of agriculture to their daily lives. All students get to plant a sunflower seed to take home and grow.

3rd grade: Farm Garden in a Wheelbarrow

In-class activity-supplies are distributed in February

1 wheelbarrow per class, 2-3 classes per field trip to County Fair’s Agricultural Exhibit

The Farm Garden in a Wheelbarrow is an educational program offered through the Sacramento County Fair designed to educate young children about the importance of agriculture, where their food comes from and how it grows. Each 3rd grade classroom will receive a planting schedule, wheelbarrow, soil, and seeds. Each classroom will be responsible for taking care of their garden and create a tri-fold display about the wheelbarrow garden project that classrooms will enter into the County Fair’s Ag exhibit competition.

4th grade: PT Ranch Tour

Ione, Ca

4-hr field trip led by the Taylor family (2-classes per field trip)

PT Ranch is a family owned and operated ranch that mixes old farming traditions with new land management strategies. Specializing in regenerative meats, PT Ranch manages sheep, hogs, turkeys, chickens, and ducks. While touring the ranch, students will learn about regenerative agricultural practices used to promote soil health and draw out carbon from the atmosphere. Students will also have a chance to observe the ranch’s daily operations, enjoy a picnic lunch outdoors and leave with a better understanding of what it means to be a steward of the land.

5th grade: Food Literacy Center Cooking School

Sacramento, Ca

1.5 hour field trip led by Certified Food Genius (1 class per field trip)

Students will engage in nutrition education activities and prepare a recipe together using cooking techniques learned during the lesson. Students are encouraged to be food adventurerers and learn how food impacts our health, environment, and the economy. Field trips are led by a Certified Food Genus, who teaches students safe cooking techniques, knife skills, and food safety. Recipes are vegetable-foraward and include local and seasonal produce.

6th grade: Jr. Chef Cooking Assemblies

School cafeteria

1-hr field trip led by Amanda Arnold (1 class per assembly)

Jr. Chef cooking assemblies will provide 6th grade students with hands-on cooking experiences designed to equip students with culinary knowledge, cooking skills and confidence in the ability to prepare fresh and healthy meals. The assemblies are delivered over two separate sessions and are set up to allow students to rotate through multiple stations learning every cooking step the recipe addresses. Each session focuses on increasing consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, recipe preparation, proper use of kitchen tools and equipment and food safety.